The Role: 

The Miquon School is seeking an 80% time (12 month) Director of Development starting in August 2023. The salary will be commensurate with experience. Miquon offers a benefits package that includes health, dental, and life insurance, retirement plan, tuition remission, and vacation. This position reports to the Principal. 

The director of development is responsible for growing Miquon’s culture of philanthropy and is a key member of the school’s senior leadership team. Experience working in an institutional fundraising setting and/or a background working in independent schools is preferred. Miquon seeks candidates who are excited about showcasing the school’s work in Progressive education to prospective donors and who can connect with a diverse community of constituents, including current families, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and friends of the school. The ideal candidate will enjoy being around and connecting with young children, will have strong executive functioning skills, will be flexible and ready to respond to changing needs and situations, and will enjoy working in a wooded nature setting. 

Miquon is currently completing a capital campaign, and during the 23-24 academic year the director of development will be supported by the part-time campaign director. 

Responsibilities Include: 

• Supporting the head of school in all philanthropic endeavors 
• Creating and implementing an annual giving plan with strategies for different constituencies 
• Managing the development database, currently DonorPerfect 
• Stewarding donors; drafting and sending timely gift acknowledgments
• Managing special gifts (stocks, memorials, class gifts etc.) 
• Cultivating major gift prospects 
• Managing the EITC/OSTC giving program and recruiting new donors 
• Assisting with the management of Miquon’s 19-person Board of Directors and attending board meetings; serving on board committees as necessary 
• Reporting to the Board several times a year on fundraising progress and priorities 
• Partnering strategically with colleagues, including the directors of communications and admissions, to advance the school’s mission and priorities; and the Business Office regarding reconciliation of contribution records per DonorPerfect and receipt and booking of funds 

• Staying current with best practices in independent school advancement 
• Plan and oversee all special events on campus including invitations, mailings, volunteer organization, logistics, food, and transportation among others. Annual events include: 
• Grandparents’ Day 
• Family Work Parties 
• Spring Fair (a parent-run fundraiser) 
• Pancake Breakfast 
• Graduation 
• Retirement events as necessary 
• Facility rentals 

Qualifications and Skills 

• Five to seven years experience in development in a nonprofit organization; school experience preferable but not essential 
• Grounding in all aspects of development work, from annual giving to major gifts, prospect research, stewardship, constituent events, and record/data management 
• Capacity to manage a diverse group of parent and alumni volunteers 
• Experience working independently and excellent organizational skills
• Experience in DEIB tenets 
• Superior communication skills, both written and verbal; experience with and some comfort in public speaking 
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and an excellent sense of humor 

About Miquon 

Founded in 1932 in a tradition of Progressive education that is strongly upheld today, Miquon is an independent, coeducational school for children ages 3 through 12. We enroll approximately 150 students in eight mixed-age groups, typically 18-22 children in size. Each classroom has co-teachers who are dedicated to preserving childhood, using innovative student-centered teaching practices, and developing children's knowledge of and appreciation for the environment. Time spent outside on our 10-acre campus including woods, fields, and creek is an integral part of every child’s Miquon experience. We value independent thinking, varied individual and collaborative approaches to learning, authentic assessment methods, and creative, child-focused approaches to curriculum development. 

Miquon is a community that values racial, ethnic, economic, religious, gender, and social diversity and we seek applicants who represent and broaden that diversity. The Miquon School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation in the employment of staff, admission of students, granting of financial aid, or the administration of school policies. 

Application Procedure 

Please send your statement of interest and resume addressing your skills and experience in the areas listed above to resumes@miquon.org

About The Miquon School

The Miquon School is a community that is diverse along ethnic, economic, and religious lines and is actively seeking staff members who represent and broaden that diversity. We are a small progressive elementary school, Nursery - 6th Grade, located on 10 wooded acres in a valley just outside of Philadelphia. Founded in 1932, we remain dedicated to preserving childhood, using innovative student-centered teaching practices, and developing children's knowledge of and appreciation for the environment. The Miquon School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation in the employment of staff, admission of students, granting of financial aid, or the administration of school policies.

Connections working at The Miquon School