Essential Responsibilities:

• Uses their enthusiasm and joy for giving to inspire others to support the school.
• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Development program, including Annual Giving and the spring fundraising event as well as ongoing major gift cultivation and stewardship.
• Develops and drafts the Annual Report in partnership with the business office, enrollment, Advancement Associate, and Head of School.
• Develops relationships with the whole school community; students, parents, grandparents and alumni, and fully participates in the life of the school.
• In collaboration with stakeholders, and the Head of School, identifies strategic development priorities and benchmarks to ensure that a culture of philanthropy continues to grow at Meridian including the ongoing cultivation and solicitation of major donors. 
• Plans and executes strategic school events, in conjunction with various stakeholders, such as the Asst. Head of School, the Family Association, and the Advancement Associate that promote and cultivate community relationships and engagement, including occasional evening and weekend events, and including but not limited to Grandparents and Special Friends Day, milestone ceremonies such as graduation, and the Spring Picnic.
• Manages fundraising database in partnership with the Advancement Associate; analyzes data and produces clear, concise, and timely reports for the Advancement Committee and Head of School.
• Supports Advancement Associate in sending and scheduling communications; manages communication calendar with a keen eye for community engagement.
• Coaches and guides the Advancement Associate on the execution of events, expectations for task completion, and recruiting volunteers.
• Coaches and guides the Advancement Associate on the execution of school-wide communications.
• Establishes and cultivates community relations by maintaining a positive and open dialogue with all of the school’s constituencies, including acting as a liaison between the Family Association and the leadership team.
• Co-Facilitates the Advancement Committee with the Director of Enrollment Management and attends board meetings as needed.
• Participates on the Committee on Trustees with the Head of School as needed.
• Engages in cultural competency work and supports the school's equity and inclusion values and policies, including antibias and antiracist practices.
• Attends leadership and committee meetings and engages in brainstorming and decision-making on an administrative level.
• Engages in professional development; demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning by enhancing their skills and embracing innovative technologies and creative thinking.
• Is familiar with and complying with all policies and regulations in the school’s documents.
• Takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, faculty, staff, equipment, materials, and facilities. 
• Actively participates in the full life of the school.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experiences:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university required; Master’s Degree preferred  
•  3 or more years of development and fundraising experience    
•  3-5 years of management experience preferred     
•  Independent school experience preferred
• A proven track record of developing and implementing strategies to grow the organization's donor base, increase contributions, and communicate the organization's case for support
• Experience as a contributing member of a collaborative, dynamic, and open-spaced office
• Experience supporting institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion practices 

Required Knowledge Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated success with annual fundraising, including capital campaigns, strategic planning, communication, and major gifts cultivation
• Experience planning and executing events from conception to completion
• Experience working with donor database software, NXT, Blackbaud, Raiser’s Edge, and Excel 
• Experience planning and executing communications for an organization
• An ability to work collaboratively with a small administrative team
• An interest in mastering the given job and then building innovative systems to promote a culture of philanthropy at Meridian
• An appreciation for working with children, families, and alumni 
• Keen attention to detail and prompt communications based on requests by Head of School and/or Board Chair
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding problem-solving and improvisation skills
• Enthusiasm, flexibility, maturity, and a sense of humor
• Ability to keep information in the strictest of confidence
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity
• Ability to meet goals independently with the support of the Head of School and Advancement Associate
• Ability to engage and communicate with students, faculty, parents, the board, and administration and the ability to communicate clearly and professionally in person
• Flexibility, maturity, and a sense of humor
• Ability to keep information in the strictest of confidence
• Proficient at working in a Microsoft Windows 10 environment, using Office (version 2013 or higher); ability to master common automated systems for record-keeping and confidently learn new technology; expertise with donor database, ideally Raiser’s Edge
• Ability to sit and keyboard up to 8 hours per day
• Ability to talk on the phone
• Ability to lift up to 20 pounds
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed
• Ability to travel locally

If this sounds like you, please click on Apply for Job, complete our online employment application, and upload your resume and a cover letter indicating why you are interested in the position and in The Meridian School.

Don't meet every single requirement? At Meridian we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. If you are excited about this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. All individuals who are offered a position will be required to provide a valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination prior to starting employment. Exemptions for documented medical conditions or seriously held religious beliefs may be requested.

Position open until filled. No phone calls or drop-ins please.

The Meridian School is an equal opportunity employer. This means we do not discriminate in employment decisions or policies in violation of law on the basis of any legally protected status, including race, color, national origin, citizenship status, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age (over 40), marital status, physical or mental disability, use of a trained service animal, gender identity, sexual orientation, political ideology, HIV status, and veteran status. Our policy of non-discrimination applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, reduction in force, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws that prohibit discrimination in employment. This policy applies to admissions and administration of all of its programs, as well as to all areas of employment.

Visit our website at www.meridianschool.edu.