The Pennington School is an independent coeducational school for students in grades 6 through 12, in both day and boarding programs. The curriculum is college preparatory, with an emphasis on individual excellence, fostering the development of the whole student through academics, athletics, community service, and the creative and performing arts. Pennington is dedicated to providing our students with a global perspective, an emphasis on character, an appreciation for diversity and inclusion of all types.
Reporting to the Assistant Headmaster for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, the Director of Donor Engagement leads the communications efforts of the Office of Advancement and is the primary person responsible for content development of Office of Advancement communication pieces. The Director of Donor Engagement crafts compelling appeals, alumni-focused communications, proposals, and in-depth profiles about Pennington to help strengthen relationships throughout the community as well as strengthen the culture of philanthropy at the School.
ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
With the Assistant Headmaster for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, create a communications strategy that considers the needs of different constituencies (alumni according to graduating year, donors, parents, prospective donors and parents, volunteers, etc.)
Serve as the primary liaison between the School’s Office of Communications and Marketing and the Office of Advancement to implement and coordinate consistency of messages, branding, and design
Provide expertise and tactical support for alumni and parent relations and donor recognition communications to help engage volunteers, alumni, parents, and prospective donors
Collaborate with the Director of the Pennington Fund and the Director of Major Gifts to develop compelling materials, including Pennington Fund appeals and thank yous, planned giving appeals, and giving proposals
Provide content for the School’s bi-annual magazine by identifying story opportunities that support the School’s core values and fundraising priorities
Collaborate with the Office of Communications and Marketing on the School’s Annual Report on Giving: write editorial, create visuals, and collect photography; gather lists of donors from relevant sources (Pennington Fund, Parents for Pennington, planned giving, scholarships, and Gifts in Kind)
Participate in ongoing department-wide efforts such as Homecoming Weekend, Alumni Weekend, regional receptions, and other special events as needed
Create and manage a system of prospect identification for grant requests to foundations
Serve as project leader for developing proposals to foundations in support of School fundraising objectives, providing materials required for each grant submission
Submit and track progress on foundation proposals
Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
Other duties as needed
ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in communications, English, journalism or a related field is required with 5+ years of professional experience, preferably in education;
Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills; ability to write for both general and targeted audiences; understanding of how to inspire alumni, donors, and parents through compelling storytelling;
Command of the English language including composition and grammar; a strong understanding of both the Associated Press and University of Chicago styles;
Exceptional interpersonal communications skills (interviewing, speaking, listening, and understanding);
Demonstrable skills in project management, including execution within deadlines and budget;
Fluency with office software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint;
Proven ability to work effectively with a variety of individuals, both internal (senior leadership, faculty, and students) and external (freelancers, designers, photographers, and printers)
About The Pennington School
The Pennington School is an independent, coeducational day-boarding school with 525 students in grades 6–12, and a faculty and staff of approximately 150. The Pennington School is committed to developing individual excellence in all of its students.
The School’s 54-acre campus is ideally situated near Princeton, NJ, just 40 miles from Philadelphia, PA and 60 miles from New York City.
