Director of Development/Advancement
Director of Development/Advancement
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Alexandria Country Day School (ACDS) is an independent, ISAS-accredited school committed to academic excellence, character development, and building a diverse and inclusive community where every student thrives. As we continue to grow our mission and impact, we are seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Director of Development/Advancement to lead our fundraising, alumni engagement, and development efforts.
Alexandria Country Day School currently seeks a Director of Advancement to join the school’s administration team, who will oversee all development initiatives at the school. The Director of Advancement works closely with the Head of School, the administration team, and the Board of Trustees via the Board Development Committee. Under the direct supervision of the Head of School, the Director of Advancement plans and manages all fundraising activities, strategic development, and endowment planning, as well as donor and alumni relations and management, volunteer supervision, and supporting all school growth initiatives such as capital campaigns.
Administration
- Reports to the Head of School and works with the Board Development Committee.
- Manages the budget of the Advancement Office.
- Proactively engages in future planning as the school embarks on its strategic vision/plan.
- Leads the work of the Board's Development Committee alongside the Development Committee Chair, setting meeting agendas, running meetings, distributing minutes and action items, and both managing and participating fully in the committee's efforts.
- Plans, creates, and maintains social media posts across all platforms with branded, consistent content that exemplifies the mission of Country Day and highlights the achievements of students and faculty.
- Creates and distributes the Annual Report.
- Acts as the administrative liaison with the Parent Club.
- Ensures all school branding and marketing is consistent and professional.
- Coordinates and oversees the school's online store.
- Undertakes other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
Fund Development
- Devises and manages a program designed to attract maximum gift support to the school, including Country Day Fund solicitation, planned giving programs, corporate and foundation support, and planning for major capital gifts and endowment growth.
- Directs and coordinates the school's major and minor fundraisers, including the Country Day Fund, Fall and Spring event, and an additional annual major fundraising event, alongside the Development Committee and numerous parent/guardian volunteers.
- Researches, writes, and submits grant proposals to foundations, corporations, and other funding sources, and manages all related reporting and compliance requirements to maintain strong funder relationships.
- Maintains comprehensive and accurate records of all asks, pledges, donations, and grant awards received.
Philanthropic Culture and Cultivation
- Communicates regularly with administration, faculty and staff, parents/guardians, and the Board of Trustees to keep the culture of giving strong and positive across all constituencies.
- Develops a complete program of research into, and an action plan for soliciting, the school's key prospects.
- Consistently delivers an innovative, creative, and exceptional donor experience.
- Cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors — directly soliciting gifts, managing donor information with confidentiality and accuracy, engaging current supporters to help open doors to prospective givers, and always prioritizing strong relationships.
- Works with the Director of Admissions to welcome new families and educate both prospective and current families on the opportunities available to support the school and the importance of doing so.
- Participates in regular high-level professional development and engages, as appropriate, with colleagues from other institutions to continue learning, growing, and benefiting the school.
- Represents the school and its leadership to the public and at meetings as assigned.
- Contributes to the overall life and community of the school by working with children, families, faculty, administration, and the Board of Trustees whenever appropriate.
Skills, Qualifications, and Experience
- Demonstrated success in fundraising and campaign initiatives, with a proven track record.
- Ability to envision ambitious goals and develop and articulate strategies to achieve them.
- Exceptional communication, listening, and writing skills.
- Ability to connect with a wide variety of constituents in a friendly, warm, and professional manner.
- Successful experience with direct solicitation of major donors.
- Experience building and managing an endowment program.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to work independently in a methodical manner.
- A love of children and enthusiasm for engaging with them, including helping to supervise lunch, recess, and/or dismissal periods weekly as needed.
- Openness and enthusiasm to learn, both individually and professionally.
- Willingness to share knowledge with colleagues and volunteers.
- Ability to collaborate with others and lead in a respectful, collegial manner.
- Ability to handle stressful situations and change with a positive attitude.
The successful candidate would ideally have the following background:
- Minimum of a BA or BS degree; Master's degree preferred, ideally in marketing or communications
- Superb communication skills
- Ability to and ease with speaking in public
- Experience with all facets of a development office, from research to stewardship
- Marketing and nonprofit experience
- Experience with Adobe Suite, Canva, and similar graphic design software
- Familiarity with fundraising databases- Donor Perfect and Q Giv
- Comfort with working outside of typical work week hours as needed for special events, fundraising and social events
- Ability to multi-task and mitigate and determine which tasks are most important
- Data management is paramount