Associate Director of Annual Giving

Posted on 09/19/2022

Lycée Français de New York

New York, NY

The Lycée Français de New York, a world-leading independent bilingual French K-12 educational institution, recognizes student safety and student well being as its first responsibilities. Indeed, at the Lycée, the student is at the center of the system. Consistent with its mission to embrace diversity, our school must strive to build a community of teaching and learning that is inclusive, culturally sensitive and equitable, and in which all feel a strong belonging in the pursuit of educational excellence.

The primary responsibility of the Associate Director of Annual Giving is the strategic execution and management of a comprehensive annual giving program including the coordination and oversight of supporting initiatives in the areas of stewardship, donor relations and donor communications. This role has main oversight for the Lycée’s Annual Fund, which raises over $1.5 million annually.

The Associate Director of Annual Giving develops a coordinated mix of communication and solicitation strategies focused on shaping a sustainable tradition of annual support for the Lycée. In collaboration with the Director of Development, the Associate Director of Annual Giving determines annual giving goals and builds strategic and tactical plans for achieving them. The Associate Director of Annual Giving also personally manages a portfolio of donors and builds strategies for renewing these donors and moving them to higher giving levels.

The Associate Director of Annual Giving has a keen appreciation for the foundation of annual giving as the enabling component of any successful major and gift planning program. This position fosters the growth of best practices in the supporting area of donor relations as related to annual giving and giving at the Lycée as a whole. The Associate Director of Annual Giving provides strategic direction and long-range/short-range planning for all these areas in the context of growing the overall annual giving program, while supporting the larger development goals of the Lycée.

The Associate Director of Annual Giving should be a self-starting, resourceful, well organized team player with the ability to work well under pressure and to demonstrate good interpersonal skills. The ability to get along with diverse personalities is a necessary skill. All employees are strongly encouraged to work towards proficiency in both French and English languages and to develop a familiarity and understanding of the Lycée’s multicultural environment.

At the Lycée, all employees should truly and enthusiastically believe in the School’s Mission, supporting the vision of the Head of School and the Board of Trustees. They are expected to provide encouragement, offer positive reinforcement, and show respect for each member of our community.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Annual Fund (60%):

  • Oversee all annual giving and donor relations programs including, parent giving program, senior gift and other programs, report writing and generation, and donor stewardship.
  • Manage a prospect pool with annual goals for personal visits and giving outcomes.
  • Develop the strategy for the school’s Annual Giving Day and create other compelling campaigns to drive giving throughout the year.
  • Collaborate with the Associate Director of Community Events to ensure that all outreach initiatives to Annual Fund and Gala donors are coordinated and clearly communicated.
  • Create, develop and manage a highly effective and sustainable volunteer component in support of annual giving.
  • Staff the Co-Chairs of the Annual Fund campaign and guide the work of the Grade Ambassador program.

Donor Relations, Stewardship & Special Events (20%):

  • Develop and execute an overall strategy for donor relations, including a regular system of thank you calls, emails, notes, videos, etc., either from volunteers or Lycée staff.
  • Organize key Annual Fund events, including the fall Annual Fund donor events and the spring Donor Thank You Event.

Marketing & Communications (10%):

  •  Formulate and execute a communications program supporting annual giving, including developing a distinct brand identity for the Annual Fund, with clear messaging around the purpose and objectives of the Fund.
  • Oversee the development and production of all Annual Fund collateral materials.
  • Focus on effective communication and solicitation activities within specific segments identified as having potential for the greatest growth.
  • Collaborate with the Communications Department to create social media and content for the Lycée blog that tells compelling stories about the importance of philanthropy at the Lycée.

Alumni Giving (10%):

  • Collaborate with the Associate Director, Alumni Communities to identify potential donors among the alumni and parents of alumni communities.
  • Oversee the launch and planning for fundraising around the Alumni Fund.
  • Oversee the fundraising aspects of the Senior Class Gift.
  • Complete other duties as assigned and appropriate

Education/Experience: 

  • Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
  • A minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in fundraising with a track record of success.
  • Experience conceptualizing, writing and coordinating solicitation materials.
  • Experience in fundraising for an independent school is desirable.

Skills/Abilities: 

  • Proven managerial skills and the ability to develop and inspire volunteers.
  • Strong analytical skills, must be detailed-oriented, thorough and accurate.
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks and be detail-oriented.
  • Excellent communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills with proven ability to interact with a diverse range of individuals both in person and over the phone, via email and in written correspondence.
  • Ability to problem-solve and make decisions independently; ability to collaborate with others as part of teams.
  • Excellent command of office technology tools including Google Workspace, Microsoft Suite and database software; experience using Raiser’s Edge preferred.
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends as required by Development Department events, meetings and cultivation events.
  • Outgoing personality and an optimistic and positive attitude.
  • Good judgment, tact, sensitivity and discretion in the handling of confidential information, materials and situations.
  • Highest ethical and professional behavior.
  • Commitment to the Lycée’s mission, vision and strategic direction.
  • French language skills are highly desirable but not required.

Committed to fostering an inclusive community, the Lycée Français de New York celebrates diverse identities and lived experiences, which enrich our students’ learning. We respect, support, and value our students’ and employees’ voices, and we strive to offer an equitable environment in which they can thrive.

The Lycée actively seeks qualified individuals from underrepresented groups, welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, and is an equal opportunity employer.

To apply for this job please visit workforcenow.adp.com.