Director of Development

Position Description Reporting to the Head of School, the Director of Development is responsible for providing leadership to and executing the School’s fundraising and constituent relations programs—including annual giving, foundation relations, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns. The Director of Development develops strategies to strengthen relationships across all constituencies and works closely with the Head of School, Advancement Committee, and other key volunteer committees to create and sustain a culture of philanthropy. The Director of Development also serves as a liaison to the Westmark Parent Association (WPA). Essential Responsibilities Fundraising Strategy and Leadership Inspire a culture of generosity among parents, grandparents, faculty and staff, alumni, alumni parents, former trustees and community partners. Develop strong working relationships with members of the Board of Trustees, including staffing the Advancement Committee. Provide leadership to the Westmark Parent Association in building a strong sense of community among current parents. Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising plans aligned with school priorities. Partner with Head of School, Board members, and others to cultivate, solicit and steward donors. Appropriately coach and prepare all staff, Board members, and volunteers engaged in solicitation activities. Constituent Engagement Develop tailored strategies to engage parents, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents and former Trustees in the life of the school, including deepening their connection to Westmark’s mission. Create opportunities for meaningful involvement through events, communications, and recognition programs that celebrate their impact. Strengthen long‑term relationships across generations of the school community, ensuring inclusivity and continuity in donor engagement. Communications and Brand Alignment Collaborate closely with Marketing and Communications to produce integrated donor messaging and materials, including related print and digital projects for the Westmark Fund, Holiday Gift Fund, Spring Gala, and Report on Philanthropy, which require a significant amount of copywriting and fact‑checking. Ensure fundraising communications reflect Westmark’s brand and highlight program successes. Operational Excellence Provide periodic analysis of fundraising programs to the Head of School and Board, as appropriate. Collaborate with finance staff to integrate fundraising projections into budgets. Oversee the independent contractor providing RaisersEdge services. Responsible for donor list accuracy across materials. In collaboration with the Head of School, and finance and program staff, assist in the preparation of annual operating plans and budgets, appropriately incorporating fundraising projections and other data into the organization’s budgets and financial reports. Westmark Fund Develop a detailed plan for the Westmark Fund, including revenue and expenditures for inclusion in the overall advancement plan. Set annual giving goals based on historical analysis of donors, prospect base, and School needs. Use wealth screening, giving history, and other information to determine appropriate ask amounts for each constituent. Establish a detailed calendar of solicitations by targeted constituency and fundraising strategy and develop targeted campaigns for parents of current students, grandparents of current students, alumni parents, alumni, and faculty and staff. Enlist Westmark Fund Chairs and Ambassadors. Staff the volunteer leadership for the Westmark Fund, including ensuring that volunteers receive the appropriate training, support, and recognition. Personally contact, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects, as appropriate, for the Westmark Fund. Provide ongoing analysis and evaluation of solicitation programs and monitor results in order to meet goals. Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Marketing and Strategic Communications and Assistant Director of Communications in writing and producing Westmark Fund collateral. Foundation Relations Develop and implement a plan to obtain annual and major gift support from foundations. Develop relationships with program officers as appropriate. Track top foundations to ensure that a proposal is cued up at all times. Conduct research to identify foundations likely to contribute to School programs and projects based upon giving patterns, areas of interest, and relationships with School administrators, faculty, volunteers, parents, and trustees. Draft and submit proposals, including tracking progress of proposals through decision‑making cycle, developing strategies for follow‑up and intermediate moves between application and decision, and determining reasons when proposals are rejected. Solicit assistance and involvement of faculty and others as appropriate in the preparation and submission of proposals and in the cultivation and solicitation process. Ensure that thank‑you letters and timely follow‑up reports are drafted and signed as appropriate. Establish and maintain a system for monitoring and reporting the pledged and awarded funds from foundations. Major Gifts/Campaigns Staff the Head of School, Board members, and others in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts for the school. Oversee prospect identification, evaluation, assignment, and tracking of major gift prospects. Write proposals, including editing as necessary. Work collaboratively with campaign counsel in executing any campaigns that the school embarks upon. Planned Giving Design and implement a planned giving program that encourages donors to include Westmark School in their estate and long‑term financial plans. Cultivate relationships with alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and community members to inspire legacy commitments that sustain the school’s mission for generations. Collaborate with legal and financial advisors to ensure planned gifts are structured effectively and align with donor intent. Provide clear, compassionate guidance to donors exploring bequests, charitable trusts, and other legacy vehicles. Oversee recognition and stewardship of planned giving donors, ensuring their contributions are honored and celebrated as part of Westmark’s philanthropic culture. Spring Gala Procure sponsorships and high‑value auction items. Secure auction bids and paddle raises in advance to build momentum for event success. Work in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications, Event Management, and Business Office teams on event planning and execution and post‑event analysis. Promote attendance by constituents. Stewardship Develop a comprehensive stewardship plan designed to build a culture of philanthropy and appropriately thank and recognize donors. Ensure there is ample inventory of mementos and gifts for donors and volunteers to be given in appreciation. Ensure donors are thanked for their Westmark Fund, Spring Gala, and campaign gifts and that communications are thoughtful and inspire donors to give repeatedly. Responsible for post‑gift stewardship of each donor with the highest possible degree of personalized attention, arranging for interactions with the Head of School and Trustees, as appropriate. Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School. Physical Demands and Work Environment While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit in meetings and work on a computer for long periods of time; and is occasionally required to walk, reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, talk, and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Qualifications 7+ years of relevant fundraising experience, with direct experience within independent schools or a closely related educational environment. Strong track record of progressively challenging fundraising success, including in annual fund/event, major gifts, planned giving, and/or capital campaigns. Strong and demonstrated experience leading and engaging all stakeholders: trustees, colleagues, parents, students, alumni, other donors, partners, and volunteers. CRM database and general technology experience and proficiency required; RaisersEdge experience strongly preferred. Understanding of independent school communities and culture. Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills. Detail‑oriented and highly organized. Actively engaged in professional development and current on best practices. Customer service mindset: personable, positive, helpful, with a sense of humor. Sensitivity, discretion, and demonstrated ability to use good judgment and maintain confidentiality. Ability to manage and prioritize multiple responsibilities simultaneously. Ability to manage competing demands, and adapt to frequent or unexpected changes. Bachelor’s degree required; relevant advanced degree preferred. Westmark School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and job performance. School policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical conditions (including genetic characteristics or information), sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, and local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr National Association of Independent Schools