Director of Development at The Schenck School

The Schenck School seeks a dynamic and experienced Director of Development to lead all aspects of advancement for the School and its affiliated nonprofit organization, ReadSource. The successful candidate will be an energetic, self-motivated professional, skilled at building relationships and developing a culture of philanthropy. The start date is flexible, between July 10 and August 7, 2023. The first months of the job will be transitional, working with the outgoing Director.

PURPOSE/GOALS:

Under the general supervision of The Schenck School Head of School, the Director of Development is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating fund-raising strategies and efforts to obtain individual, foundation, and corporate support for The Schenck School and ReadSource to achieve their short and long-range goals. The Director of Development is directly responsible for coordinating and managing the annual fund, major gifts, fund-raising special events, corporate and foundation affairs and grant-writing, and planned giving. Additionally, the Director of Development will be responsible for overall coordination of any ongoing Capital Campaign. Supervision responsibilities for the Development Coordinators and Alumni Relations are also part of the position.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Fund-Raising Planning and Reporting

• Develop comprehensive strategies for all areas of fund-raising, including donor cultivation and solicitation, and prioritization of all fund-raising activities.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate a master fund-raising plan for the School with short and long-range goals.
• Work with volunteer chairs in the coordination of fundraising special events.
• Provide regular reports on fund-raising activities to The Schenck School Head of School, Development Committee, and Board of Trustees.
• Prepare a comprehensive fund-raising budget and monitor associated expenses.

Fund-Raising Activities

• Establish and implement policies, procedures and systems of all fund-raising activities.
• Coordinate, implement, and evaluate annual fund, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaign events and marketing materials.
• Research and prepare written proposals to grant-making organizations and ensure the School complies with necessary reporting requirements.
• Arrange donor cultivation events and activities.
• Organize and train staff and volunteers in the solicitation of gifts.
• Personally solicit individual, foundation, corporate or governmental gifts as required.
• Develop and support a planned giving program.
• Oversee the coordination and implementation of capital fund-raising efforts.
• Plan and implement new fund-raising programs, including, but not limited to capital efforts, alumni programming, and other special constituent fund-raising or communication efforts.
• Promote the School and ReadSource, as necessary, through appearances and presentations before groups and organizations seeking information about The Schenck School programs and services.

Other Responsibilities

• Serve as consultant to the Head of School on matters of public attitudes, techniques, and trends in philanthropy; and activities of other organizations in similar or related fields that may have a bearing on future programs of The Schenck School and ReadSource.
• Together with Head of School, serve a key staff liaison with the Board of Trustees
• Maintain a general understanding of dyslexia and learning disabilities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Leadership

• Experience in a school leadership role
• Experience as a supervisor

Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of seven years of fundraising experience
• Successful track record of strategic planning and annual and capital solicitations. Outstanding writing and editing skills are required
• Ability and desire to build personal relationships on behalf of the School

Skills and Knowledge

• Understanding of, or commitment to learning about dyslexia and related conditions
• Analytical skills and ability to synthesize information to determine candidate’s fit with our program
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral
• Strong organizational skills, necessary for managing multiple tasks simultaneously

Interested candidates should send their resume with cover letter by Friday, April 21 to Michele Santa Maria, Director of Human Resources: [email protected].

The Schenck School provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, The Schenck School complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfers, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

The Schenck School expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of The Schenck School’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.