Jobs

Director of Leadership Gifts
Status:  Exempt, Full-time, Full-year Staff
Department:  Development
Reports to:  Chief Advancement Officer

The Director of Leadership Gifts (DLG) will oversee leadership ($100,000+) fundraising and will manage a team of fundraising professionals. Reporting directly to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), the DLG will collaborate with the CAO in developing comprehensive engagement and solicitation strategies and plans for prospective donors with the capacity to provide significant support to the School. The Director is responsible for annual goals, strategies and tactics that integrate outright facility and endowment giving, annual unrestricted giving, and charitable giving through estate plans.

The Director will provide experienced senior leadership for the School’s Leadership Giving and Planned Giving programs and be responsible for the management, vision, goals, coordination, and results.

While managing a portfolio of relationships with existing and prospective donors, the DLG supervises the work of the leadership gift and planned giving fundraisers to maximize engagement and philanthropic support as well as supervising the Director of Research and the team’s Administrative Assistant.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Others may be assigned at any time at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor.

• Responsible for the leadership, management, vision, goals, coordination, and results of the Leadership and Planned Giving programs
• Uses data and metrics to drive decision-making, solicitation activity, and results
• Responsible for growing a pipeline of leadership prospects
• Manages a portfolio of roughly 100 high worth potential prospects through the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycles
• Extensive domestic travel to meet approximately 100 prospects per year
• As necessary, coordinates the involvement of administrators and faculty to advance engagement toward philanthropic support; manages appropriate visits to the grounds
• Finds opportunities to engage prospects in the life of the School and work towards solicitations that align with the donor’s interests and the School’s top priorities
• Works closely with the CAO and Rector to engage members of the Board of Trustees who are the School’s key ambassadors and greatest champions in supporting the mission of St. Paul’s School
• Supports the Director of Gift Planning who will work with all Advancement staff to engage with alumni, parents, and friends of the School to expand solicitations to include planned giving components for greater impact
• Supports the Director of Research in developing a plan to identify and build a solid pipeline of potential prospects
• Articulates and implements strategies for communicating with donors; draft and customize School correspondence, proposals, and other written materials for all  assigned prospects
• Develops collegial and productive relationships with colleagues in the Advancement Office and throughout the St. Paul’s School community

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Leadership Giving Officers, the Director of Gift Planning, Director of Research and an Administrative Assistant.

Qualifications:

The successful candidate will have excellent communication and social skills, as well as the capacity to organize meetings, events, and communication with good humor, skill, and efficiency. The successful candidate will be a team-player and collaborator, eager to support the work of others and to pitch in when needed, even if outside of this job description. The successful candidate will have experience building a modern fundraising operation, with strategies for engagement beyond direct fundraising.

This position is a full-time, in-person, full-year senior administrative position. The successful candidate will engage fully in the life of the school and be able to represent the current School with credibility, positivity, and energy to the external world. As a point person for events and communication, the successful candidate will be required at times to speak on behalf of the School and represent the School’s policies, practices, and philosophies in positive, constructive ways. The successful candidate will also have the maturity to deal respectfully with dissonance and challenges to the School. Top communication skills and good personal judgment are requirements.

The successful candidate will show the ability to develop effective relationships and excellent rapport with alumni, and to interact with them on a professional and social basis with ease and comfort. Above all, the successful candidate must be earnestly dedicated to the mission of St. Paul’s School.

Skills & Knowledge: 

• Ten+ years of development experience, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, including significant and successful planned gift fundraising with a proven track record of high-level solicitations
• Experience in development at an independent secondary school, college, or university setting preferred
• Successful experience working with volunteers and advisory boards to engage and solicit alumni, parents, and friends
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills; ability to present complex information in a clear and compelling manner in writing and in person; ability to document meetings and write briefings
• Ability to synthesize and analyze data (primary and secondary sources) to analyze information and develop effective strategies
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusivity and to serving the needs of a diverse and inclusive community with diplomacy and tact
• Demonstrated ability to create, foster and work within an environment of collaboration
• A passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality; ability to coach the team in all aspects of their work
• Initiative, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit
• A high level of integrity and an extraordinary work ethic
• Ability to work independently and handle multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously
• A strict adherence to confidential policies is required
• Proficient in MS Office and Raiser’s Edge; willingness and ability to learn additional applications as needed
• Ability to always maintain a professional demeanor and restraint, including in stressful situations
• Bachelor’s degree is required

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, would occasionally be required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop or kneel, talk, and hear, and use fingers and hands to feel objects, tools, or controls
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, depth perceptions, and the ability to adjust focus
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Typical of a normal office, some exposure to outdoor elements
• Primarily Monday through Friday, regular business hours; however, the expectation for the engagement with school life and travel for meetings and events will necessitate occasional longer hours and weekend responsibilities

To Apply

St. Paul’s School encourages applications from candidates who support the School’s commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive living and working environment.  For consideration, please submit a cover letter and resume directly on the School’s website. 

St. Paul’s School is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and has a strong commitment to the principles of diversity.  St. Paul’s School does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnic origin, disability or sexual orientation, and complies with applicable laws for the protection of civil rights.