Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts - Full-Time

It is an exciting time of growth and expansion for Gillen Brewer.  The school is in the process of purchasing additional space to expand its programs, serve more students, and begin serving students into their middle school years.  The Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts will lead the school’s newly restructured Advancement and Development Office.  This strategic and dynamic executive will report to the Chief Operating Officer.  The Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts will work with the Chief Operating Officer, Head of School, and Board of Trustees to develop, lead, and execute the school’s Capital Campaign and set the strategic direction of the school’s comprehensive fundraising efforts.  This team leader will work with the Director of Development and Communications and school consultants to develop a strategic plan to grow a post-campaign philanthropic program to secure major and planned gifts from current parents, alumni, and other friends of Gillen Brewer.  This key executive will directly oversee the Advancement and Development Office as well as work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees, School Leadership, Faculty, and Staff. 

Gillen Brewer offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive professional development program.

Job Title: Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts
Supervisor: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Hours: Monday-Friday; 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Calendar to Follow: 12-month Administrative
FLSA Status: Exempt
Start Date: Immediately

Summary
The goal of this position is to maximize the total philanthropic relationship of major gift donors and prospects to the school.  This will involve developing strategies to generate higher levels of support and implementation of individual multi-year fundraising plans that focus on renewals and increased gifts.  This means establishing long-term relationships with major donors while working collaboratively with colleagues and school leaders to meet the School’s advancement objectives and mission. 

This position will focus on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major giving prospects utilizing written solicitations, phone follow-up, outreach events, face-to-face meetings, special events, and other methods that will allow for maintaining regular contact with these donors and prospects.  The Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts will be an ambassador for Gillen Brewer, keeping the school’s mission and positioning at the center of all fundraising with the ability to understand and communicate the complexity of Gillen Brewer’s financial operations and strategic goals.

The Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts position is a highly visible, integral, and important leadership position that will play a key role in ensuring the continued success of the Gillen Brewer School.

Duties and Responsibilities

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

• Work with School Leadership, Board of Trustees, and consultants to develop a campaign strategy and set campaign goals
• Identify and cultivate a Steering Committee and Board Members
• Plan and run Steering Committee meetings
• Manage visits and solicitations alone with other Steering Committee or Board Members
• Identify prospects on the individual, corporation, and foundation levels
• Create and edit campaign communications, such as acknowledgments, follow-up letters, and newsletters with the Director of Development and Communications
• Oversee the management of public relations efforts, both internal and external, regarding the building expansion project, including community and neighborhood relations

FUNDRAISING

• Qualifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major and planned gift prospects to support the objectives of Gillen Brewer, as well as collaborating with Trustees, School Leadership, and Staff
  • Develop a major giving portfolio of prospects capable of giving significant gifts to the school
  • Develop metrics systems that would indicate the number of non-donors converted to donors, the “Close rate” of solicitations, and the percentage of those renewing or increasing their giving
  • Collaborate and partner with the Board of Trustees and School Leadership in developing and executing strategic plans, both short- and long-term, for major giving efforts and Advancement plans
  • Maintain regular contact with donors; scheduling joint visits with the Head of School, Trustees, or other appropriate school personnel as needed
  • Ensure that all major donors receive appropriate, consistent recognition and an accounting of the impact their gift has on the Gillen Brewer School
• Develop cultivation and proposal strategies
• Coordinate with the Director of Development and Communication in identifying potential major donors
• Work with the Director of Development and Communication to ensure consistency with narrative messaging and brand strategy
• Plan cultivation and stewardship events or efforts with colleagues in admissions and other offices
• Develop and manage a planned giving program
• Lead discussions in reviewing fundraising activities, costs, operations, and other data to determine the efficacy of the advancement efforts
• Participate in the review and generation of the school annual report and other communications
• Direct and manage all special appeals, including personalized solicitations driven by the Board of Trustees and Head of School
• Collaborate with the Director of Development in developing and executing strategic plans, both short- and long-term, for branding and advancement, including new collateral, website redesign, and social media
• Attend and participate in all Board meetings and take minutes to distribute to the Board Secretary
• Support the work of the Board’s Development and Trustees Committee, preparing meeting material, agendas, taking minutes, and driving next actions
• Develop and supervise prospect research of potential major donors for cultivation and solicitation of future Board members
• Responsible for tracking revenue and expenses against budget and overseeing gift/pledge processing and collection
• Collaborate closely with the Business Office to develop and implement the best practices for reconciliation and auditing
• Analyze and report on all fundraising, advancement, and communication efforts to the Board of Trustees
• Develop and manage the grants process
• Support the maintenance of data integrity, accurate records of gifts and event participation, and manage filing of related paperwork
• Research and prepare reports on potential corporate/foundation grants and individual major donor prospects
• Able to work occasional evenings and weekends to meet objectives and assume other responsibilities and special projects as assigned
• Attend and work with the Advancement and Development Office to coordinate evening and weekend events, as needed, to support philanthropic goals

Personal Characteristics

• Inspirational, self-motivated, outgoing and personable, creative, team player, driven, natural problem solver, emotional intelligence, calm under pressure, ability to receive and give candid feedback, resilient, in alignment with school philosophy, mission and positioning

Essential Skills

• A big-picture, strategic thinker who is flexible, highly detail-oriented, and has impeccable follow-through
• Ability to deal diplomatically and comfortably with Board dynamics and discourse
• Ability to communicate with a diverse community of parents, students, alumni, and faculty -- leading and motivating groups and individuals
• Intellectual curiosity, coupled with a skill for synthesizing information and exceptional communication skills
• Fluency and ability to articulate Gillen Brewer’s mission, unique vision, and case for support
• Outstanding analytical skills used in identifying school needs, donors’ interest, and connecting the two
• A high-touch relationship builder who thrives on community and connection; excellent interpersonal skills
• High level of professionalism, including the ability to appropriately handle confidential and sensitive information
• Eagerness to work hard as both leader and team member with proven fundraising, leadership, and consensus-building skills and a positive, passionate, can-do spirit
• A disciplined, results-oriented self-starter with high ethical standards
• Ability to meet deadlines within the context of a complex office/school calendar
• Sense of humor; relentless optimism
• Flexibility, energy, and ability to work evenings and weekends when needed: a strong work ethic

Professional Development
The school is a community of learners.  In addition to staff development and training at Gillen Brewer, employees are encouraged to pursue educational goals through conferences and various workshops.  Staff is required to attend all staff development workshops as well as staff, team, and supervision meetings.  Staff is also encouraged to attend all school functions listed on the school calendar.

Supervision & Support
Staff Development and support will be provided and will include in-house and outside professional opportunities.  The Chief Operating Officer will conduct two formal evaluations a year using this job description as a guide.  Evidence of effectiveness will be collected through observations, discussions, and products.

To Apply

To be considered, interested applicants MUST submit a cover letter, resume, and two reference letters.  Please submit materials directly via email to HR@gillenbrewer.com OR apply on Indeed.  Please include your name and the position of interest in the subject line of your email (i.e., Dionne Iovino - Director of Institutional Advancement and Major Gifts).

No telephone inquiries or recruiters please. Replies will only be sent to qualified applicants.