Reporting directly to the Head of School and joining an engaged and dedicated senior leadership team, the Director will have the opportunity to establish new traditions of giving, build bridges across the school's diverse community, and develop innovative approaches to fundraising that honor New Roads' unique character. This position is essential to advancing the school's noteworthy goals, including continuing to strengthen campus facilities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the school's commitment to accessibility and excellence. The Director role represents a rare opportunity for an exceptional leader who understands that great philanthropy follows great ideas and compelling vision.

The Director of Advancement will join a community known for its authenticity, creativity, and unwavering commitment to each student's individual journey. With families who chose New Roads for its values-driven approach and educators dedicated to innovative learning, the school is positioned to cultivate generous investment from those who believe deeply in its mission. This role offers the chance to work alongside passionate advocates who are ready to ensure New Roads can continue changing lives for generations to come.

The Position

The Director of Advancement will have the opportunity to build almost from the ground up an innovative and effective strategy for advancement at New Roads. Taking the lead on dedicated engagement, storytelling, and fundraising, the Director will envision a robust future for New Roads and then construct and execute a tactical plan to realize that future. Partnering closely with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, and Parent Village — and supervising the advancement team — the Director will leverage their deep experience in advancement to support and further all philanthropic initiatives.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The Director of Advancement will collaborate across the school community to create, lead, and support opportunities for the systematic advancement of the school’s mission and strategic plan by prioritizing the following:

• Develop strategic and tactical plans for all philanthropic endeavors at the school, while staying deeply rooted in the culture, community, and mission of the school

• Utilize best practices, storytelling, and proven expertise to foster a strong culture of philanthropy within the New Roads community

• Act as a thought partner and right hand to the Head of School, able to work collaboratively, provide educated counsel, and speak as the voice and face of the school in the Head’s absence

• Partner closely with the Board of Trustees, providing guidance, keeping them informed, and activating them as a valuable resource

• As needed, develop, strengthen, and leverage key constituencies such as the Parent Village, alumni network, alumni parents, grandparent/special friends network, and the surrounding community

• Develop and/or strengthen systems, policies, processes, and procedures related to advancement in order to better structure work for future growth and success

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

• Work with the HOS, Director of Finance, and Board Development Committee to establish fundraising goals for each year.

• Develop and implement short- and long-term advancement plans to meet established advancement goals and objectives. This includes but is not limited to strategic initiatives for securing major gifts, donations to The New Roads Fund, corporate and foundation grants, endowment gifts, alumni giving program, defining stewardship and prospecting tactics and strategies, designing and implementing fundraising/cultivation events including Kaleidoscope, and approaches to supporting fundraising initiatives.

• • Manage prospect research and cultivation initiatives with special emphasis on pursuing strategies to secure or increase giving from donors. This includes a review of strategies and contact reports for potential donors.

  • Develop strategies for existing donors to effectively move them through a meaningful

cycle of giving.

• Manage the Advancement office, staff, and processes, including oversight of day-to-day operations; establish and monitor budget as well as key performance metrics; provide regular performance reviews; lead hiring process for new staff as needed; provide/encourage participation in appropriate professional development opportunities.

• Oversee gift processing and donor acknowledgments, donor database, and financial reporting.

• Work collaboratively and creatively with Parent Village and key constituencies, including Board members, alumni, alumni parents, former board members, grandparents, friends, community members.

• Attend meetings of the Board of Trustees to report on Advancement activities; serve as the administrative liaison to the Board Advancement Committee; educate and engage the Board of Trustees to participate in fund development; serve on or attend other Board committee meetings as required.

• Participate in at least one conference for professional development annually (ISANNE, CASE, Blackbaud Conference, etc.).

QUALITIES AND ATTRIBUTES

The next Director will be a proven leader in advancement work, energized by forging new relationships and building community; excited to share the compelling story of New Roads School; and skilled at forming and nurturing a culture of philanthropy. Demonstrating a high level of integrity, initiative, and innovative thinking, the Director will be a visible and known presence in the community, a seasoned and transparent communicator, and a deft collaborator. 

Additionally, the Director will:

• Be perceptive and flexible, able to read the room, adapt to different stakeholders, and handle complex social dynamics

• Be values-driven, authentically embracing and championing the school's mission, vision, and culture

• Be adept at building trust

• Have a strong aptitude for using technology and data to inform effective advancement decisions and efforts

• Be highly principled, sharing responsibilities and successes with a spirit of generosity; always putting the interests of the school first

• Strive for sustainability, beyond personal tenure

• Be proactive, continually looking for ways to avert problems and improve systems

• Approach challenges with a problem-solving, forward-thinking, flexible mindset, asking for help when needed

• Maintain a calm demeanor in the midst of challenge

• Demonstrate trustworthiness in dealing with confidential matters

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS 

• Bachelor's Degree required

• A minimum of five years of experience, with increasing responsibility, in a broad range of fundraising activities – annual campaign, major gifts fundraising, events, and related fundraising activities, including:

• Experience in developing a strategic fund development plan

• Experience in establishing strategies for identifying, qualifying, and cultivating prospective donors; proven and measurable track record of successful face-to-face interactions with prospective donors; record of successful stewardship of existing donors

• Experience managing projects and a department

• Facility with Raiser’s Edge or comparable software

• Knowledge and understanding of advancement best practice trends and challenges; drive to continuously update knowledge and skills in this area

• Previous experience working on a capital campaign and/or with a capital campaign consultant

• Familiarity with independent schools is a plus

PROCEDURE TO APPLY

New Roads is an equal employment opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit, qualifications and competence. New Roads does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, age (40 and over), marital status, military or veteran status, genetic characteristic or genetic information, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all areas of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, compensation, benefits, terminations and other conditions of employment.

Interested candidates should submit via https://bit.ly/NewRoads_DoA_AppForm the following materials confidentially in one, single PDF file: 

• A cover letter indicating the candidate’s particular interest in and qualifications for the position

• A current resume

• The names, email addresses, and telephone numbers of five professional references, including at least two recent supervisors. References should speak to the applicant’s ability to be an effective administrator and to work collaboratively and collegially with all relevant stakeholders (references will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission). Please indicate your relationship with each reference (i.e. supervisor, colleague, or direct report).

Please address any questions by email to ara@strategenius.org. 

Salary Range $150,000-180,000