Details
Posted: 07-Aug-23
Location: OJAI, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $90,000-$115,000
Categories:
Alumni Relations
Salary Details:
Final salary will depend on several factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies, experience, and internal equity and may fall outside of the range shown. Thacher offers a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 403(b) match, healthcare coverage, and a broad range of other benefits. This position does not include on-campus housing.
Preferred Education:
Some College
The Thacher School is one of the most selective and highly regarded boarding schools in the nation. Founded in 1889 by Sherman Day Thacher, the School serves academically talented students from over 20 states and close to 10 countries in a rigorous college preparatory experience. More than 54% of students identify as people of color. The faculty and students live and work closely together on a 427-acre campus nestled in the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest in Ojai, California (85 miles north of Los Angeles). Honor, fairness, kindness, and truth are the cornerstones of School life. Together, the School community commits to the belief that demands in the academic classroom, when combined with those of mountains and horses, of sports and the arts, produce independent minds, strong bodies, and powerful character. The School enrolls 250 students, has an operating budget of $25 million, and an endowment of $180 million.
The Thacher School is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran’s status, or any other factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law.
Thacher’s track record of fundraising is exceedingly impressive. In 2021, the School completed an $195 million campaign: adding a new dining hall, academic STEM center and increasing the endowment. The annual giving and events programs are very strong—in recent years, 56% percent of alumni and 95% of parents supported the school. Thacher is among the most supported schools in the nation, raising $5 million in the annual fund the 2021-2022 school year. Thacher alumni are dedicated, engaged, and involved. In recent years, the School has concluded an investigation into historic sexual misconduct in an effort to learn from the past to live up to the values of honor, fairness, kindness, and truth. The alumni office will lead an effort to work with alumni from historically marginalized communities to continue to learn and grow as a community.
Director of Alumni and Community Engagement:
The Director of Alumni and Community Engagement works closely with the Alumni and Development team to create and implement alumni engagement activity at Thacher. They are responsible for developing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive alumni engagement strategy to strengthen relationships between Thacher and more than 3,800 alumni. Appropriate cultivation of alumni/ae will be of great importance with a special emphasis placed on the support of our Alumni Council, alumni affinity groups, reunion programming, local and regional alumni gatherings, electronic and print communication, and select advancement related events. This position also works closely with the Director of Stewardship and Donor Relations.
Major Functions and Responsibilities:
- Communications
- Implement regular communication with Thacher alumni that includes direct contact, e-mails, alumni web pages, and social media
- Gather cross-organizational input to design and deliver a marketing strategy to alumni, including email and digital campaigns
- Partnering with Development
- Collaborate closely with others on the development management team to identify alumni major donor prospects
- Assist with implementation of Thacher’s Reunion Giving and Class Rep programs
- Work closely with the Director of Alumni Giving on engagement strategies for alumni
- Cultivate philanthropic culture among all alumni
- Events
- Manage reunion planning together with staff
- Develops strategy for and attends alumni regional gatherings
- Manages Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Events
- Engagement and Volunteer Management
- Develop and maintain networking and gathering program for Alumni
- Develop mentoring program for senior classes and interested alumni
- Oversee strategic planning and annual goals with the Alumni Council
- Build relationships with and manage Class Rep volunteers
- Work closely with the Director of Stewardship on relationship building including carrying a stewardship portfolio
- Be in regular contact with alumni both reactively and proactively
- Support programming for diversity, equity, and inclusion work as it pertains to alumni and constituent relationships including overseeing and supporting the creation of affinity groups
- Work with DEI office to develop programming for alumni who identify as people of color and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community
Professional Qualities of Thacher Faculty & Staff
- Contributes to the delivery of the mission, vision, and values of the school community
- Builds, fosters and participates in an inclusive school community
- Models lifelong learning, flexibility and a growth mindset
- Maintains a commitment to professional development
- Maintains high standards of professionalism with students and colleagues
- Manages time effectively and meets deadlines and commitments
- Values collaboration with colleagues and participating actively in a community of students and adults
- Embraces signature Thacher programs including our backcountry program
- Exhibits flexibility and adaptability to change as needed
Experience and Skills:
- Alignment with and ability to articulate the mission and values of the Thacher School
- 5+ years’ experience with advancement or Alumni Relations programs in higher ed or independent schools
- Experience communicating with constituents across demographics
- Experience with Blackbaud‘s Netcommunity and/or Raiser’s Edge or an equivalent CRM, experience with Mac products preferred
- Experience managing others preferred
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Demonstrated experience leveraging information to make sound, data-driven decisions
- Alignment with School’s focus on DEI work
- Project management skills, including planning, budgeting, and the ability to balance multiple tasks and projects while delivering quality work on schedule
- Trust, accountability, discretion, honesty, and teamwork
Other Requirements: A criminal background check must be successfully completed before employment can begin.
Physical Requirements: The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. As prescribed by law, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
About The Thacher School
The Thacher School is one of the most selective and highly regarded boarding schools in the nation. Founded in 1889 by Sherman Day Thacher, the School serves academically talented students from over 20 states and close to 10 countries in a rigorous college preparatory experience. More than 54% of students identify as people of color. The faculty and students live and work closely together on a 427-acre campus nestled in the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest in Ojai, California (85 miles north of Los Angeles). Honor, fairness, kindness, and truth are the cornerstones of School life. Together, the School community commits to the belief that demands in the academic classroom, when combined with those of mountains and horses, of sports and the arts, produce independent minds, strong bodies, and powerful character. The School enrolls 250 students, has an operating budget of $25 million, and an endowment of $180 million.
The Thacher School is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran’s status, or any other factor that is a prohibited consideration under applicable law.
Connections working at The Thacher School