The Director of Major Gifts and Donor Relations will secure support for the school’s fundraising programs to thank and steward donors. The Director of Major Gifts and Donor Relations will report to the Assistant Head of School for External Affairs. This position will be a key driver to propel the fundraising capacity of Franklin Road Academy’s development efforts. The Director of Major Gifts will engage in and be responsible for all aspects of the donor development cycle, including donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, acknowledgment, and stewardship to motivate donors to give leadership-level gifts to FRA. The Director of Major Gifts and Donor Relations will work collaboratively with the Head of School, key volunteers, and advancement team members.

A primary responsibility of this position is to maximize the total philanthropic support for FRA’s capital campaigns while encouraging continued support for the annual fund. This involves the development of strategies to generate higher levels of support and implementing individual multi-year fundraising plans that focus on renewals and increased gifts. This means establishing and maintaining long-term relationships with major gift donors and converting prospects into donors while working collaboratively with colleagues and school leaders to meet the school’s advancement objectives and mission. This position focuses on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewardship of leadership gift prospects and donors utilizing written solicitations, phone follow-up, outreach events, face-to-face meetings, special events, and other methods to maintain regular contact with these donors and prospects.

Responsibilities

This individual will be responsible for the following specific responsibilities but not limited to:

• Work with the Assistant Head of School for External Affairs and Head of School to establish quarterly fundraising goals and strategies, identify a shifting portfolio of donor prospects to cultivate, and execute specific “moves” (e.g., meetings, event invitations, donor materials) to build meaningful relationships with prospective donors and exceed fundraising goals.
• Manage a portfolio of 120-160 prospects capable of giving gifts of $10,000 annually to continue building the school’s philanthropy culture. These contacts would include discovery visits, phone and in-person solicitations, and various forms of stewardship.
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Annual Giving and Assistant Head of School for External Affairs to develop and execute innovative solicitation strategies for obtaining both new and returning donors.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospective donors for major gifts of all ranges.
• Organize prospective donor visits for new qualification engagements and steward existing donors.
• Plan and execute donor events to bring prospects closer to FRA.
• Develop and implement cultivation strategies to best manage a portfolio of major gift donors and high-wealth prospects who can significantly contribute to FRA.
• Maintain a portfolio of prospective major gift donors who will be solicited within a 12-18 month period.
• Conduct personal visits with major donors and prospects.
• Identify major gift prospects and develop compelling engagement strategies to solicit and close gifts as outlined above. In collaboration with development team members, identify, design, and cultivate a significant prospect pipeline as part of the school’s evolving fundraising strategy.
• Prepare donor profiles, written proposals, gift agreements, and other materials to define, secure, and document major gifts.
• Prepare reports, briefing materials, proposals, and related documents for solicitations and stewardship.
• Effectively utilize the development database (Blackbaud) to maintain records of contacts with donors and prospects. Analyze potential donor research materials to track, evaluate, and present relevant giving information for fundraising planning and outreach.
• Identify and solicit planned giving prospects and document their support.
• Ensure appropriate gift processing and tracking, donor acknowledgment, recognition, and reporting and analysis of gifts and donor records.
• Maintain a vigilant eye on recording contacts, record-keeping, and comprehensive and accurate list generation for the Annual Report on Philanthropy.
• Participate in the review and generation of the Annual Report on Philanthropy and other fundraising-specific communications materials.
• Attend and support appropriate donor engagement events as related to assigned prospects or the needs of the Advancement office.
• Manage appropriate budget(s).

Essential Skills

• Big-picture strategic thinker who is flexible, detail-oriented, and has impeccable follow-through.
• Ability to deal diplomatically and comfortably with a diverse community of parents, students, alumni, and faculty – leading and motivating groups and individuals.
• Intellectual curiosity, flexibility, strong communication skills, and ability to articulate Franklin Road Academy’s mission and case for support.
• Strong analytical skills used in identifying school needs and donors’ interests and connecting the two.
• A team player and builder who is naturally collaborative, self-motivated, and goal-oriented.
• High-touch relationship builder with strong interpersonal skills.
• High level of professionalism and the ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Eager to work hard as both leader and team member with proven fund-raising, leadership, consensus-building skills, and a positive, passionate, can-do spirit.
• A disciplined, results-oriented self-starter with high ethical standards.
• Ability to meet deadlines within a complex office/school calendar context.
• Sense of humor; relentless optimism.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution
• 3-5 years of proven success as a major gift fundraiser for five, six, and seven-figure gifts
• Creative advancement professional, able to identify funding opportunities and match them with donor and prospect interest
• Familiarity with Raiser’s Edge (RE)
• An entrepreneurial individual who demonstrates progressive advancement experience
• Experience working successfully with institutional leadership, colleagues, and volunteers
• Strong communication skills – both written and verbal
• Must have a professional demeanor
• A commitment to and enthusiasm for philanthropy, institutional development, and FRA’s mission
• Knowledge of independent school culture is a plus