Career Center

About The Spring Hill School: 

The Spring Hill School is an independent school founded in 1975 and serves students ages toddler through 8th grade. We believe in developing the whole child by providing strong academics and social-emotional learning to foster a lifelong love of learning. Our guiding values are: The Unique Potential of Each Child, Academic Excellence, Inquiry-Based Learning, Community & Diversity, Sustainability, and Global Engagement. Please visit our website to learn more: www.thespringhillschool.org 

Faculty and staff at The Spring Hill School are passionate, innovative, and dedicated members of the school community who work together to offer an engaging curriculum that promotes critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. Our approach is centered on the learner. We support our students to develop meaningful relationships with peers and faculty based on honesty, respect, and responsibility. The Director of Development joins a team of committed professionals who work closely to create cross-curricular learning for all grade levels, build a strong and engaged community, and maintain a positive work environment for all.

The Position:

As a member of the senior leadership administration team, the Director of Development reports to the HOS and works collaboratively to develop and implement a comprehensive development strategy that delivers results. This public-facing role will help shape the vision and direction of our program to support our short and long-term financial goals. Therefore, enthusiasm, flexibility, and creativity are essential traits. 

The Director of Development will work closely with our Head of School, senior leadership team, the Board of Trustees, and the parent community to create, implement, and manage fundraising strategies, including our annual fund, gala, and future capital campaign. Demonstrated results in engagement and fundraising goals will be assessed using key metrics. 

Job Responsibilities:

Spring Hill’s new Director of Development will center their work on developing, implementing, and engaging the school community to build a vibrant culture of participation and philanthropy, as well as designing an overarching fundraising program. This will include (but will not be limited to): community relations ((parents, grandparents/special friends, alumni, parents of alumni, and friends), annual giving, annual gala, the 50th anniversary celebration, major gifts and planned giving programs, grant applications, and future capital and/or endowment campaigns. The Director will also be responsible for drafting communications aligned with the school’s key messages related to the aforementioned fundraising efforts and will be the key organizer and planner for fundraising-related events.

Specific Areas of Responsibilities:

• Manage all  Spring Hill’s development efforts and programs. These include: The Spring Hill Fund (annual giving), Spring Hill Gala (in collaboration with the Gala Committee), the 50th anniversary celebration, major gifts, alumni relations, stewardship, events, capital, endowment, and planned giving goals.
• Engage personally with our current donors and create meaningful connections with prospective donors.
• Update, manage, and maintain donor files and databases, gift accounting and acknowledgments, pledge collection, and alumni databases.
• Maintain contact with and develop proposals for prospective grant/sponsorship foundations and corporations.
• Work closely with the Director of Communications and School Life to build a calendar of events and volunteer opportunities and organize and engage volunteers as needed.
• Be present at all school events (including and not limited to admissions, engagement, and classroom events).
• Interview families who donate to capture their reasons to build a compelling case for support.
• Connect with grandparents and alumni and develop a planned giving program through a Legacy Society group.
• Coordinate and manage parent-based fundraising activities.
• Engage with Spring Hill’s Classroom Representative Organization to cultivate relationships and manage volunteer opportunities.
• Work closely with the Gala committee to plan and execute The Spring Hill School Annual Dream Big Gala. This includes planning the event, organizing volunteers, securing donations, and all relevant activities and tasks.

The ideal candidate will have:

• A commitment to and skills in building authentic relationships with parents, staff, and colleagues that result in a vibrant culture of engagement, volunteerism, and philanthropy. This includes the ability to:
• Discern and articulate the positive impact the school has had on our students and their families
• Discover what, in general, motivates each constituent group’s philanthropy and communicate that information through compelling and effective giving campaigns with measurable results. 
• A willingness to be a positive presence on campus. 
• Technical savvy, including a high degree of familiarity with Google Suite and Blackbaud Education Management CRM or another donor database 
• An appreciation for and alignment with Spring Hill’s culture, values, and mission.
• Ability to communicate clear expectations and goals to all constituencies, including families and trustees. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including active listening, public speaking, proofreading, and editing.
• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills and the ability to elicit input from others and exercise appropriate independent judgment. 
• Familiarity with the educational landscape in the North Bay Area is a plus. 
• Ability to effectively balance multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Solid understanding of advancement best practices, preferably in an independent school, accompanied by the ability to successfully communicate these best practices with the leadership team, guiding and supporting us as we work to institute the best practices in this area at our school.
• Growth mindset and sense of humor

Background Check: All employees are required to go through a background screening prior to employment upon hire. Additionally, if you are based in the U.S., we are required to complete an I-9 to confirm and show that you are authorized to work in the United States. 

Equal Opportunity Statement: The Spring Hill School is an EOE and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, place of national origin, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, physical disability, or any other category which may be protected by applicable state or federal law in its employment practice.  The school seeks applications from candidates who will contribute to an atmosphere in which all are valued and supported.

About The Spring Hill School

The Spring Hill School is an independent school that believes in developing the whole child by providing strong academics and social-emotional learning to foster a lifelong love of learning. Our guiding values are: The Unique Potential of Each Child, Academic Excellence, Experiential Learning, Community & Diversity, Sustainability, and Global Engagement. Teachers at The Spring Hill School are passionate, innovative, and dedicated members of the school community who work together to offer an engaging curriculum that promotes critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. We support our students to develop meaningful relationships with peers and faculty based on honesty, respect, and responsibility. We are a dedicated team of professionals who work closely together to create cross-curricular learning for all grade levels and maintain a positive work environment for all.

Connections working at The Spring Hill School