Associate Director of Leadership Gifts
Anticipated hiring: Immediate
Westminster School, in Simsbury, Connecticut, enjoys a reputation as one of the finest college-preparatory schools, and certainly one of the very top small boarding schools, in the country. The challenging academic program, grounded in the liberal arts tradition, prepares students in grades 9-12 and postgraduate for academic success and the rigors of college while cultivating in them a love of learning that becomes a lifelong habit.
Westminster recently completed a comprehensive campaign spanning 7 years, which raised $102 million. Current fundraising priorities include annual support of close to $5M through The Westminster Fund as well as strategic capital initiatives. Along with generous and engaged parents, Westminster has a powerful, passionate, and connected alumni community.
Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Associate Director of Leadership Gifts engages and cultivates thoughtful relationships with leadership donors, connecting their philanthropic interests with opportunities to meaningfully impact the mission of Westminster. This is an onsite, 12-month per year, full-time position with approximately 66% travel.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
- Maintain and manage a dynamic portfolio of 100–125 leadership annual fund and major gift prospects (alumni, current and former parents/guardians, and other prospects as appropriate), with a focus on securing five-figure and six-figure gift commitments.
- Work to understand each donor’s philanthropic interests and capacity through personal visits, regular communication through mail/email and telephone, and personalized interactions during campus visits and other events.
- Develop and execute discovery, cultivation, and solicitation strategies for each donor.
- Maintain accurate, organized and up-to-date records of donor interactions, meeting briefs, research notes, written proposals, contact reports, and stewardship communications in Raiser’s Edge NXT, ensuring effective tracking and reporting of fundraising activities.
- Ensure proper stewardship of major donors, including acknowledgement of their gifts, recognition of their contributions, and ongoing engagement to maintain their support and involvement with Westminster.
- Conduct research to identify new major gift prospects, analyze their philanthropic history and capacity, and prioritize prospects for cultivation and solicitation efforts.
- Work with the Director of Advancement and the major gifts team to develop strategies for increasing support for Westminster’s annual, capital, endowment, and other specific giving priorities.
- Attend key events to interact with donors and prospects, including evenings and weekends as necessary.
- Expectation of 15-20 prospect meetings each month and a predetermined number of gift proposals during each fiscal year.
- Assist in the recruitment and engagement of Westminster Fund, reunion, and campaign volunteers.
- Work closely with colleagues across various departments, including advancement, communications, and school leadership, to align fundraising efforts with Westminster’s strategic priorities and messaging.
- Stay informed about best practices in fundraising, major gift solicitation techniques, and trends in philanthropy, continually seeking opportunities for professional growth and skill development.
- Adhere to ethical fundraising practice, including transparency, confidentiality, and respect for donor intent, while upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of two years of fundraising experience is required. Experience in educational settings and familiarity with Raiser’s Edge is preferred. Salary is competitive and the employment package consists of excellent benefits. To apply, please send a resume, writing sample or fundraising philosophy, and a list of references to the Director of Human Resources, Pamela Daly, at [email protected].
Westminster School is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages applications from candidates of color. Westminster School reaffirms its long-standing nondiscriminatory policy and employs individuals of any race, religion, sexual orientation or national origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available at Westminster. Westminster does not discriminate in its hiring, educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.
To apply for this job please visit www.westminster-school.org.