Director of Development

Description

Tandem Friends School, an all-gender, Quaker, 5th-12th grade independent day school in Charlottesville, Virginia, seeks an experienced fundraiser to serve as our next 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.

Tandem Friends School benefits from a strong enrollment, a dedicated Board of Trustees and the leadership of an effective and established Head of School. The school is poised for significant philanthropic growth and the Director of Development has the opportunity to lead the school’s fundraising efforts to a new level. Tandem seeks a professional fundraiser who is interested in leading a comprehensive development program at a school with a collaborative culture where administrators are part of the fabric of the school.

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and a list of three to five professional references, including contact information to this advancementpositions@tandemfs.org. References will not be contacted until after initial interviews with candidates. Although inquiries will be welcomed while this posting is still active, for best consideration, candidates should submit materials by May 15th.

Job Duties

Core Responsibilities
● 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.

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.

Work Schedule

This is a full-time, 12-month salaried and exempt position that reports to the Head of School. Full benefits include a dental plan, a retirement plan, a tuition remission percentage, and a robust health insurance plan, including a school contribution that covers the employee cost.

Additional Info

A unique school with a unique history, Tandem Friends School of Charlottesville, VA is guided by the Quaker principles that define Friends Schools and has three school mottos: kindness and wisdom, creativity and integrity, and freedom with responsibility. Founded in 1970 as an inclusive alternative to the segregation academies that had proliferated in Virginia at that time, Tandem was the first school in the area founded as both coeducational and racially integrated. Over time, Tandem found Quaker schools to be kindred spirits and joined the Friends Council of Education, becoming a Friends School in 1996.

With approximately 250 students and spanning grades 5-12, the school aims to cultivate a school culture in which adolescents feel invested in their school community, feel seen and appreciated, and feel comfortable being their full selves at school. By encouraging the exploration of new activities and experiences and supporting students’ sense of community responsibility and belonging, the school strives to build a challenging and engaging academic experience that feels purposeful to its students.