Director of Advancement

A unique opportunity: Step into our world of an exceptional middle school for girls. Join us by leading and inspiring our fundraising efforts. We are seeking a Director of Advancement who is a strategic thinker, seasoned fundraiser, inspiring leader, and community builder. The Director reports to the Head of School and is assisted by a committed team of staff and volunteers.Our mission, as an independent, tuition-free, non-sectarian middle school, is to educate and inspire economically disadvantaged girls from the New Bedford area.

Our Sisters School empowers students to step into the future with valuable life skills and a mindset of achievement and excellence by providing a safe, supportive, and academically challenging environment.Since our founding in 2008, we have built a community invested in providing every student with the opportunities to succeed and thrive as citizens of the world. We are guided by our core values of excellence, community, civic engagement, and leadership.Responsibilities: Manage and oversee all fundraising activities including major gift giving, annual appeal, grants, special events, corporate partnerships, and other giving programs. Build on existing relationships, initiate new relationships, and improve donor engagement and retention through meaningful cultivation and stewardship. Design and implement a strategic multi-year advancement plan to increase support from individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations through focused annual goals and activities.

Cultivate and maintain relationships with individual donors, corporations, foundations, alumni, parents, community organizations and other stakeholders, fostering a culture of giving and appreciation. Lead and actively participate in prospective and major donor meetings. Act as a spokesperson for OSS at external meetings, receptions, and other events to engage current and prospective donors and spread good news about the impact of an OSS education. Partner and strategize with the Advancement Committee chair and the Board of Trustees to maximize board engagement and fund raising for the annual appeal, planned giving, and other programs.

Create board reports and materials illustrating development plans, forecasts, and progress. Attend Governance Committee meetings. Work with the committee to develop and implement a Board engagement plan to harness their ideas, talents, and further connection with donors and community members. Implement a comprehensive advancement communications strategy aligned with overall school messaging and fundraising goals.

Lead the conceptualization and creation of a suite of compelling communications, marketing materials, messaging tools, and content to inform and engage our community about OSS mission, programs, successes, and impact. Design metrics to measure advancement results which will enable OSS to make strategic decisions and enhancements in its advancement goals and activities. Work with input from the Head of School and Grants Committee, oversee grant opportunities research, preparation, submission, and reporting to ensure appropriate follow-up with grant-making organizations. Ensure compliance with funder regulations and specific terms and conditions of grant awards.Leadership and Management: Manage, coach, and retain an advancement team by fostering a culture of collaboration, skill-building, and knowledge sharing.

Recruit, train, and oversee volunteers in ways that maximize their involvement and interest in advancement efforts. Partner with the Advancement Committee chair. Work closely with and support the Grants Committee and Storytelling Committee chairs. Forecast and manage the development budget and resources effectively.

Actively manage and maintain a comprehensive database system, tracking gifts, donor and grant activity in collaboration with the Finance office. Oversee the care and maintenance of archives. Other duties as assigned.