Director of Development

Description

Tandem Friends School is now accepting applications for the role of Director of Development. Position to begin on or before July 1, 2024 or possibly earlier dependent upon candidate availability.

The Director of Development is the school’s principal fundraising strategist who works closely with the Head of School, the Board of Trustees, the development team, alumni, community members and volunteers to engage donors, build resources, and enhance the culture of philanthropy at Tandem Friends School. The Director of Development is responsible for designing and implementing multi-year giving, cultivation, stewardship and communications programs that optimize philanthropy in support of the school. The Director of Development serves as the chief fundraiser of the School, manages development department staff, is the primary liaison to the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees, and assumes oversight for all aspects of the Development Office. The Director of Development will report to the Head of School and will join a dedicated leadership team collaboratively responsible for shaping the school’s practices, policies, and strategic direction.

Job Duties

Develop forward-thinking, strategic priorities and plans to achieve goals and grow all areas of development–annual giving, major giving, capital/endowment giving, events, grants and planned giving. Create annual fundraising plans and oversee implementation in all areas of development and in all constituent engagement areas (parents, board, alumni, grandparents, alumni families, etc.). Develop and maintain relationships with the whole school community: colleagues, students, parents, grandparents and alumni, and fully participate in the life of the school. Recruit, train, support and manage volunteers in philanthropic activities. Develop and manage a portfolio of leadership Annual Gift and Major Gift prospects. Partner with the Head of School, Director of Major Giving and key volunteers to strategize about donor prospects and crafting gift opportunities. Oversee necessary prospect research and summaries. Prepare the Head of School and key volunteers for solicitations. Supervise the work of the development and engagement staff including Advancement Associate, Director of Annual Giving and Director of Major Giving. Serve as liaison to the Advancement Board Committee and attend Board meetings as directed by the Head of School. Produce development reports for the committee and board. Manage departmental budget, act as liaison between development and business office and produce reports, maintain and report data on time, and reconcile monthly to ensure gift and expense records are correct in both offices. Engages in cultural fluency work and supports the School’s diversity, equity and inclusion values and policies and practices. Collaborates with the Marketing and Communications Team and other appropriate colleagues to draft and publish school-wide fundraising communications including, but not limited to, solicitation and campaign materials, an alumni newsletter, and an Annual Report. Represents Tandem Friends School at local and regional mission-related events. Serve as a member of the Leadership Team and Administrative Team and others as needed or directed. Other duties as needed and assigned by the Head of School.

Skills Required

The ideal candidate for this position will have the following professional skills and characteristics:
Excellent project management skills
Working knowledge of development best practices, trends in independent school education and development initiatives, e-mail and online campaigns, and donor research.
Facility with fundraising tools and technology, including donor databases such as Raiser’s Edge/Raiser’s Edge NXT.
Strategic thinker with ability to formulate effective plans for meeting the School’s fundraising goals.
Ability to implement established programs and develop new initiatives to increase philanthropy in support of the school’s mission.
Goal-oriented with a focus on achieving measurable results.
A collaborative, motivating and engaging communication style.
Excellent organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple priorities in a complex environment.
A high level of cultural competency.
Extreme tact, discretion, and attention to detail.
Enthusiastic, energetic, creative, “can do” personal style.

Qualifications
7 years prior work experience in fundraising, preferably in an educational setting or with a non-profit organization.
A minimum of 3 years’ experience managing fundraising/development staff and experience working with volunteers.
Track record of closing leadership annual fund and/or major gifts.
Experience running an annual fund campaign.
Experience participating in or managing a capital or comprehensive campaign.
Experience with independent school development programs.
A Bachelor’s degree is required, ideally in communications, marketing, business administration, or related fields. Advanced degree in philanthropic studies, a fundraising certificate from an accredited program, or other specialized fundraising training is optimal.