Executive Director of Advancement North America/Diaspora
The American College of Greece, New York, NY, United States
About The American College of Greece
The American College of Greece (ACG) is an independent, non-profit, nonsectarian, co-educational institution whose origins date back to 1875 in Smyrna (Izmir), Asia Minor. Established initially as a school for girls, the institution relocated to Athens in 1923 and has since grown into one of Europes leading American-accredited educational institutions. Today, ACG educates more than 8,000 students through its four divisions: Pierce (pre-kindergarten through secondary education, including the International Baccalaureate program), Deree (undergraduate and graduate programs), Alba Graduate Business School, and the AUG Global Campus, which offers online and hybrid programs. These divisions operate across ACGs main 64-acre campus in Aghia Paraskevi, the 27-acre Pierce East Campus in East Attica, and Albas downtown Athens campus. ACG became the first American higher education institution abroad to achieve U.S. accreditation through the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and offers undergraduate programs validated by the Open University in the United Kingdom. With more than 50 partner universities worldwide and an alumni network exceeding 77,000 graduates, ACG serves a diverse international academic community supported by more than 12.9 million in annual scholarships and financial aid.
ACG operates within a dynamic international higher-education environment supported by an integrated institutional structure designed to ensure academic quality, degree recognition, and long-term sustainability. The American University of Greece (AUG), incorporated in Massachusetts and authorized to award U.S. undergraduate and graduate degrees, complements ACGs Athens-based operations and supports the development of global and online programs. Together, ACG and AUG advance a shared academic mission: to add distinctive and sustainable value to students, Greece, American education, Hellenic heritage, and the global community through transformative teaching, scholarship, and service. This mission is further supported by the American University of Greece Foundation (AUGF), which manages an endowment exceeding $300 million and plays a critical role in strengthening the institutions financial sustainability and strategic growth. Looking ahead, ACG is also establishing a new University Legal Entity (ULE) under Greeces evolving higher-education framework, enabling the institution to offer U.S.-accredited degrees in Greece through partnership with a U.S. degree-granting university, further expanding ACGs international reach and academic ecosystem.
Position Summary
The Executive Director of Advancement North America/Diaspora is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy in support of ACGs institutional priorities, including scholarships, academic excellence, capital projects, and strategic growth. The role focuses on major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and engagement with Greek diaspora communities, with a primary emphasis on building relationships and cultivating philanthropic support across international networks. Strategy & Planning Develop and implement a multi-year strategic fundraising plan across North America and assigned diaspora markets Track fundraising performance and prospect activity, maintaining accurate records and reports to support strategy, forecasting, and institutional planning
Fundraising & Donor Engagement Develop and execute initiatives to increase engagement and giving among alumni, parents, friends, and Greek diaspora communities Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects, foundations, and corporate partners in alignment with ACGs institutional priorities Build and strengthen relationships within Greek diaspora communities to expand ACGs visibility, deepen institutional affinity, and develop future philanthropic support Manage and strengthen relationships with corporate partners and other key external stakeholders to sustain and expand their involvement with ACG Partner with the Vice President of Advancement on major gift, foundation, and grant opportunities involving high-potential prospects and institutional partners Develop tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for donors and prospects Strengthen ACGs visibility within North American philanthropic, corporate, alumni, and Greek diaspora networks.
Institutional Collaboration Build and maintain strong relationships with key faculty, administrators, and staff to identify opportunities, support donor engagement, and foster a culture of philanthropy Coordinate advancement activities across departments and divisions to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and effective progression of fundraising opportunities Coordinate closely with the Executive Director of Advancement Greece to ensure alignment across regions in strategy, engagement, and stewardship
Required Qualifications & Experience University degree Minimum 5 years of experience in fundraising (preferably in higher education or nonprofit sector) Experience leading fundraising campaigns preferred Experience working within the Greek philanthropic landscape is highly desirable Experience engaging diaspora or international networks strongly preferred Fluency in English (Greek preferred)
Required Knowledge Knowledge of fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and relationship management Knowledge of major gifts, foundation support, and corporate partnerships Knowledge of prospect research, portfolio management, and data management practices
Required Skills Strong donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship skills Excellent written and oral communication skills Strong organizational and planning abilities Strategic thinking and long-term planning capability Strong negotiation and senior-level relationship management skills Ability to build and manage relationships across international and diaspora networks Data-informed decision-making Strong stakeholder management and internal collaboration skills
ACG offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven institution with a growing international presence and impact. Location:
This role does not require relocation to either the United States or Greece. The selected candidate may remain based in their current location if preferred; however, the position requires regular travel between the two countries. Application Deadline: April 30, 2026 recblid uf6w9ss2wzzcbhmqm5k90mx887sj5a
The Executive Director of Advancement North America/Diaspora is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy in support of ACGs institutional priorities, including scholarships, academic excellence, capital projects, and strategic growth. The role focuses on major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and engagement with Greek diaspora communities, with a primary emphasis on building relationships and cultivating philanthropic support across international networks. Strategy & Planning Develop and implement a multi-year strategic fundraising plan across North America and assigned diaspora markets Track fundraising performance and prospect activity, maintaining accurate records and reports to support strategy, forecasting, and institutional planning
Fundraising & Donor Engagement Develop and execute initiatives to increase engagement and giving among alumni, parents, friends, and Greek diaspora communities Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects, foundations, and corporate partners in alignment with ACGs institutional priorities Build and strengthen relationships within Greek diaspora communities to expand ACGs visibility, deepen institutional affinity, and develop future philanthropic support Manage and strengthen relationships with corporate partners and other key external stakeholders to sustain and expand their involvement with ACG Partner with the Vice President of Advancement on major gift, foundation, and grant opportunities involving high-potential prospects and institutional partners Develop tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for donors and prospects Strengthen ACGs visibility within North American philanthropic, corporate, alumni, and Greek diaspora networks.
Institutional Collaboration Build and maintain strong relationships with key faculty, administrators, and staff to identify opportunities, support donor engagement, and foster a culture of philanthropy Coordinate advancement activities across departments and divisions to ensure alignment with institutional priorities and effective progression of fundraising opportunities Coordinate closely with the Executive Director of Advancement Greece to ensure alignment across regions in strategy, engagement, and stewardship
Required Qualifications & Experience University degree Minimum 5 years of experience in fundraising (preferably in higher education or nonprofit sector) Experience leading fundraising campaigns preferred Experience working within the Greek philanthropic landscape is highly desirable Experience engaging diaspora or international networks strongly preferred Fluency in English (Greek preferred)
Required Knowledge Knowledge of fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and relationship management Knowledge of major gifts, foundation support, and corporate partnerships Knowledge of prospect research, portfolio management, and data management practices
Required Skills Strong donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship skills Excellent written and oral communication skills Strong organizational and planning abilities Strategic thinking and long-term planning capability Strong negotiation and senior-level relationship management skills Ability to build and manage relationships across international and diaspora networks Data-informed decision-making Strong stakeholder management and internal collaboration skills
ACG offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven institution with a growing international presence and impact. Location:
This role does not require relocation to either the United States or Greece. The selected candidate may remain based in their current location if preferred; however, the position requires regular travel between the two countries. Application Deadline: April 30, 2026 recblid uf6w9ss2wzzcbhmqm5k90mx887sj5a