Wildwood School is a preeminent, progressive coed, college-preparatory day school in West Los Angeles serving 700 students from kindergarten through 12th grade on two campuses. The school is seeking a highly-skilled, collaborative Director of Development to join a fast-paced, dynamic, nine-person Advancement team.

As an innovative, entrepreneurial, and seasoned development professional, the Director of Development is responsible for leading and growing Wildwood’s well-established, high-touch and personalized Annual Giving and Constituent Relations programs. The Director of Development is an active member of a highly collaborative Advancement team. This position reports to the Director of Institutional Advancement and supervises Alumni and Parent of Alumni program officers.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Annual Giving Program

• Develop and execute a dynamic and detailed strategic plan for the Annual Giving program, setting goals based on historical analysis of donor and prospect base and school needs
• Create targeted, segmented solicitations for parents, grandparents, friends, vendors, and faculty and staff
• Oversee engagement calendars and coding/rating process for all constituent groups
• Strategize and coordinate with Parent of Alumni and Alumni Managers on strategy, solicitations, and engagement calendars
• Identify, recruit, train, and support 100+ volunteers and lead co-chair advisory committee
• Establish and manage a complex calendar of peer-to-peer solicitations segmented by targeted constituency and fundraising strategy
• Solicit prospects ranging up to the $5,000+ level
• In coordination with the Director of Strategic Partnerships, establish and grow a formal grandparent solicitation program including leadership and planned gifts as well as advisory council
• Monitor program results and provide ongoing analysis and evaluation to meet goals
• Recommend and implement changes in strategy to meet program goals and objectives
• Coordinate gift preparation, acknowledgment, pledge invoicing, and fulfillment, as well as Annual Report lists in conjunction with the Raiser’s Edge Database Director
• Prepare all Annual Giving collateral, volunteer handbooks, letters, and solicitation materials
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to create print, electronic, and social media outreach strategies and branding for Annual Giving
• Design and execute personalized stewardship plans for Annual Giving donors across constituencies, including donor and volunteer appreciation events, thank-you phone calls, and more

Donor Relations and Stewardship

• Implement a donor relations plan for Wildwood that ensures the highest possible level of stewardship for volunteers and donors

• Develop, build, and retain positive relationships with diverse internal and external constituents
• Oversee donor and volunteer appreciation events and materials
• Robustly use the Raiser’s Edge database to capture the relevant constituent information necessary for a top-notch stewardship program

Departmental Support

• Serve on the development committee of the Board of Trustees
• Organize and execute segmented mailings for various constituents year-round
• Support other team members as needed

Essential Skills

• High-touch relationship builder who thrives on community and connection
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge (RE), MS Office, and Adobe Acrobat
• Ability to analyze data and construct detailed analysis reports for solicitations
• Superlative written, verbal, and presentation skills
• Excellent organizational skills—clear thinker and communicator to multiple constituencies
• Effective interpersonal skills—ability to engage, solicit, and steward donors
• Impeccable attention to detail and accuracy WISYWIG-level web skills; comfortable writing copy for print and electronic venues
• Gift notation

Qualifications

• A commitment to and enthusiasm for Wildwood’s mission, vision, and progressive educational model
• Bachelor’s or advanced degree
• Minimum five years development management experience
• Proven fundraising track record in organizing and managing annual solicitation efforts to meet the financial and engagement goals of an institution
  • Entrepreneurial and collaborative approach to fundraising
  • Ability to enlist, train, manage, and motivate large groups of volunteers
• A big-picture, strategic thinker who is flexible, highly detail oriented, able to multi-task easily, and has impeccable follow-through on projects

Submission Process

Qualified candidates must submit a cover letter, current resume, salary requirements, and related documents via email to Director of Institutional Advancement at [email protected] with a subject line of “DOD Candidate.” No phone inquiries will be accepted. Competitive salary and benefits offered, commensurate with expertise. Interviews will be conducted in Los Angeles and New York in the coming weeks.  Visit www.wildwood.org/dod for job description.

To learn more about Wildwood School, visit our website at www.wildwood.org. Wildwood School is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, the presence of mental, physical, or sensory disability, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by federal or state law.