Jobs

Start Date: June-August 2024

About Bancroft School
Through active, inquiry-based learning and challenging experiences, Bancroft School empowers students in grades PreK to 12 with the skills, knowledge and confidence to make a difference in their community and the world. Guided by outstanding teachers, curious learners engage with one another and celebrate the strengths and lived experiences of each individual. Bancroft School seeks to be the first choice for students and families seeking to own their journey to mastery and independence in an inclusive campus where each individual is safe, known, and valued.

Bancroft is located in Worcester, Massachusetts — a thriving city with a rich history and a bright future in which the School is deeply invested. Founded in 1900, Bancroft School will celebrate its 125th school year in 2024-25. The 30-acre campus sits in a scenic residential neighborhood just north of downtown. Over 430 students from 70 cities and towns around central Massachusetts represent a variety of backgrounds which contribute to a challenging and diverse learning environment. Guided by strategic plan BluePrint125  and new Head of School, Stephanie Luebbers, who began her tenure in July of 2023, Bancroft is poised to continue to lead in PreK-12 education.

Position Summary
The Director of Advancement is responsible for the planning, execution and oversight of a comprehensive, strategic advancement and engagement effort that will sustain and grow annual giving and special campaign revenue from all constituents, including individual donors, foundation giving, and special events. Reporting to the Head of School, the Director will partner with leadership, staff and volunteers on engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for alumni, parents, grandparents, parents of alumni, and friends of Bancroft School. Particular attention is to be paid to deepening the engagement of over 4,000 alumni, which will help to broaden the base of support from this constituency.

This position is highly visible in the community and brings with it the opportunity to interact with key Trustees and volunteers, as well as to participate in an action-oriented senior administrative team. The Director has the opportunity to create meaningful change, shaping both operations and business culture to achieve strategic objectives outlined in BluePrint125,  for the School’s 125th school year, and into the years to come.

The Director will oversee a team that consists of three positions, including a Director of Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement Officer, and Advancement Assistant.

Job Responsibilities:

• Partner with the Head of School to significantly advance Bancroft’s mission via philanthropy.
• Manage and direct all aspects of development and constituent relations including major gifts, annual fund, stewardship, planned giving, and increased alumni and parent engagement.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and prospects to grow and strengthen the donor base.
• Maintain a portfolio of major gift donors.
• Oversee donor and prospect management systems.
• Develop and manage the annual advancement budget and work plan.
• Provide supportive and collaborative leadership for the development team.
• Develop new potential fundraising strategies through prospect research and analysis.
• Support the Trustee Governance Committee, assisting in the identification and recruitment of new members.
• Support and serve, as an ex-officio member, on the Trustee Advancement Committee.
• Utilize the School’s strategic plan BluePrint 125 as a beacon to guide the work of the advancement team.
• Ensure the effective, useful, and thoughtful enhancements of systems, processes, and measurements to monitor, project, and guide fundraising results and engagement activities.
• Assumes responsibility for all Advancement reports to the Board, and attends Board meetings when necessary.
• Travel and attend events on behalf of the School.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Head of School.

Skills and Abilities:

• A deep grounding in all aspects of development work including annual giving, capital campaigns, major gifts, prospect research, alumni relations, volunteer management, communications, and special events.
• A minimum of 7-10 years of experience in development is required, and experience in independent school advancement models is preferred. The candidate must also be able to formulate and execute successful ongoing fundraising plans, including capital campaigns.
• Strong management and leadership skills, both strategic and operational, and a demonstrated ability to build, manage, mentor and motivate an effective team.
• Experience and comfort making direct face-to-face solicitations.
• Collaborative skills to work effectively with the Head of School, Trustees, faculty, staff and volunteers along with the ability to maintain confidentiality and to exhibit good judgment in making decisions while ensuring others are well informed of changes, initiatives, and progress.
• Ability to direct strategy and nimbly course-correct as necessary.
• Excellent written and oral communications, computer and donor research proficiency.
• A desire and ability to build community in an inclusive and thoughtful manner.
• Embraces feedback and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Supports and actively promotes the organization.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Bancroft seeks dynamic candidates who will be active participants in the community beyond the classroom, with interest in supporting extracurricular activities in athletics, clubs, and other programs.

Bancroft is committed to cultivating and sustaining a community that embraces difference and welcomes candidates who will add to the racial and cultural diversity of our community. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Interested and qualified candidates should submit, in one email and as individual documents, the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this position,
• A current resume,
• A one-page statement of educational and leadership philosophy and practice, and
• A list of five professional references including name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission).

Please email application materials to:

Catherine Hanssen
Executive Assistant to the Head of School
chanssen@bancroftschool.org