Job Description
The mission of Success Academy Charter Schools is to reimagine public education. This means finding profoundly different approaches to how we structure, implement, and support schooling.
To realize our radical vision, we reconceive every aspect of school design, from writing rigorous new curricula to drawing regularly on advances in technology, business, and social / civic practices.
Over the past decade, Success Academy has grown faster than any charter network in the nation, building a vibrant network of 57 elementary, middle, and high schools.
Our 20,000+ scholars mostly children of color and economically disadvantaged are outperforming students at top city and suburban schools across New York State.
We are demonstrating the irrefutable proof point that zip code does not have to determine destiny.
From the very start, Success Academy’s progress has been fueled by the generosity of individual and institutional philanthropists a strong community of supporters determined to reverse the shameful national inequities in educational opportunity.
While financial sustainability has always been our goal, funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, and competitive government grants has been critically important for start-up of new schools, new scholar programs, reform efforts that are crucial to our scaling, and the development of intellectual property and innovative tools and programs, without which our success would not be possible.
The Role
Success Academy seeks an exceptional and collaborative fundraiser, leader, and talent manager as its next Head of Development.
Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), the successful candidate will manage a portfolio of principal and major gift donors and prospects with the capacity to support Success Academy’s investments in K-12 scholars, innovations, research and development, advocacy, and capital.
The position oversees both the Individual Giving and Institutional Partnerships teams (currently six positions) and will help to build and nurture a highly productive and agile team of fundraising professionals that produces extraordinary results.
The successful candidate will be a key strategic partner to the CAO as well as Success Academy’s Founder and CEO, trustees, and other key stakeholders, all united in their belief and commitment to actualizing Success Academy’s dual mission of innovative education and advocacy.
In close collaboration with both the CAO and the Head of Donor Engagement, the Head of Development will expand the nucleus of transformational donors and establish a high-performing Development program scaled, and further scalable, to the needs and priorities of Success Academy.
They will be equally capable in both the strategic planning and its implementation, a key driver of innovation, as well as growth and results.
The ideal candidate will craft and execute strategic and operational plans for the identification, qualification, engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of high-net-worth individuals, as well as aligned corporate and foundation funders, to ensure Success Academy can surpass its ambitious commitments to its scholars and educational innovations.
Minimum Requirements
10+ years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, including demonstrated success in principal and major gifts fundraising and institutional giving (i.
e., corporate and foundation relations), as well as effective leadership and performance management of other fundraising professionals.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree highly desirable. Additional applicable certifications beneficial.
Compensation
This position offers a competitive salary, performance bonus, and benefits package commensurate with experience.