Director of Parent Programs

Department: Advancement

Reports to: Director of Advancement

Status: Full-Time

Location: Gill St. Bernard’s School, Gladstone, New Jersey

Gill St. Bernard’s School seeks a highly organized, collaborative, and relationship-oriented Director of Parent Programs to strengthen engagement among current families and build a vibrant culture of parent involvement across the School community.

The Director of Parent Programs will serve as the primary staff liaison to the Gill St. Bernard’s Parent Association , partnering with parent leaders, volunteers, faculty, administrators, and the Advancement team to create meaningful opportunities for families to connect with the School.

The position will oversee parent programs and events, recruit and coordinate volunteers, support parent communications and engagement, and play an important role in the School’s annual fundraising efforts. The ideal candidate is a warm and confident relationship builder who can move comfortably between strategic planning and hands-on execution, bringing energy, professionalism, and follow-through to every aspect of the role.

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Gill St. Bernard’s Parent Association and its leadership.
• Partner with Parent Association officers and committee chairs to establish annual goals, priorities, calendars, and programs.
• Attend Parent Association meetings and provide guidance, institutional knowledge, and administrative support.
• Develop strong relationships with parent leaders and encourage broad participation across divisions and grade levels.
• Help cultivate a welcoming and inclusive parent community that reflects the School’s mission and values.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen communication and engagement between parents and the School.
• Work closely with school leadership to ensure parent programs are aligned with institutional priorities.

• Plan, coordinate, and execute parent and family events throughout the school year.
• Support major School events that involve parents, including receptions, community gatherings, fundraising events, and special celebrations.
• Develop event timelines, budgets, volunteer assignments, communications, logistics, and follow-up plans.
• Coordinate with internal departments and outside vendors as needed to ensure successful events.
• Evaluate events annually and recommend improvements, new programs, or format changes.
• Help create opportunities for parents to build relationships with one another and deepen their connection to GSB.

• Develop and maintain a strong parent volunteer program.
• Recruit, organize, and recognize parent volunteers for events, programs, committees, and special initiatives.
• Maintain accurate volunteer lists and ensure volunteers understand expectations, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Create meaningful entry points for parents with different levels of availability and engagement.
• Recognize and thank volunteers regularly, helping to build a culture of appreciation and continued involvement.

• Partner with the Advancement team to strengthen parent participation in the School’s annual fundraising efforts.
• Help cultivate relationships with current parents and identify opportunities for deeper engagement and philanthropy.
• Support annual giving communications, parent outreach, participation initiatives, and fundraising events.
• Assist with identifying and engaging prospective parent donors and volunteers, in partnership with Advancement leadership.
• Help coordinate parent ambassadors and peer-to-peer outreach for annual fundraising campaigns.
• Support stewardship and recognition efforts for parent donors and volunteers.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality and follow School policies regarding donor information and relationships.

• Develop and coordinate parent-facing communications related to programs, events, volunteer opportunities, and Parent Association activities.
• Work with the School’s Communications team to ensure messaging is timely, consistent, and aligned with GSB’s voice and brand.
• Maintain an annual parent engagement calendar and coordinate communications around key dates.
• Ensure information flows effectively among parent leaders, School administration, faculty, and staff.

• Develop and manage program and event budgets in collaboration with the Advancement team.
• Track participation, volunteer engagement, event results, and other relevant measures of parent engagement.
• Maintain organized records of Parent Association activities, volunteers, committees, and events.
• Prepare periodic reports and updates for School leadership and the Advancement team.
• Help develop and implement a multi-year strategy for strengthening parent engagement and volunteerism.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the School’s advancement and community engagement priorities.

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 3–5 years of experience in parent engagement, advancement, nonprofit development, events, education, community relations, or a related field.
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and constituencies simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to recruit, motivate, and coordinate volunteers.
• Comfort working with donors and supporting fundraising initiatives.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Ability to work collaboratively with administrators, faculty, staff, parents, volunteers, and donors.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and/or Google Workspace; familiarity with donor databases and event-management platforms is a plus.
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for School and parent events.

The successful candidate will be:

• Relational: Builds authentic, trusting relationships and makes people feel welcome and valued.
• Organized: Can manage details while keeping sight of larger goals and priorities.
• Collaborative: Works effectively across departments and with a wide range of parent and volunteer leaders.
• Proactive: Anticipates needs, identifies opportunities, and follows through without needing extensive direction.
• Engaging: Brings enthusiasm and energy to programs, events, and community-building efforts.
• Fundraising-minded: Understands that strong relationships and meaningful engagement are the foundation of philanthropic support.
• Mission-driven: Demonstrates a genuine interest in independent-school education and in advancing the mission and community of Gill St. Bernard’s School.

Success will be measured by the strength and breadth of parent engagement at GSB, including:

• A strong and effective Parent Association partnership.
• Increased parent participation in volunteer opportunities and School events.
• Well-executed, well-attended parent and community programs.
• Strong communication and collaboration between parent leaders and the School.
• Meaningful relationships developed with current families.
• Increased parent participation in annual giving and other Advancement initiatives.
• A growing culture of philanthropy, volunteerism, and community among GSB families.