Miss Porter’s School

Reporting to the Associate Director of Annual Giving, the Assistant Director works closely with the Chief Advancement Officer, Alumnae and Development colleagues, the Development Committees of the Board of Trustees and the Alumnae Board to effectively meet annual fundraising goals for ongoing and immediate institutional needs. 

Miss Porter’s Alumnae and Development’s efforts are enhanced by effective partnerships with the campus community as well as external constituents including Ancients, families, faculty, staff, volunteers and friends. Development areas include annual giving, major gifts, principal gifts, planned giving, and alumni and parent engagement. 

The Assistant Director of Annual Giving will advance the mission of Miss Porter’s School by collaboratively working to secure fiscal year budget support from all constituencies. Candidates should have marketing and project management experience, volunteer management experience, a track record of successful fundraising, be a proactive and creative problem solver, a careful listener, highly curious, entrepreneurial, market focused, highly collaborative and willing to be an exceptional institutional ambassador. 

The Assistant Director of Annual Giving will be expected to have a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion, a belief in the mission and Community Call to Action of Miss Porter’s School and dedication to our effort to become an anti-racist institution. They must demonstrate the ability to work with and respect a diverse population of graduates, students and colleagues across a dynamic educational campus. 

The successful candidate should be a self-starter with a strong work ethic, able to set priorities and meet deadlines, thrive on creativity and innovation.They should seek to strengthen and expand Miss Porter’s School’s donor pipeline through effective discovery, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies and be comfortable working with volunteers. The Assistant Director must work with and maintain confidential information. 

• Champion the Office of Alumnae and Development’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging efforts, including a commitment to anti-racism, the dismantling of systemic hierarchies that marginalize people based on identity and efforts to ensure that all volunteers belong to the community of Miss Porter’s School.
• Under the direction of the Associate Director, responsible for using donor data to develop and execute annual solicitations targeted to assigned audiences. Assist with the planning and execution of the annual giving communications plan and calendar. Ensure that solicitations focus on a variety of goals including acquisition, retention, reactivation, and upgrades in donor giving. Campaigns will support a multi-channel approach including the following:
  • Digital initiatives: email solicitations, texting campaigns, digital ads, one-day challenges, and crowdfunding campaigns. This may be done in collaboration with the Alumnae and Development Multimedia Designer and the Office of Communications. 
  • Print initiatives: creation of mass and segmented mail appeals. Work with internal colleagues and external vendors, including designers and mail houses, to ensure proper and timely distribution of those appeals.
  • Support and guide volunteer outreach and management of tasks for Class Representatives, members of the Board of Trustees and the Alumnae Board, current parents, and selected Reunion classes. At the direction of the Associate Director, utilizes data to provide oversight of Class Representatives and their peer-to-peer campaigns, educational communications, training, digital and other programs associated with the work of those volunteers.

• Manage the student Second Head of School, their committee and activities designed for senior class fundraising and post-graduation engagement. Ensure successful training of Second Head of School’s Committee as Class Representatives for their classes engagement beyond graduation.
• Manage assigned Reunion classes and direct activities to meet the goals of those class efforts.

• Utilize current CRM tools (Raiser’s Edge, GiveCampus and RENXT) to provide immediate and self-serve reporting on donors, prospects and volunteer effectiveness. Become well versed in the use of each tool and provide ongoing support to volunteer users.

• Associates degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training, required, bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 1-2 years of successful fundraising marketing experience, preferably in an academic or non-profit environment.
• Proficiency with data analytics working with donor databases and reporting systems.
• Experience using social media platforms to engage volunteers and promote initiatives.
• Highly skilled communicator, both oral and written. Knowledge and experience working with volunteers.
• Familiarity with crowdfunding and online grassroots campaigns.
• Proficiency in current information and fundraising technology with emphasis on Google Suite and Raiser’s Edge, Give Campus and Canva.
• Willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Willingness and ability to travel if needed.
• Previous experience working with students and/or young alumni preferred.