Director of Institutional Advancement and Strategy

SUMMARY

Open Window School is thrilled to announce a national search for a Director of Institutional Advancement and Strategy charged with building a strong and lasting culture of philanthropy to support the school now and in the future. Located in Bellevue, Washington in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, Open Window nurtures and inspires students of high intellectual potential in kindergarten through grade eight.

This new leadership role will bring together the current Director of Development, Director of Parent Relations and Community Events, the Development Associate, and the Director of Communications to form a dynamic, community-oriented Advancement Department. Last year, Open Window began a $10M capital campaign that has three primary goals: Access, Excellence, and Opportunity Capital. To get this campaign off the ground, the school has leveraged the support of a leading external consulting firm to design and execute early strategy. Open Window has not undertaken a major philanthropic endeavor like this for over a decade. The Director of Institutional Advancement and Strategy will drive this campaign to a successful completion and lay the foundation for future giving. The school remains committed to a strong focus on community and connection and a set of vibrant annual giving events. The school seeks a strong leader who takes initiative, is community minded, has high EQ, and loves school. The Director of Institutional Advancement and Strategy will report to the Head of School and start in the summer of 2023.

12M Recruiting is running the search on behalf of Open Window School. Applications are due February 28. For application instructions and the full job opportunity statement, please visit:

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/OWS

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Applications Accepted Starting: February 1, 2023

Application Deadline: February 28, 2023

Remote Semifinal Round: Week of March 13

On-Site Final Round: Week of March 27

Decision Announced: April 14, 2023

Start Date: Summer 2023

Reports To: Head of School

Salary Range: $140,000 to $175,000

SPECIFIC DUTIES

Departmental Formation and General Leadership

• Oversee the newly created advancement department, which in 2023-2024 will include a Director of Communication, Director of Development, Director of Parent Relations and Community Events, and a Development Associate.
• Provide outstanding mentorship, feedback, support, professional growth, and guidance to the advancement department while roles and responsibilities inevitably shift as the school embarks on a new model of institutional advancement.
• Remain current with advancement trends and cultivate professional standards and development by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining professional networks, and participating in local, regional, and national professional organizations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Major Gift Giving & Capital Campaign Management

• Serve as the director for capital and major gift campaigns, and provide strategic oversight for the annual fund. Provide direction and support to the Head of School and other leaders to ensure the success of all advancement initiatives.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift and leadership prospects, both independently and with the Head of School.
• Work with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, and leadership team to identify needs and opportunities for future major fundraising, and develop multi-year plans to ensure that OWS develops an ongoing culture of philanthropy.

Mission-Aligned, Strategy-Driven, Community-Centered Philanthropy

• Understand and promote the role of fundraising and philanthropy in the long-term sustainability of OWS as a mission-driven 501(c)(3) to the board of trustees, the administrative team, and the parent and guardian community.
• Establish and execute strategies to build outstanding relationships between OWS and its varied constituencies, and develop, coach, and mentor colleagues, key volunteers, and trustees to take an active role in building relationships and fundraising.
• Align advancement and development initiatives to the school’s ongoing goal of improving access to gifted education both within the local community as well as in the broader educational landscape.
• Implement best practices in data recording and management, gift acknowledgment and reporting, donor relations, giving policies and confidentiality of information.
• Elevate the current advancement function to increase long term strategy and efficiencies while growing contributed revenue.

Communications, Marketing, & Branding

• Work in partnership with the Director of Enrollment Management and Outreach to develop an outstanding communication and marketing strategy.
• Ensure that outreach initiatives, publications, social media marketing, and other external-facing messaging are aligned to communication guidelines and brand identity.
• Collaborate with other leadership team members on marketing and communication initiatives to expand and enhance the school’s visibility and reputation as a national leader in gifted education.

OPEN WINDOW IS LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES WHO CAN DEMONSTRATE

Professional Qualifications

• Multiple years of increasing responsibility in fundraising, preferably in an educational setting
• Comprehensive understanding of advancement best practices
• Proven track record of fundraising success, including an ability to cultivate, solicit, and secure major contributions through excellent relationship management skills
• Experience with capital campaign planning, implementation and management
• Experience with digital media campaigns for fundraising, capital campaigns, alternative giving programs, alumni giving programs, and marketing and event management
• Immersion in diversity and inclusion work — both in training and in implementation — and an ability and commitment to aligning principles of DEI to a school’s advancement strategy
• Demonstrated proficiency with fundraising technology
• Demonstrated success in supporting and supervising the work of colleagues to identify and achieve strategic organizational goals and individual employee goals
• Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, which is a minimum requirement, though preferably possession of a graduate degree

Leadership & Personal Qualities

• Organized, systematic approach to running a mission-critical department
• Ability to create, analyze, and leverage performance metrics
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Desire to work collaboratively with other leaders throughout the school community
• Deep appreciation and understanding of Open Window School’s mission and values, and an ability to align the operations of an advancement office to the school’s mission and values
• Extreme discretion, attention to detail and commitment to excellence
• A builder with a creative and strategic mindset willing to solve complex problems
• Proclivity for relationship-building across different constituencies, including alumni, trustees, parents and guardians, staff and faculty, and friends of the school

TO APPLY

For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/OWS

Open Window School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and School needs. Creating an inclusive and professional environment where employees feel comfortable, safe, and free from inappropriate and disrespectful conduct is one of the School’s core values. Open Window School does not discriminate against (in any aspect of employment, including recruiting and hiring, job assignment, compensation, opportunities for advancement, promotion, transfers, evaluation, benefits, training, discipline, and termination), nor does it tolerate harassment by any person, including, co-workers, supervisors, and third parties, on the basis of any legally protected classification or characteristic (“Protected Characteristics”) which includes: race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles), creed, national origin, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, use of a trained guide dog or service animal by person with a disability, and protected genetic information.

Open Window School also prohibits discrimination and harassment based on the perception that an employee falls within one of the categories of Protected Characteristics or based on the employee’s association with a person who falls within, or is perceived to fall within, one of the categories of Protected Characteristics. These prohibitions apply in the workplace, on school trips, during meetings, at school-related social events, and at any other location where a School-sponsored event takes place.