Director of Advancement and Fundraising

Discover the opportunity to join Yellow Wood Academy, an accredited independent school nestled on Mercer Island. As a nonprofit institution, we specialize in personalized one-on-one and small group education for all learners.

At Yellow Wood Academy, our mission revolves around the student. We're a passionate team of educators committed to igniting growth and achieving academic and social-emotional goals. Every day, we embark on a journey of innovation, seeking fresh and engaging methods to support our students' development.

Our approach is centered on empowering each student's unique journey. By crafting tailored educational programs that address the whole child, we equip them with the tools and encouragement needed to thrive. Our programs maintain academic rigor while accommodating individual learning styles, pacing, and interests.

Join us at Yellow Wood Academy and be part of a team dedicated to fostering student success through personalized, holistic education. Apply now and embark on a fulfilling career where you can make a meaningful impact every day.

YWA Culture and Values

• Respect is valuing each other for who they are, what they stand for and being considerate of other perspectives.
• Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.
• Responsibility is being directly accountable for yourself and for the quality of life within the YWA community.
• Commitment to equity; anti-racist, gender-inclusive environments (both office and educational environments); and evaluation of systemic privilege and oppression, with openness to personal and institutional growth.

Position Overview

The Director of Advancement and fundraising operates as the strategic leader for institutional advancement and the key advisor to the Executive Director regarding such. They articulate advancement campaign strategies, cultivate donors, and act as an advancement liaison for the school and the community. The primary objective of the Director of Advancement is to meet the fundraising goals set by the Executive Director via grants, fundraising, and special events as well as to meet advancement goals outlined in the Strategic Plan.

Responsibilities

• Development
• Develop and implement strategic fundraising plans to support the organization's mission, philosophy, values, and programs
• Develop and execute a fundraising program from the current donor base, new donor base, Alumni Association, corporations, and foundations
• Manage all annual fundraising activities, including mail appeals, special events, auctions and other donor cultivation/recognition projects
• Continue to grow the school’s Annual Fund efforts to increase parent participation through improved communication and education
• Coordinate with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to establish event and campaign-based fundraising strategies, policies, and plans
• Strategize community sources of funding for the YWA program through grants and corporations locally and nationally.
• Advancement
• Providing leadership and support to the Head of School, Board, parents and other volunteers to increase their capacity to be effective admissions and fundraising advocates for Yellow Wood Academy to build a culture of philanthropy in the school community
• Research grant opportunities, prepare grant proposals, and submit applications to foundations, government agencies, and other grant-making organizations. Ensure that proposals are compelling, well-written, and aligned with the organization's priorities and objectives.

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• Developing and assessing the effectiveness of the YWA brand
• Coordinating and participating in all recruitment and fundraising events including the development of materials, marketing, social media, and advertising
• Participating in all Board committees related to admissions, fundraising, marketing and communication
• Donor Relationships
• Cultivate Donor Relationships.
• Build and maintain relationships with existing and potential donors through regular communication, meetings, and events.
• Donor Database Management: Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of donor interactions, contributions, and preferences in the organization's donor database. Use data analysis tools to track fundraising progress, identify trends, and segment donors for targeted outreach and solicitation.

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• Cultivate a donor-centric approach that emphasizes stewardship and recognition to foster long-term engagement and support.
• Develop and implement a dynamic plan that focuses alumni and alumni families’ engagement on philanthropic and mission-driven programming
• Solicit gifts from the alumni and develop a successful student philanthropy program
• Develop and maintain a directory of alumni
• Generate and implement a plan to highlight alumni achievement
• Organize a committee of dedicated alumni
• Community Engagement and Advocacy
• Represent the organization in the community, attending networking events, conferences, and meetings to raise awareness of the school's mission and fundraising priorities.
• Advocate for the organization's needs and build partnerships with other nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders to support fundraising initiatives.
• Capital Campaign Leadership
• Lead the planning, execution, and management of capital campaigns to support major fundraising initiatives, such as facility expansions, renovations, or endowment growth.
• Develop campaign strategies, set fundraising goals, and cultivate relationships with major donors capable of making significant contributions.
• Coordinate campaign volunteers, committees, and staff members to ensure effective campaign implementation and donor stewardship.
• Provide regular updates and progress reports to the executive leadership team and board of directors, tracking campaign milestones and adjusting strategies as needed to achieve campaign objectives.

Qualities of a Successful Leader

The Director of Advancement and Fundraising must be a strategist, leader, and organizer. As a member of the Yellow Wood Academy administration, you must be collaborative, flexible, and adaptable with a growth mindset. Successful candidates must be a detail-oriented self-start, prepared to build a robust advancement from the ground up, able to engage and inspire students, staff, parents, and alumni around the future of our program. The Director of Advancement and Fundraising must possess:

• A demonstrated ability in planning and executing integrated, strategic marketing and communications in support of achieving institutional, programmatic, event, and development and alumni relations goals.
• A functional understanding of how to effectively leverage various communication mediums and distribution channels for optimal exposure and impact.
• Demonstrated analytical and organizational skills in evaluating existing programs, conceiving and implementing new programs or strategies, and resolving complex and/or sensitive operational and interpersonal issues.
• The ability to extract and analyze data to make effective, efficient decisions about donor strategy and process, as well as working knowledge of modern data management practices and innovations that can streamline institutional advancement processes and contribute to the integration of related functions. Experience using database and project management systems

Education

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, fundraising, or a related field preferred.
• Professional certifications in fundraising, such as Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) or Certified Fundraising Professional (CFP), desirable but not required.
• Ongoing professional development in fundraising, nonprofit management, and related fields through workshops, conferences, and continuing education programs.

Experience

• Previous experience in nonprofit fundraising, preferably in an educational or school setting, with a proven track record of successful fundraising outcomes.
• Experience leading and managing fundraising campaigns, events, and initiatives, including capital campaigns, annual funds, and special events.
• Experience working with diverse donor constituencies, including individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Experience with donor database management systems and fundraising software to track donor interactions, manage donor relationships, and generate reports.
• Experience working with boards of directors, executive leadership teams, and volunteer committees to engage and mobilize support for fundraising initiatives.

Physical Demands & Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Yellow Wood Academy does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $95,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Mercer Island, WA 98040: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person