Career Center

North Shore Country Day School, a progressive, academically rigorous, co-ed, JK-12 independent school in suburban Chicago, seeks candidates for Development Associate – Major Gifts & Alumni Relations for the 2022/23 academic year beginning July 1, 2022. 

We seek candidates with a Bachelor’s Degree, who hold a strong belief in and dedication to the power of education, and are loyal and driven to advance the School’s goals and the work we seek to accomplish, connecting mission to philanthropy through community engagement. North Shore is eager to consider applications from groups traditionally underrepresented in independent school communities.

In this role, candidates will engage with the entire school and be an essential member of the Development department, partnering to implement strategic development initiatives through constituent engagement, relationship building and fundraising. Specific areas of focus include:
 
Major Gifts:
Partner with Development Director and colleagues on strategic fundraising and relationship engagement with constituents, especially alumni and parents of alumni, as donors, prospective donors and volunteers; collaborate on individual cultivation, solicitation and stewardship efforts toward our collective Major Gift goals in Annual Giving, the Benefit, Campaign and Planned Giving.

Alumni Relations:
Provide oversight and direction for alumni and parents of alumni events, manage Alumni Board; recruit and manage reunion committees; connect alumni with students, teachers and fellow alumni; immerse in school and alumni events, in order to communicate to constituents and donors, particularly alumni and parents of alumni.
 
Attributes:
Ideal candidates will have strong written and oral communication, interpersonal and organizational skills; bring a collaborative mindset while working as a self-starter, valuing partnership with colleagues; exhibit an enthusiasm to be a life-long learner committed to ongoing professional development and growth; have a proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and being responsive to spontaneous constituent needs; comfort with technological systems, particularly Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge database, Microsoft Word and Google Docs, with a willingness to learn other programs as needed; carry an innate desire to thrive as a team member in a department that is integral to the School’s success and deeply enjoy exceeding others’ expectations while supporting common goals, which may (occasionally) require working beyond set office hours to keep specific, time-sensitive projects on track, and to staff events as needed; develop and maintain relationships across all levels of the School and demonstrate respect for all in our community; use utmost discretion in holding confidential information; bring a sense of humor and ability to calibrate as appropriate with intuition and respect for constituents. 

We seek candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion, have invested in growing their intercultural competencies, and whose work-life practice – inside and outside the work environment – reflect those competencies. We are looking for enthusiastic and approachable candidates who will bring initiative and creativity to the Development department.
 
North Shore offers competitive salaries that are commensurate with experience.  Additionally, North Shore provides an excellent employee benefits program, including health and retirement benefits. We are fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty, staff and student body.

North Shore Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications and abilities. North Shore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.