Sterling Search Inc. has been exclusively retained to recruit the new Director of Advancement for New Horizon school located in Irvine, CA.

New Horizon’s culture focuses on a diverse and inclusive student population. It has experienced unprecedented growth in the past few years, growing from 190 students in 2019 to 350 students currently with about thirty percent receiving some form of financial aid. The advancement team has successfully raised $21 million of a $27 million capital campaign, including $5.2 million earmarked for the school’s endowment. This endowment generates nearly $200,000 of the department’s annual fundraising goal of $500,000.

The advancement (development and communications) department to date has grown organically and the directors all report into the Head of School. There has been much excitement around the campaign, and it is time to convert this success into a strategic, robust advancement department. The new Director of Advancement will build upon this momentum, leading the vision and strategy for the advancement program and hire a Director of Development to focus on the annual fund, and manage a Director of Marketing and Communications.

The Opportunity: 

The Director of Advancement will be responsible for overseeing the fund development and marketing and communications thereby increasing New Horizon’s fundraising capacity, branding, and visibility through a strengthened culture of philanthropy. The Director of Advancement will report to the Head of School and manage the Director of Marketing and Communications. He/she will also strategically develop the Foundation Board that is gaining the attention and membership of some influential known members of the philanthropic community.

As a member of the senior management team, the new Director of Advancement will place his/her stamp not only on the fund development and communications growth but on New Horizon’s continuing mission to educate and empower future leaders. She/he will have a demonstrated track record of institutional vision and implementation of leadership, with an emphasis on mentoring staff and establishing and overseeing organizational systems, measures, forecasting and accountabilities.

He/she must possess intellectual horsepower and be naturally persuasive and fair, and value accountability for themselves and others. He/she will lead based on a sense of core ethics of collaboration and the drive of excellence.

Essential Job Functions: 

• Serves as a member of the senior management team of the school.
• Works in collaboration with the Admissions Director to identify donor prospects, set direction and help refine marketing outreach to external constituencies.
• Serves as staff for the Board of Directors to report updates on advancement and other strategic initiatives.
• Serves as staff for the Advancement Committee of the Board to coordinate the advancement directions and efforts.
• Provides supervision and leadership to the advancement department including the Director of Development and Director of Communications, setting the vision and priorities for the team.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Participate with the Head of School, staff, and Board of Directors to lead the new Horizon’s advancement strategies and continue to chart the school’s course in fund development.
• Provide general oversight of all of the organization’s advancement activities, and monitor all development functions.
• Lead, manage and direct a comprehensive fund development plan to grow revenue and build the development team as needed.
• Assist the Board of Directors to determine accountabilities for Board members and fundraising volunteers and help evaluate performance regularly.
• Ensure that philanthropy and fund development are carried out in keeping with the New Horizon’s values, mission, vision, and plans.
• Provide leadership to staff and volunteers in finishing the school’s capital campaign,
• Personally and with others cultivate and solicit constituents for major gifts.
• Oversee communications and marketing efforts designed to create awareness of the New Horizon’s mission, vision and goals, attract applicants and foster support for the school.
• Assess the advancement staff to ensure that the organization is effectively structured and staffed with competent employees.
• Oversee performance measures, monitor results and help the Head of School evaluate the effectiveness of the organization’s advancement program.
• Team with the finance department to assure sound fiscal operation of the advancement function including timely, accurate and comprehensive development of philanthropic contributions income and expense budgets, reporting, monitoring and implementation.
• Assure design and maintenance of donor and prospect records, gift management systems, and informational reports.
• Assure appropriate prospect research.
• Assure design and implementation of acknowledgment, stewardship and recognition programs with feedback and necessary check off systems.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws, maintain accountability standards to donors, and ensure compliance with code of ethical principles and standards of professional conduct for fundraising executives.
• Execute all other reasonable duties assigned by the Head of School

Professional Experience and Qualifications: 

We are seeking candidates offering the following qualifications:

• A demonstrated ability to plan and operate strategically, to build support for the New Horizon’s mission and goals, to develop and strengthen fundraising infrastructure, to inspire staff, to develop strong working relationships with Boards of Directors and to develop effective fundraising programs.
• A minimum of five years of fundraising experience with two years of management experience with increasing levels of responsibility.
• Significant experience in and a successful track record of obtaining major gift, capital campaign and annual fund gifts through the development of deep relationships.
• A demonstrated track record of fundraising management and operations leadership, implementing development processes and systems to measure activity and accountability as well as forecasting.
• A strategic approach to development, with significant experience in cultivating and managing donors.
• Exceptional financial, organizational, and administrative skills.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, set goals and objectives, organize, and implement to completion.
• A strong interpersonal and communication skill set and demonstrated ability to work effectively with and gain the respect and support of the school’s constituencies including faculty, staff, Board members, parents, grandparents, alumnae, alumnae parents and other key stakeholders.
• A track record as an effective communicator skilled at writing and public speaking; adept at writing proposals, solicitation letters, donor correspondence and other types of materials to enhance fundraising.
• Ability to juggle many responsibilities at once and to operate both independently with the flexibility to be part of a team.
• Computer literate: Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Also, strong experience with fundraising database software. Raiser’s Edge and Greater Giving a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree required.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following capabilities:

• A manager who leads by example and exemplifies the values and ethics of the organization
• An organized individual with strong creative and conceptual skills
• A doer who functions effectively without being autocratic or political; a team player who is inclusive, flexible, creative, energetic, and fair minded
• A decisive and resourceful individual who will accept responsibility and take charge of results, as well as work successfully with limited resources
• A self-starter who is confident enough to express opinions, to forge ahead when appropriate and hold back, when necessary, with a sensitivity to the feelings and opinions of others
• An energetic person who is emotionally mature and dependable, a collegial individual

Salary range $120,000.00 – $130,000.00 and a compensation package will be offered to attract an outstanding candidate. Please send resumes to: Sterling Search, Inc. New Horizon is an Equal Opportunity Employer.