VACANCIES
Director of Advancement
Trinity is a school with a distinctive mission, and that mission drives all we do. Now in its 30th year, the school seeks an experienced advancement professional whose heart resonates deeply with our mission. The Board, the Head of School, and all of the leadership are focused on passing the mission on to the next generation, and in that work, a strong, faithful, and skilled advancement partner is essential. The Director of Advancement reports directly to the Head of School, works closely with the Head on all fundraising (annual fund and capital projects), supervises a strong team of development, marketing, and communications staff, and collaborates with the chair of the Board’s Advancement Committee to develop strategy and policy to secure and strengthen the mission of the school.
Responsibilities
This full-time position bears overall leadership responsibility for the school’s advancement program as adopted by the Board of Trustees and directed by the Head of School. Responsible for all internal and external relations programs, the Director of Advancement directly oversees Trinity School’s development and fundraising and supervises a team that coordinates all of the school's development and marketing/communications efforts. Working with and through the Advancement team, the Director of Advancement has responsibilities that include the following.
Overall Advancement Leadership
- Oversee all development and fundraising activities, including annual giving, major/planned giving, capital and/or endowment campaigns, special projects, and other school-related solicitations. In this capacity, serve as chief development officer.
- Provide leadership for internal and external marketing, communications, and public relations activities related to development and enrollment, as well as other programs important to maintaining positive constituent relationships with Trinity, in cooperation with the Assistant Director of Advancement for Marketing and Communications.
- Create and administer the school’s advancement plan and budget, including the generation of annual department goals aligned with Trinity’s strategic planning documents, ensuring that the budget is directly linked with the priorities of the department and the school.
- Participate in the policy making of the school. The Director of Advancement must be an individual with a substantial background in school administration, with the experience and gravitas to be able to sit in for the Head of School in his absence and to accompany the Head of School and volunteer leadership in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major donors and prospects. The Director of Advancement communicates a broad understanding and awareness of Trinity’s mission and programs.
- Support the chair of the Board’s Advancement Committee in planning agendas, distributing materials ahead of the meetings, running the meetings, following up with assigned actions, bringing reports and proposals to the Board, and seeing that the minutes of the meetings are taken and approved.
Development and Fundraising
- Ensure that Trinity’s development efforts are directed at increasing donor support and advancing the school.
- Review annually the funds raised and develop strategies for increasing annual fundraising goals.
- Recommend funding goals for the fiscal year to the Advancement Committee.
- Oversee the annual fund planning and yearly solicitation strategies for various constituencies.
- Lead major gift strategies and coordinate the identification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship of nucleus fund (top 50) prospects, many of whom will be giving to the Leadership Division of the annual fund.
- Bring donations to Trinity either through direct solicitation or by working with the Head of School, Board members, and volunteers as they reach out to prospective donors.
- Develop an effective planned giving program, creating a legacy program.
- Oversee gift reporting, acknowledgments, accounting, and data management in cooperation with the Business Office. Oversee events (e.g., parent receptions, recognition events, special celebrations, and alumni and friend receptions) that promote the connection of individuals to Trinity, in cooperation with the Assistant Director of Advancement for Special Events.
- Write grant applications and reports as appropriate.
- Steward endowment gifts, with data provided by the Business Office.
- Oversee the school’s strategy and plans for engaging alumni.
Communications and Admission
- In coordination with the Assistant Director of Advancement for Marketing and Communications, plan and implement a comprehensive marketing/communications plan, with annual review and evaluation.
- Determine the plan, focus, and potential markets for admission, with annual review.
- Oversee all electronic constituent and school-wide communications and the maintenance of the school’s web presence.
- Supervise the planning and production of all internal and external school publications/digital communications.
Leadership Responsibilities
- Attend all Board meetings and serve as a member of the Advancement Committee.
- Prepare Board reports and oversee the writing of individual reports that are prepared by other members of the Advancement team.
- Work with the chair of the Advancement Committee to set agendas, provide data, and coordinate all fundraising efforts. Attend, when appropriate, meetings of the Trustees Committee, providing all research and data needed for the recruitment and training of new Board members.
- Support the Head of School in casting vision, telling powerful stories, connecting the hearts of donors and prospects with the school’s mission and core values, and cultivating and stewarding long-term relationships in all areas of advancement.
- Work with the Head of School and the other members of the Leadership Team to develop priorities and strategies for the school and to implement Trinity’s goals and vision.
- Provide research, background information, and appropriate materials and recommended strategies for dealing with specific constituents and donors.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervise the Advancement Office staff, including the Assistant Director of Advancement for Special Events, Assistant Director of Advancement for Marketing and Communications, Assistant Director of Advancement for Capital Campaigns and Annual Fund, and Associate Director of Communications.
- Recruit, train, direct, supervise, and evaluate Advancement Office staff.
- Supervise, set direction, and support the goals for each member of the Advancement Office. Ensure that job descriptions are clear and that trimester reviews take place for the benefit of the staff members and the office as a whole.
- Supervise Advancement Office staff to maximize individual talents and encourage professional growth and renewal.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:
- Is a committed follower of Christ who resonates deeply with the mission of Trinity and is able to further that mission by making strong connections with missional donors.
- Has a bachelor's degree plus 5–10 years of development experience; experience in an independent school or other school setting will be a strong asset.
- Is equally experienced and capable across all areas of advancement, including significant prior involvement in capital campaigns; major gift programs; annual funds and other fundraising efforts; marketing/communications plans and initiatives; and admission/enrollment management programs.
- Understands the intersection among admission, development, and marketing/communications, and their role in cultivating donors and in the recruiting and re-recruiting of mission-appropriate families.
- Understands how internal and external marketing/communications and public relations relate to the advancement efforts of the school.
- Has a track record of moving easily among people of wealth and influence, soliciting gifts directly from high-net-worth individuals, foundations, and other giving sources.
- Is well-versed in strategic planning, including creative thinking, data gathering, research and analysis, critical reflection, tough-mindedness, and practical execution.
- Has a working knowledge of donor database applications.
Performance Characteristics
The ideal candidate will possess the following characteristics:
- Has a credible testimony of faith in Christ and subscribes to the school’s Christian mission and beliefs.
- Is imbued with a deep sense of Trinity’s mission and culture.
- Is committed to the integration of all related functions within the advancement effort, using Trinity’s mission as the balance and reference point for all actions.
- Is committed to recruiting and re-recruiting mission-appropriate students and families.
- Has an inherent zeal for exceeding goals.
- Displays a proper sense of humility (e.g., feeling honored to invite donors to make a gift to Trinity).
- Is a natural networker, adept at developing and maintaining relationships with current and prospective donors.
- Has an innate ability to listen to what people are saying―in the margins, and discerning their real concerns—and knows how the school can effectively address their concerns.
- Has the ability to speak truth to power (i.e., gives candid feedback to school leadership, volunteer or professional, in a mature, confidence-building manner).
- Exhibits a passionate belief in the importance of philanthropy and a commitment to the Donor Bill of Rights.
- Has an inherent ability to show respect to and honor the dignity of all donors, regardless of gift level.
- Is committed to his or her own professional growth and the professional growth of the staff.
- Is able to recognize, nurture, and mentor talented staff members to help them succeed in their roles.
- Is known as a person of great integrity who can build trust within the team and the donor base.
- Demonstrates a sense of innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Has a sense of humor, used to maintain personal and team morale in challenging times.
- Exhibits excellent oral and written communication skills. The candidate must be able to communicate on a professional level with groups and individuals across the school and with external constituents.
- Has strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to exchange information using tact and confidentiality.
- Has a high level of motivation and a positive attitude. The candidate must be warm and friendly toward all current parents, prospective parents, faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders.