Development Director jobs in Somerset, NJ

Far Hills Country Day School is an independent Preschool through Grade 8 school in Somerset County, NJ. Together on one expansive campus, our students are empowered to grow inward, outward, and upward and graduate prepared to lead at the country’s most competitive secondary schools.

The Director of Development reports to the Head of School and strategically partners with the Head, Board of Trustees, and other key stakeholders to lead all School fundraising efforts and oversee the day-to-day operation of the School’s Development Team. The Director attends Board Meetings and serves as the administrative liaison to the Development Committee as well as the Parents Committee. The Director is a member of the School Leadership Team and Advancement Team, participating fully and wholly in the life of the school. The Director is responsible for increasing and broadening the base of support from annual, capital, endowment and planned gifts, and ensuring that donor engagement and cultivation opportunities lead to deeper and more meaningful connections to Far Hills, its mission, and priorities.

The position is highly visible in the community and brings with it the requirement and opportunity to build important relationships across all Far Hills' stakeholders—Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, parents, alumni, parents of alumni, grandparents, and students.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

Fundraising

• Initiate and lead plans for raising funds to meet the immediate and long-range endowment, capital, and operating needs of the school.

• Manage an ongoing portfolio of major gift prospects and donors and ensure that timely steps are taken toward engagement and solicitation.

• Provide guidance and support to the Far Hills Fund, including identifying and recruiting leadership, strategizing marketing, and soliciting major donors to meet the school’s annual giving goal.

• Provide guidance to the School Leadership Team and appropriate volunteers with respect to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.

Management

• Hire, manage, train, develop, and evaluate the Development staff of two FT employees.

• Work with the CFO to create and manage the annual operating budget for the Development Office.

• Prepare and update annual and long-range development plans.

• Produce Development Reports for Head of School, Board of Trustees, and Development Committee to highlight progress towards goals and fundraising targets.

• Prepare and direct the annual Volunteer Leadership plan, engaging and working collaboratively with the Parents Committee to select the best volunteers for leadership positions in both fundraising programs/events and the Parents Committee.

• Oversee the design and production of all fundraising materials, publications, and the fundraising sections of the website.

• Ensure that all Development Office operations (gift accounting and acknowledgment, financial records, database systems/RE, donor tracking, gift policies, and stewardship) and reconciliation of records with the Business Office are well managed and run smoothly.

• Provide counsel and collaboration on all strategic planning initiatives directed toward fundraising, advancement-related communications, and programs.

• Plan for and manage the Parents Committee as well as several other community-involving committees and attend meetings.

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Head of School.

Community/Relationship Building

• Educate the Far Hills community (all constituents) on the importance of philanthropy and its role in helping the school achieve its goals.

• Manage and coordinate activities to steward major donors, engage prospective donors, and identify future leaders.

• Assist in the development and implementation of 100th Anniversary initiatives for the purpose of building important relationships with families that will lead to increased investment in Far Hills through gifts of time, talent, and treasure.

• Oversee the planning and coordinating of all Alumni activities/events.

• Make presentations on behalf of Far Hills when called upon to communicate the vision and direction of the school.

Donor Relations

• Manage the development and implementation of a strategic donor relations program, including all cultivation, stewardship, and recognition events.

• Develop and manage the implementation of all Donor Impact Reports.

• Manage HOS donor relations activities.

• Develop and manage recognition activities/contacts to celebrate philanthropic behavior.

  
  

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to embrace and share the school’s mission

• Demonstrated ability to manage, evaluate, and motivate a multi-faceted development team while meeting individual fundraising goals

• Track record of fundraising success. Knowledge and experience with successful major/leadership gifts and planned giving solicitations are a plus

• Ability to think strategically and analytically

• Excellent organizational skills, ability to establish and manage multiple priorities, and ability to work gracefully under pressure

• Demonstrated experience using excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, developing stakeholder relationships, support, and enthusiasm

• Ability to work collaboratively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, parents, and alumni with fairness, respect, consistency, and integrity

• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement "best practices" for advancement management

• Proficiency using Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and quick to learn other applications including CMS/Raiser’s Edge/NXT preferred

• Ability to travel, work evenings and weekends as necessary

• Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree preferred

• 8 plus years of development experience