Wages/Benefits
This is a full time, exempt (salaried) position, which is eligible for Dunn School’s full benefits package including: medical, dental, retirement, life and AD&D, and tuition remission.
The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $175,000. Actual salary will be dependent upon experience.
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
Dunn School
Director of Advancement
Overview
Advancement at Dunn School is all about community.
The mission of Dunn School is to educate whole students to their fullest potential in preparation for a life of learning and responsible leadership in society. To accomplish our mission, we as students, teachers, staff, parents, trustees, and friends are committed to understanding and living by five core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility, and Moral Courage.
Responsibilities
Strategy and Fundraising Goals
Work closely with the Head of School in meeting fundraising goals for various activities for which the department is responsible; participate in the annual budgeting process to help determine fundraising goals and metrics for the Advancement Office
Closely work with the Associate Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations to ensure a successful and increasing Annual Fund program.
Oversee Annual Giving funding priorities, volunteer training, capital giving, leadership giving, planned giving, alumni relations, stewardship, donor research; lead and support the Advancement Office to reach annual goals in each of these areas.
Solicit top annual gifts from a portfolio of prospects.
Review, develop, and implement appropriate donor/volunteer recognition programs.
Manage a team of Advancement staff and provide direction and input on implementation of the goals.
Oversee and manage the Advancement Office budget.
Foster a productive and positive work environment for Advancement staff, inclusive of regular team meetings, individual meetings with staff, retreats, supervision and evaluation and professional growth.
Oversee donor record keeping and reporting systems to ensure accurate tracking of fundraising and accounting.
Design and implement a stronger alumni program encompassing alumni and wider family networks (i.e., grandparents, alumni parents)
Manage the weekly agenda for one-on-one meetings with the Head of School.
Design a multi-year roadmap for building a donor pipeline using wealth screening and predictive analysis.
Use data to inform planning and lead change with a balance of decisiveness and collaboration.
Solicit a portfolio of capital campaign gifts in the range of $50,000 to seven-figures.
Serve as liaison to top campaign and annual volunteers in their roles as solicitors.
Provide materials, collateral, strategy, and support around all of the Head of School’s donor prospect meetings as appropriate.
Oversee all capital campaign activities, including selection and support of the campaign steering committee, volunteer management, campaign expenses, etc.
Produce capital campaign analyses and goals for the Head of School and the Board of Trustees.
Partner with parent leadership to support volunteer engagement; identify and recruit a pipeline of volunteers for leadership positions related to fundraising efforts (i.e. Annual Gala).
Research and prepare grant applications and required stewardship reports for foundations as needed.
Relating to other members of the Senior Administrative Team:
Collaborate with Admissions and Marketing and Communications, and other administration staff to ensure consistent messaging and the School’s narrative and expand and enhance the School’s visibility and reputation across social media, printed communications, and website.
Contribute Advancement and Alumni content for the website.
Collaborate with Communications to create the Annual Report, Advancement-related publications, and campaign communications.
Assist and advise the Head of School on speaking points at Advancement events, cultivations, and solicitation meetings with Advancement prospects, capital projects, Trustee Advancement work, strategic planning, campaign strategy, Annual Fund, alumni relations, and special events.
Work closely with Admissions for the support of New Parent Leadership gift drive.
Support Admissions in new family onboarding and orientation.
Ensure productive working relationships with other administrators, aligning and integrating Advancement work with the other areas of the School and supporting fellow team members inn their goals and aspirations.
Serve as an active member of the Senior Administrative Team, representing the Advancement needs of the School in relation to the overall leadership of the School.
Ensure the coordination and direct liaison with the CFO and Business Office on all items related to the Advancement Office fundraising and expenses.
Remain up-to-date on major issues to serve as an effective ambassador to the School community.
Serve as a leader for the School community, participating in the daily life and operation of the School in a present and hands-on manner, extending oneself beyond the responsibilities of the role.
Assist the Head of School with other duties as required.
Relating to the Board of Trustees
Work closely with the Board of Trustees as well as its Advancement, finance, and strategic planning committees to formulate goals and strategies for present and future fundraising needs. Participate in New Trustee Orientation.
Oversee Trustee Annual Giving solicitation every year as well as capital solicitation of Trustees.
Prepare and distribute agendas and reports to the Advancement Committee, serve as staff to the Advancement Committee, prepare and distribute meeting minutes to members; attend Board meetings in support of the Advancement Committee and Chair.
Minimum of seven years development experience either leading an office or a team within an office.
Commitment to the mission of Dunn School.
Leads from the front, confronts challenges head-on with appropriate openness, building trust across all constituent groups within the School community.
High level of energy, flexibility, and warmth.
Personable, positive, helpful personality; customer service mindset.
Sensitivity, discretion, and a sense of humor.
The personality, energy, intellectual integrity, warmth, visibility, and leadership ability to inspire a school community; positive, passionate, can-do spirit.
Understanding of independent school communities and culture, including an eagerness to work hard as both leader and team member.
Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, plan, and cohesively integrate a full range of development programs.
A proven track record of progressively challenging fundraising success, including annual operating support, major gifts, capital campaigns, and planned giving.
Significant experience overseeing alumni programming designed to support the comprehensive needs of a broader constituency.
Strong written and personal communications skills and vision for expanded communication opportunities.
Experience in event and community management, planning, and execution.
Ability to support Advancement services, research, prospect tracking, stewardship, gift entry and acknowledgment, and data entry.
Strong management experience required with the ability to work closely with staff members to achieve individual goals and build a team.
Outstanding analytical skills and proven success in using data-analytics and prospect wealth screening resources to develop programs and drive results.
Demonstrated ability to build successful fundraising initiatives and appeals using current best-practices and new technologies to produce outstanding results.
Strong and demonstrated success in leading, managing, and dealing diplomatically with a diverse community of parents, students, alumni, volunteers, partners, and colleagues and have the presence, demeanor, and communication skills necessary to represent all Dunn School constituencies.
Vision, creativity, flexibility, and the capacity to develop a departmental strategic plan for raising philanthropic support to execute the School’s strategic plan.
Core belief in leading diversity, equity, and inclusion work forward in schools.
Strong understanding of current digital communications, social media, Raiser’s Edge fundraising software, and email-based solicitations.
Excellent oral and written communication skills with experience collaborating with communications staff in drafting persuasive gift appeals.
The ability to meet deadlines within the context of a complex office/school/community calendar.
Active engagement in professional development and underrating of current best practices.
Demonstrated ability to use good judgment and maintain confidentiality.
Detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills.
Ability to manage competing demands and adapt to frequent or unexpected changes.
Active listener and skillful communicator who is approachable, empathetic, and compassionate.
Effective manager of people and resources who hires well and delegates appropriately.
About Dunn School
Dunn is a community centered on educating the whole student. For us, whole student education is not just a meaningless phrase, instead it captures all of what we try to do at Dunn in and out of the classroom. We deliver on whole student education through the following learning outcomes that we call core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility, and Moral Courage.
Our curriculum, co-curricular programs, advisory, evaluative systems, and pedagogical approach are measured by our core values, and this is how we know whole student education is more than just a phrase.
Our school was founded in 1957 by a dynamic educator who embodied the spirit of our motto, “Ne Tentes Aut Perfice,” essentially translating to mean “all or nothing” — a statement that reflects a special entrepreneurial spirit urging Dunn community members, adults and students alike to accomplish what they set out to do. Following in the traditions of our founder, Tony Dunn, our professional community members throughout the decades have helped build the community we have today–a vibrant community of kind learners who pride themselves on building lasting relationships with each other.
All this unfolds before the beautiful Santa Barbara County backdrop of Los Olivos, California, nestled in the picturesque mountains of the Santa Ynez Valley and within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean. Outdoor opportunities abound, and what better way to experience them than from within such an encouraging and nurturing professional community?
Wages/Benefits
This is a full time, exempt (salaried) position, which is eligible for Dunn School’s full benefits package including: medical, dental, retirement, life and AD&D, and tuition remission.
The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $175,000. Actual salary will be dependent upon experience.
Dunn is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks a diverse and broad spectrum of quali?ed candidates. Dunn's background screening process requires employees to undergo a social media check, satisfactory reference checks with prior and current employers, and a successful criminal background screening.
Dunn is a community centered on educating the whole student. For us, whole student education is not just a meaningless phrase, instead it captures all of what we try to do at Dunn in and out of the classroom. We deliver on whole student education through the following learning outcomes that we call core values: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility, and Moral Courage.
Our curriculum, co-curricular programs, advisory, evaluative systems, and pedagogical approach are measured by our core values, and this is how we know whole student education is more than just a phrase.
Our school was founded in 1957 by a dynamic educator who embodied the spirit of our motto, “Ne Tentes Aut Perfice,” essentially translating to mean “all or nothing.” — a statement that reflects a special entrepreneurial spirit urging Dunn community members, adults and students alike to accomplish what they set out to do. Following in the traditions of our founder, Tony Dunn, our professional community members throughout the decades have helped build the community we have today–a vibrant community of kind learners who pride themselves on building lasting relations...hips with each other.
All this unfolds before the beautiful Santa Barbara County backdrop of Los Olivos, California, nestled in the picturesque mountains of the Santa Ynez Valley and within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean. Outdoor opportunities abound, and what better way to experience them than from within such an encouraging and nurturing professional community?