This opening calls for specific teaching qualifications set by the school.
CalWest client school in the greater Santa Barbara, CA area seeks a Director of School Development to begin August 7, 2025 or sooner.
CalWest Required Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s Degree and/or other educational requirements listed on the job description
- Requisite skills commensurate with the position
- A reasonable commuting distance to the CalWest client school, or a willingness to relocate
- Authorization to live and work in the United States
Client School Preferred Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university
- 5+ years of experience in a fundraising role for a school or nonprofit organization
- Prior leadership responsibility for raising $500,000+ in annual giving with a proven track record of meeting annual development goals
- Strong understanding of the principles and practices of fundraising, including major gifts, annual giving, planned giving and capital campaigns
- Experience delivering strong communications across a diverse community of donors
- Excellent written and oral English communication skills with the ability to create compelling narratives and presentations
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with donors, volunteers and community members
- Highly organized, with strong event management skills and attention to detail
- Proficiency in development software and donor database management
Responsibilities
- Fundraising Strategy and Execution
- Create and implement a comprehensive fund development plan to meet the school’s financial goals that articulates the case for giving, the user experience of a school family – from admissions to alumni-hood – with respect to giving, and the role of the Board of Trustees in fund development.
- Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, including current families, alumni families and foundations.
- Lead The Fund for annual giving campaigns and planned giving initiatives.
- 2. Donor Relations
- Build and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective donors with a particular emphasis on cultivating engagement among alumni families.
- Plan and execute donor recognition and stewardship programs.
- Prepare and deliver compelling proposals, presentations and reports for donors.
- 3. Events & Community Engagement
- In close collaboration with the school’s Director of Community Engagement and gala committee, plan the school’s annual benefit auction gala, delivering strong financial performance and a great donor experience.
- Engage with the school community to promote a culture of philanthropy.
- Represent the school at community events and networking opportunities.
- 4. Development Operations
- Manage the development budget and ensure effective allocation of resources.
- Actively manage the donor database and ensure accuracy of records.
- Provide regular reports to the Head of School and Board of Trustees on fundraising progress and initiatives.
- Oversee production of the school’s annual report and other donor engagement communications tools and collateral.
Salary Range
$113,000 to $130,000
