Job Details

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CalWest client school in the greater Santa Barbara, CA area seeks a Director of School Development to begin August 7, 2025 or sooner.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university
• 5+ years of experience in a fundraising role for a school or nonprofit organization
• Prior leadership responsibility for raising $500,000+ in annual giving with a proven track record of meeting annual development goals
• Strong understanding of the principles and practices of fundraising, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving and capital campaigns
• Experience delivering strong communications across a diverse community of donors
• Excellent written and oral English communication skills with the ability to create compelling narratives and presentations
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with donors, volunteers and community members
• Highly organized, with strong event management skills and attention to detail
• Proficiency in development software and donor database management

Responsibilities

• Create and implement a comprehensive fund development plan to meet the school's financial goals that articulates the case for giving, the user experience of a school family – from admissions to alumni-hood – with respect to giving, and the role of the Board of Trustees in fund development.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, including current families, alumni families and foundations.
• Lead The Fund for annual giving campaigns and planned giving initiatives.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective donors with a particular emphasis on cultivating engagement among alumni families.
• Plan and execute donor recognition and stewardship programs.
• Prepare and deliver compelling proposals, presentations and reports for donors.

• In close collaboration with the school's Director of Community Engagement and gala committee, plan the school's annual benefit auction gala, delivering strong financial performance and a great donor experience.
• Engage with the school community to promote a culture of philanthropy.
• Represent the school at community events and networking opportunities.

• Manage the development budget and ensure effective allocation of resources.
• Actively manage the donor database and ensure accuracy of records.
• Provide regular reports to the Head of School and Board of Trustees on fundraising progress and initiatives.
• Oversee production of the school's annual report and other donor engagement communications tools and collateral.