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Vice President of Advancement
NYFA
New York, NY, United States
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Description
Position: Vice President of Advancement
Location: New York, New York
Type: Full-Time
WHO WE ARE
We are Partnership Schools.
We believe that great schools are guided by faith and values, grounded in rigorous content, supported by quality professional development, and animated by a clear vision. As a network of six urban Catholic schools in Harlem and the South Bronx, we are led by talented and dedicated teachers and school leaders, and supported by a central team of education, finance, and operational leaders.
Granted operational management in 2013 of six long-standing Pre-K to 8th grade schools in the South Bronx and Harlem, we are committed to providing students in historically underserved neighborhoods with the academic preparation, faith, values, and skills they need to excel in school and in life.
The historic success of urban Catholic schools stems not only from a rigorous tradition of academic excellence, but also from an emphasis on developing self-worth, moral character, a love of learning, and a sense of civic responsibility—all part of our long-standing commitment to educating the whole child. Partnership Schools is unique in knitting this tradition together with lessons from high-achieving public, charter, and independent schools, in the service of our students. Today, as a School Management Organization (SMO), the Partnership is intensifying its efforts to break the cycle of poverty and close the achievement gap across our network schools.
Partnership Schools is also recognized as a leader in the burgeoning Catholic school renaissance—a nationwide effort to strengthen and rebuild urban Catholic schools as models of academic rigor and transformational change for the communities, students, and families they serve.
OUR VALUES
Our shared core values of Integrity, Humility, Hard Work, and Service are alive in our schools and guide all that we do.
Integrity
“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching.”—C.S. Lewis
At Partnership Schools, we seek to give all students a clear understanding of the moral principles and virtues on which the Catholic faith and tradition is built. From that framework, we are committed to building a community where all individuals act with honesty, forthrightness, and respect.
Humility
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”—C.S. Lewis
Developing humility in our students means understanding and appreciating the unique gifts and potential of every member of the community, and working together to ensure that everyone works hard to achieve his/her highest potential. That requires hard work, selflessness, and an appreciation for what we can learn from everyone around us. It also implies judging ourselves not in comparison with others, but in light of our capabilities. And it requires us to focus on developing our gifts not for our own personal gain, but to serve others.
Hard work
“Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.”—St. Francis of Assisi
Hard work, persistence, and determination are essential to learning and success. At Partnership Schools, we expect all students, teachers, and leaders to work hard; to give 100 percent 100 percent of the time.
Service
“Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love.”—Mother Teresa
At Partnership Schools, we aim to develop “young men and women for others.” We are committed to serving others, both within the four walls of the school and beyond. To that end, teachers emphasize cultivating individual student gifts, broadening students’ understanding of the community and the world, and using our gifts in service of the community in which we live and work.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Partnership Schools is accepting applications for the role of Vice President for Advancement. The ideal candidate will be an experienced non-profit development leader who shares an unwavering commitment to preserving the legacy of urban Catholic education in America. The VP’s role in that effort will be focused on ensuring that the Partnership raises the necessary funding it needs to drive our trailblazing work managing six network schools serving over 2,000 preK-8th grade students in the south Bronx and Harlem. To achieve these results, the VP of Advancement will both support the Executive Director’s fundraising activities and be a key fundraiser themselves, responsible for all fundraising and development activities including expanding and diversifying the Partnership’s funder base as it moves from raising $8.5MM to over $12MM annually in the next four years.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the VP will develop and implement a strategic development plan and lead the Partnership Schools’ Advancement team, building an effective and efficient fundraising department. This includes hiring the team, creating the fundraising campaigns, and developing the systems and processes to track all gifts, activities, tasks, and events. In addition, the VP will work closely with the board of trustees and support board members in their fundraising role. Successful candidates will be outstanding writers, great people and project managers, and will have a track record of success in fundraising, written and oral communications, and improving existing development systems. The successful candidate will help forge new relationships to build the Partnership's visibility, impact, and financial resources.
In our fifth year, and with an excellent track record of raising over $45 Million in gifts and pledges since our launch, Partnership Schools is now at an inflection point. We are moving from the “scrappy start-up” phase to a more stable and sustainable organization. As fundraising needs will be increasing over the next six years, the Partnership seeks a leader who can systematically and effectively strengthen our overall fundraising capacity and build the team, relationships, systems, and expectations necessary to sustain growth and drive excellence into the future.
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of development experience, preferably in the education sector. He/she should also be familiar with CRM nonprofit software, donor databases, and other fundraising technology.
Specific responsibilities include:
Strategy Development & Execution
•Develops (along with the ED and Director of Stewardship) a long-term development strategy for Partnership Schools
•Translates high-level donor strategy into detailed annual implementation plan (including activities, priorities and milestones) to ensure fundraising goals are met
•Establishes systems, processes, and tools to effectively carry-out development activities
Research & Communications
•Prepares prospect research and develops a targeted list of donors – including individuals and foundations. Maintains a donor database in Salesforce
•Identifies and prioritizes grants to pursue to maximize impact for the Partnership’s students and builds them into the annual implementation plan
•Writes proposals (coordinating with the academic team as needed to source and develop grant content and language), prepares all application materials, and ensures timely submission
•Prepares and conducts donor meetings and presentations and preps the internal team
•Monitors progress toward grant requirements / outcomes (coordinating with internal teams as needed to ensure accuracy and accountability); authors reports on progress
•Owns and oversees the production and development of all development related collateral including donor pitch books and materials, annual reports, presentations, and other publications
Donor Cultivation & Relationship Management
•Develops effective strategies to cultivate, manage, and maintain donor and supporter relationships, including the board of trustees
•Carries-out donor cultivation activities, including planning / coordination of events and meetings as needed, to convert prospective funders into committed funders to meet annual fundraising targets
•Develops and manages a system for regular donor communications
•Represents Partnership Schools and its mission externally
WHAT YOU’LL BRING
•Minimum 5 years’ experience in non-profit development, including fundraising with an annual budget of at least $8 Million, donor management, and grant management with a proven track record of converting donor prospects into commitments (previous experience in the education sector preferred)
•Deep respect for and commitment to preserving and building upon the legacy of urban Catholic education
•Commitment to the Partnership’s mission to help historically underserved students receive an excellent education and break the cycle of poverty
•Bachelor’s degree from a competitive college or university required, Master’s preferred
•Knowledge of and experience supporting donor tracking software
Competencies and skills:
•Commitment - You are passionate about the boundless potential of our students and working to provide high quality education options for all; your decisions are consistently made through the lens of what is best for students
•Service orientation - You are committed to providing high levels of service to various internal and external stakeholders
•Drive and commitment to realizing results - You anticipate and work to overcome challenges, persevere, and meet goals
•Creativity - You have experience solving complicated and multi-faceted problems and generating a variety of innovative, effective solutions
•Cultivating relationships and partnerships - You are an active listener who is able to discern the priorities of potential donors and cultivate those relationships resulting in long term funding and support for Partnership Schools
•Excellent communication skills - You can translate complex content to key decision-makers and stakeholders, adapting framing and messaging based upon the audience
•Comfortable setting your own path - You thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, able to strategically prioritize time and competing initiatives, focusing on those that will have the greatest impact on students
•Constant learner - You crave feedback and identify what you need to excel, striving to constantly improve upon the status quo
•Strong project management - You can balance the big picture with the necessary attention to detail while maintaining a high bar for quality and high level of productivity
•Excellent management skills - You have a record of effectively empowering and managing staff to achieve ambitious goals
WHAT WE OFFER
Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Partnership Schools offers a benefits package and is an equal opportunity employer organization that values diversity.
APPLY
To apply, please navigate to the work for us tab on the partnershipnyc.org site. The “apply for this position” button is located at the end of each job description. Please be sure to upload your resume and cover letter. When submitting your cover letter, please include answers to the following prompts:
• Explain your interest in Partnership Schools.
• At Partnership Schools, we have four core values we look to instill within all of our school communities – Integrity, Humility, Hard Work, and Service. Choose one of these values and discuss its importance to you.
Please note: any applicants who do not address these two questions in their cover letter will not be considered.