Director of Advancement

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The Director of Advancement serves under the administrative supervision of the Head of School and is a member of the executive leadership team working closely with senior managers in the completion of duties and responsibilities.

The Director of Advancement is responsible for all activities related to identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewardship of annual, major, and planned gifts from alumni, friends, corporations, parents, and foundations.

This dynamic fundraiser / administrator supports the strategic initiatives of the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools and engages in advancement activities to increase foundation assets and respond to student needs through the creation and implementation of a comprehensive advancement and alumni relations plan.

Duties and Responsibilities :

Fund Raising

• Develop a visionary, strategic plan for fund development to meet the strategic goals of Gilmour Academy.
• Establish, monitor, and manage goals for each area of the strategic plan and assume responsibility for meeting those goals.
• Set priorities for the office, including assessing the appropriate balance of events-based activities and longer-term stewardship and cultivation events.
• Identify unmet institutional needs / opportunities both internally and externally. Research, facilitate, and design viable solutions to meet those needs.
• Identify and cultivate new sources of funding including private, public, and corporate / foundation sources to help build programmatic and organizational capacity.
• In collaboration with the Associate Director of Advancement, create a new prospect management system for annual, capital, scholarship, and endowment giving.
• Build and manage a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects and coordinate solicitation strategies.
• Provide support to the solicitation efforts of the Head of School in fulfilling her fundraising responsibilities.
• Participate in advancement activities including individual meetings with donors, prospects, and campus constituent groups.
• Personally engage in active stewardship, cultivation, and direct solicitation of major donors.
• Assure that best practices are in place and that relevant and innovative fundraising messages are developed for diverse demographic and geographic supporters.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on overall fundraising results versus goals to internal and external constituencies.
• Provide staff support to the Board of Directors including managing their solicitation activities, identifying new board candidates, and coordinating the Advancement Committee of the board.
• Work with the Director of Marketing to prepare and maintain marketing materials for related print and electronic communications.
• Assure timely compliance with all legal and fiduciary requirements.

Constituent Relations

• Act as primary advancement liaison to both campus communities.
• With the Director of Special Events and the Director of the Annual Fund and Alumni, create and execute high-level cultivation and stewardship events and opportunities.
• Work with volunteers to design and execute innovative fundraising events with a dual purpose of raising significant funds and raising the profile of the school with internal and external audiences.
• Seek and manage meaningful opportunities for Gilmour’s administrators to cultivate internal and external audiences at events both on and off campus.
• Develop and implement a robust and strategic stewardship program.
• Collaborate with and support the Academy’s senior management and Board of Trustees with a clear understanding that all facets of the Academy depend on each other to fulfill the school’s mission.
• Embrace the mission of Gilmour Academy and the tenets of the Congregation of the Holy Cross.
• Actively participate in the Academy’s strategic planning process as a key member of the strategic planning team.
• Demonstrate ability to engage in high-level strategic thinking and formulate and execute a plan of action to achieve goals.

Department Management

• Encourage, motivate, support, and inspire the Advancement Office staff and volunteers through strong leadership as well as the establishment of well-articulated goals, clearly defined responsibilities, and reasonable expectations.
• With the Associate Director of Advancement, develop and manage departmental income and expense budgets.
• Develop and implement job descriptions and work plans for staff, interns, freelancers, and / or consultants.
• Supervise the timely submission of proposals, budgets, updates, and end-of-year reports to corporate, foundation, or government funders.
• Review and approve all grant proposals, sponsorship materials, and department publications.
• Prepare proposals, reports, and collateral supporting materials for the Head of School and volunteers.

Required Qualifications :

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited educational institution.
• 7-10 years of experience with all forms of private resource development : annual, capital, planned giving, and events fundraising including demonstrated success in capital and annual campaign development, soliciting and securing major gifts from both private and public sources, institutional planning, and significant experience working with a Board of Directors required.
• Minimum 5 years of proven staff and department management experience.
• Leadership experience in the planning and execution of a major capital campaign.
• Experience with alumni relations and volunteer development.
• Capable communicator with strong interpersonal skills, common sense, and a genuine, outgoing personality.
• Team player who can establish strong working relationships and work effectively with others, both outside and within the organization.

Must have outstanding communication skills, including listening skills, and be able to maintain the confidentiality of privileged information.

• Ability to establish clear benchmarks and motivate a hardworking staff.
• Strong operational manager with Budget, P&L, and Raiser’s Edge experience.
• Working knowledge of the Greater Cleveland Catholic community and the ability to project a strong Catholic identity.
• A record of success in the direct solicitation of major donors; a person who is comfortable making the ask.
• A practical visionary who is oriented to the accomplishment of goals through productive collaboration with the Board and other senior administrators.
• The individual must relish working in a dynamic environment that is mission and values-driven.

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