Advancement Director - Melrose Park, United States - Walther Christian Academy

Description

As a member of the Academy's leadership team, the Director of Advancement plans and implements major gifts, annual and planned giving, and event-based components.

He/She will create an advancement plan for building a sustainable set of expanding financial revenue sources to meet strategic priorities, including a pending capital campaign.

Walther Christian Academy is a faith-based, co-educational college preparatory school in the Lutheran tradition, located in the near-western Chicago suburb of Melrose Park, for student grades 6-12 who come from diverse backgrounds and from all over the Chicagoland area.

An individual who has exemplary interpersonal skills, experience in a variety of fundraising, marketing and communications techniques, and who deeply values the Academy's commitment to nurturing and educating the total student, will find professional satisfaction in this lively, congenial environment.

• Lead, develop, and implement current major gift, annual fund, planned giving fundraising components, and pending capital campaign to meet goals.
• Drive the creation of a comprehensive, multiyear plan for resource development which integrates fundraising approaches with welltargeted, engaging communications and marketing input.
• Manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects including individuals, foundations, corporations and congregations. Document activity with reports to demonstrate quantifiable effort and outcomes.
• Identify and engage new individual, foundation, and corporate prospective donors. Cultivate and solicit individually or with board members and/or Head of School.
• Lead in the development and execution of alumni engagement strategies to promote involvement and enthusiasm about offering financial support to the Academy.
• Maintain a visible presence in the school community by participating in the planning of and attending events. Expand the cultivation and financial impact of events, such as homecoming, reunions, and annual dinner.
• Assist the Head of School in working with the Board of Directors, ensuring a strong awareness of advancement priorities by sharing plans, documented progress, and successes.
• Ensure donors are well stewarded by effectively communicating the impact of giving and a compelling future vision for the Academy.
• Create consistent and appropriately targeted advancement messages about the school in collaboration, when possible, with colleagues such as admissions and marketing/communications staff.
• Provide metrics for school leadership to document fundraising progress and assess efficacy.
• Work closely with the Director of Finance and Head of School to ensure fundraising policies, processes, and reporting align with required financial standards and best professional practices.

• Experience building on the strengths of an existing program, e.g. annual fund or eventbased fundraising, identifying opportunities for growth and expansion.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage favorably with diverse groups of alumni, parents, friends and volunteers. Demonstrated success in asking people to contribute time and money is required.
• Experience with development office functions including gift processing, database management of prospect and donor information, and fundraising reporting.
• Good judgment, personal integrity, and a display of commitment to a Christcentered approach to education and a respect for and knowledge of the Lutheran tradition of education and Lutheran culture.
• Ability to work in a collegial manner, contributing as a team member, and collaborating across the organization with integrity, transparency, and as needed, a good sense of humor.
• Strong oral and written communication skills as demonstrated in presentations, proposals, fundraising materials, and individual correspondence/interactions.
• The drive to implement best fundraising practices and always incorporate the highest ethical standards including respect for donor privacy.
• Experience using fundraising databases
• DonorPerfect preferred.
• A bachelor's degree is required for this position; adherence to the AFP's Donor Bill of Rights; advanced degree or certification such as CFRE is a plus.

Walther Christian Academy is a 6th-12th grade college preparatory school that delivers a rigorous, high-quality academic experience in a Christ-centered environment.

Located in Melrose Park, a near-western suburb of Chicago, we serve students from diverse backgrounds who come to us from all over the Chicagoland area.

The Academy is rooted in the long-standing tradition of Lutheran education in which quality academic preparation, high standards, and spiritual growth combine to prepare leaders, agents of change, and instruments of compassion in an evolving world.