La Scuola International School is a vibrant Pre-K - 8th Grade international community with a focus on inquiry-based learning, creative expression and language immersion. La Scuola is San Francisco’s first IB-PYP, IB-MYP School and the first Reggio - IB Italian Immersion program in the world. 

We believe our community thrives through diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and realities. Only through a persistent drive to listen and learn from one another, create and promote equitable opportunities and to continue to reflect and evolve will we be able to establish systems which will address the needs of the one and the many.

La Scuola’s mission is to inspire brave learners to shape the future. 

La Scuola aims to nurture children’s innate ability to learn by challenging them academically, creatively and innovatively, while immersing them in the Italian language and making them keenly aware of the world around them and their place in it.

Position Overview:  

The school currently seeks a Director of Advancement, effective immediately, to join the school’s senior administration to oversee all advancement initiatives at the school which is in the midst of substantial growth and expansion of facilities. The Director of Advancement (DOA) reports to the Head of School and is a member of the school’s Leadership Team, working closely with the Board of Directors.

The Director of Advancement (DOA), under the direct supervision of the Head of School, is charged with institutional advancement, including planning and managing all fundraising activities, as well as donor and alumni relations and management, external communications, volunteer supervision and supporting all school growth initiatives including new building development and community outreach. 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

The Director of Advancement reports to the Head of School and works with the Board Advancement Committee, the Director of Admissions, key volunteers, and others to identify prospective donors, nurture relationships, and secure contributions to the School.

• Devises and manages a program designed to attract the maximum gift support possible to the institution. This program will include annual fund solicitation, planned giving programs, corporate and foundation proposals, and planning for major capital gifts.
• Develops a complete program of research into and an action plan of solicitation of the school's key prospects. 
• Provides direction and oversight to the Advancement Committee
• Keeps the Head of School, the Board and the Advancement Committee informed on the school’s fund-raising activities/initiatives. 
• Provides detailed reports to the Head of School prior to each Board meeting 
• Creates/manages the Advancement calendar 
• Manages the school’s capital giving programs including Capital Campaign planning and execution and major donor identification, solicitation and stewardship
• Manages alumni program development and implementation
• Manages all other restricted and in-kind giving and acknowledgment
• Oversees processing of all gift income for the purpose of providing receipts and maintaining of giving records of donors to the school. 
• Collaborates with the Director of Finance and Finance Committee on budget development and strategic financial planning
• Manages fund-raising record keeping and timetable while evaluating progress towards goals.
• Maintains the Advancement calendar and schedule cultivation or solicitation meetings for campaign leadership and volunteers.
• Tracks fund-raising expenses while monitoring the Advancement budget.
• Takes minutes during meetings and ensure that agendas and meetings are set, notices are sent, minutes are distributed and assignments are carried out.
• Manages campaign materials and collateral inserts, presentation pieces, donor recognition (thank you cards) and stewardship and prepare reports on progress for various audiences.
• Represents the school and its leadership to the public and at meetings as assigned.
• Manages mailing of fund-raising materials to staff, volunteers, consultants, prospects and donors.
• Creates policies and procedures to guide the activities of the Advancement program 
• Directs/coordinates the school’s major fund-raisers: Annual Fund and Fundraiser LDV Night Gala (working closely with the LDV Committee)
• Directs and coordinates smaller fund-raisers during the schools year and other fund-raising events like Grandparents/Special Friends day, Alumni events etc.
• Participates in public relations, marketing and advertising decisions in collaboration with the admissions team and the marketing committee
• Develops materials for School publications and other communications including brochures and quarterly school magazine which will most effectively communicate with our various constituencies
• Develops a plan to increase alumni and long-term parental support and involvement in the institution
• Demonstrates a willingness to work as part of a team by being service-oriented, flexible, and reliable when helping co-workers accomplish their jobs/tasks at hand.
• Attends required school meetings and special events, and follow school rules and policies.
• Contributes to the overall life and community of the School wherever and whenever appropriate by working with children, families, faculty and the Board of Trustees
• Actively engages with the Italian American Community of the San Francisco Bay Area
• Supports the school and its leadership
• Performs any other duties as assigned by the Head of School. 

Capital Campaign

• Spearhead the school’s first capital campaign, with a preliminary goal of $10 -12 million. These funds, along with debt financing, will go towards the $20 million transformation of the St. Charles facility. The campaign is in its early, quiet phase, with an expected duration of five years.