Director of Leadership Giving

The Director of Leadership Giving is a relationship builder, strategist, and storyteller for the energetic, fast-paced Advancement Team at Head-Royce School. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this position serves as the primary project manager for major gifts to Head-Royce, cultivating thoughtful relationships with leadership donors, connecting their philanthropic interests with opportunities to meaningfully impact our mission, and centering gratitude in all our work.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategies and cultivate relationships that lead to the solicitation and closing of major gifts to support annual, capital, endowment, and planned giving programs.
• Manage a dynamic portfolio of 100-125 donors and prospects.
• Create and maintain organized meeting briefs, research notes, written proposals, contact reports, and stewardship communications. 
• Support the Director of Advancement and Head of School with their portfolios, cultivation strategies, and stewardship.
• Work closely with the Manager of Data Analysis and the Development Associate on development operations, pledge management and collection, prospect research, campaign coordination, and stewardship activities.
• Collaborate with the Director of Annual Giving to create a seamless donor journey.
• Develop and maintain detailed tracking and reporting of metrics to ensure progress toward number of contacts, dollar, and donor goals.
• Identify and prioritize prospective donors, assigning top prospects to staff portfolios, and maintaining list of prospects for future cultivation.
• Assist in marketing and implementing planned gift opportunities and other timely major/deferred gifts.
• Contribute to school communications, including the writing, editing, and producing of content for HRS magazine, the school and campaign websites, and social media pages.
• Collaborate with the Director of Advancement on campaign fundraising including campaign planning, marketing, solicitation, board and volunteer relations, recognition events, and stewardship.
• Some travel for donor meetings and alumni events, as well as evening and weekend work required.
• Undertake other duties and special projects as assigned.

Skills and Qualifications

• Demonstrated success with a minimum of 5+ years in major gift fundraising, with a preference for those with capital campaign experience, especially in independent schools.
• Advanced computer skills and knowledge of Raiser's Edge or relevant fundraising software.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with trustees, parents, members of the professional community (i.e., faculty, administrators, and staff), and volunteers.
• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in fundraising.
• High Emotional Intelligence and demonstrated ability to make donors feel valued because you’re sensitive to their needs.

Other Requirements

• Commitment to the highest ethical fundraising standards.
• High degree of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality.
• High level of attention to detail.
• Strong analytical abilities.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to creatively solve problems.
• Team player who believes that working hard and having fun go hand-in-hand.
• Unrelenting desire to learn and improve your practice.
• Strong skills in a Mac environment and with Google-based applications, including Gmail, Google Drive, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to provide proof of Covid Vaccination (including booster if applicable), Livescan, and TB clearance.

Deadline to apply: February 28, 2024
Applications received by February 15 will receive priority review.
Located on a 22-acre campus in Oakland, California, Head-Royce is a pre-eminent, co-educational, independent, K-12 day school with a 135-year history. Our mission is to inspire in our students a lifelong love of learning and pursuit of academic excellence, to promote understanding of and respect for diversity that makes our society strong and to encourage active and responsible global citizenship.
Head-Royce enrolls 900 students in the three separate divisions — Lower, Middle and Upper Schools — and provides a dynamic, whole-child education to every student. With our Strategic Plan, the school’s current initiatives include advancing an innovative, student-centered program, promoting an inclusive community, driving deeper civic engagement, sustaining a culture of balance and well-being and carefully stewarding our resources. 
Please note - the School does not provide for immigration sponsorships such as H1B Visas.
HRS is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions including but not limite