Cushing Academy seeks to hire a Director of Annual Giving and Family Engagement to begin July 1, 2022. The Director of Annual Giving and Family Engagement plays a vital role in advancing the core mission of Cushing Academy and strengthening the culture of philanthropy among parents, alumni and the Academy’s extended community. The Director will establish and communicate key messages, develop or oversee the development of marketing plans and material, manage annual giving plans and timetables, ensure effective and sound annual giving processes and systems, and conduct donor outreach in partnership with the Director of Advancement and the Head of School to effectively achieve the goals for the Cushing Academy Annual Fund. The Director will recruit, support, and inspire key volunteers in their work on behalf of the Academy and champion annual giving with students, faculty, staff, senior administration, and the school community. The position requires proven, frontline fundraising abilities, strong organizational skills and the capacity to build lasting relationships with donors.

Major Responsibilities: 

• Program Management: Develop a multi-year, data-driven Annual Giving plan and oversee the execution of the plan annually to achieve the Academy’s philanthropic goals. This work will include a variety of efforts, including mailings and other direct outreach, volunteer engagement, donor meetings, coordination of giving days and other mini-campaigns, and digital communications.
• Prospect Management and Solicitation: Serve as a frontline fundraiser for the Cushing Academy Annual Fund. Research newly admitted families and existing prospects, collaborate with colleagues to set target Cushing Annual Fund amounts, identify prospects for leadership-level giving, maintain and update prospect lists. Schedule calls and meetings to cultivate and solicit for the Cushing Annual Fund.
• Parent Giving Program: Organize and implement volunteer program for parent giving, ensuring an annual cycle of communication and outreach. Identify, recruit and train volunteers.
• Alumni Giving Program: In coordination with the Director of Alumni Relations, oversee and ensure long-term support through consecutive giving program. Collaboratively manage class agent peer-to-peer solicitation program and young alumni giving program through outreach, social media, and partnership with faculty and stakeholders.
• Volunteer Management: Recruit, train, update, and communicate with volunteers across all categories of annual giving.
• Advancement Communications: Collaborate with advancement colleagues to write, design, calendar, and implement the solicitation process, including print and electronic communications and social media. Use data-driven segmentation strategies to effectively engage donors.
• Reporting: Provide regular financial reports for Director of Advancement and Head of School. Track activities to ensure that Annual Giving efforts are effective and on schedule and in partnership with the advancement services team.
• Special Events: Attend regional receptions and campus events to meet prospects and donors, assist with all aspects of events, make introductions, champion and solicit for the Cushing Annual Fund. Occasional public speaking required.
• Stewardship: Coordinate, in partnership with Advancement colleagues, programs and initiatives to effectively steward annual giving donors.
• Seek opportunities to be active in the life of the school, connecting regularly with students and faculty, and serve the school in other ways as needed.

Qualification Standards: 

Education and Work Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Three-to-five+ years experience in development or related fields required. Annual giving program and volunteer management experience strongly preferred. Proven track record of successful gift solicitation.
• Experience in donor relations, volunteer management, project/program management, and/or direct marketing.
• Experience with donor database systems/CRM (Cushing Academy uses Raiser’s Edge NXT), Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and general technological ability.
• Knowledge of and experience with donor research software.
• Independent/boarding school experience preferred.
• Experience working within comprehensive fundraising programs is a plus.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee may also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned.

To apply: Please send resume and cover letter to Human Resources, at [email protected]