Vice President, Marketing & Events

Founded in 1972, Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU) is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness, and administers programming within the United States in support of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel. Americans for Ben-Gurion University plays a vital role in sustaining Israel’s forefather and first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion’s vision: creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community, and sharing the University’s expertise locally and around the globe.

A4BGU is seeking a Vice President of Marketing and Events to oversee A4BGU’s brand, communications, programming, and event-based fundraising initiatives, ensuring consistent and strategic execution across all touchpoints, internally and externally. The VP will lead a diverse team of professionals and will regularly liaise with senior management, university colleagues and volunteer leadership. The VP also works closely with external agency partners across disciplines, including ad creative, digital marketing, media, public relations, and others as needed.

Ideal candidates will have a proven track record of successful marketing and events management, coaching, guiding and mentoring effective teams, a deep passion for philanthropy and a desire to be part of a highly mission-driven organizational culture in support of Israel. Along with adept technical knowledge and experience, the VP will demonstrate an ability to cultivate key stakeholder relationships, while driving strategies to enhance visibility and engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the overall marketing, events, and programming teams; foster a culture of strategy, creativity, collaboration, and accountability
• Develop and implement comprehensive marketing, communication, and event strategies
• Oversee the planning, execution, and evaluation of all marketing, communications, events and programmatic efforts
• Provide thought leadership on digital marketing initiatives, including social media, email campaigns, SEO, and website management
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Advancement on the creation of marketing campaigns and event collateral that enhances fundraising efforts and donor engagement
• Monitor and analyze performance metrics, adjusting strategies as necessary to achieve desired outcomes
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including volunteer leadership, University administration and faculty, donors, and community partners.

Qualifications & Skills

• 8+ years of progressive experience in marketing, communications, event planning/fundraising positions; 5+ years in a senior leadership role preferred
• Experience managing and coaching for top-quality performance from internal teams and external consultants/agencies
• Strong understanding of nonprofit marketing, with proven experience in event fundraising, particularly in academic institutions or similar sectors
• Expertise in developing and executing successful marketing strategies, leveraging multiple marketing disciplines
• Success creating and managing large to small-scale events, with proven ability to build and foster relationships with event volunteers and vendors
• Strong understanding of digital marketing trends and tools
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, project management, and CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred)
• A passion for Israel and/or a deep interest in better understanding the geopolitical realities of the country is preferred