Posted: 12-Jan-26
Location: Concord, Massachusetts
Type: Full Time
Salary: $250,000 - $275,000
Categories:
The Opportunity
Concord Academy (CA) is seeking an Associate Head of School for Advancement. This is a senior leadership role responsible for advancing the school’s strategic vision through philanthropy and community engagement. Reporting to the Head of School and serving on the Senior Leadership Team, the Associate Head of School will support CA’s mission of building a “community animated by love of learning, diverse and striving for equity, with common trust as our foundation,” while ensuring the financial sustainability and vitality of the school’s programs and campus life.
This role is ideally suited for a visionary leader who has demonstrated experience in fundraising but is also comfortable working as a leader and strategic partner across the school. The AHOS will appreciate both CA’s deep-rooted traditions of personalized, student-centered education and the opportunities to generate significant for support for all of CA’s programs.
Concord Academy prides itself on being a progressive, student-centered community where “individually we matter, together we are more.” As CA navigates the future — sustaining its small-school intimacy while enhancing educational opportunities, equity, and community impact — this role is critical.
The Associate Head will help ensure that CA continues to thrive financially, grow in impact, and deepen engagement with alums, families, and community partners — all while safeguarding the values and mission that make CA unique.
Role of Associate Head of School for Advancement
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop and lead a comprehensive advancement strategy — including annual giving, major and planned gifts, capital campaigns, endowment growth, grants, and other philanthropic initiatives — aligned with CA’s long-term strategic plan and mission.
- Cultivate and steward relationships with donors: alums, parents, foundations, community partners, and friends of CA.
- Work with the Head of School and Board of Trustees to identify philanthropic priorities and shape fundraising priorities.
- Provide leadership and oversight to the Advancement Office: donor communications, stewardship, alumni relations, development events, fundraising database management, and reporting.
- Collaborate with academic, arts, athletics, and student life leadership to ensure that fundraising efforts support CA’s holistic educational mission — including academics, arts, athletics, residential life, equity and inclusion, and community-building efforts.
- Collaborate on CA’s branding, communications, and marketing strategy to amplify the school’s identity and values — internally to students, families, faculty/staff, and alumni, and externally to prospective families, donors, and the broader community.
- Oversee the planning and coordination of signature events (reunions, fundraising events, donor receptions, community gatherings, alumni events, etc.) that engage key stakeholders and strengthen community bonds.
- As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to schoolwide planning, resource allocation, and strategic decision-making.
- Provide leadership, supervision, and professional development for staff in the Advancement Office and on the auxiliary services team. Cultivate a collaborative, mission-driven, service-oriented culture.
- Work closely with Admissions, Academics, Arts, Athletics, Student Life, Residential Life, Finance, and Facilities leadership to align advancement and auxiliary initiatives with CA’s overarching priorities.
- Serve as a public ambassador and representative for CA — with alumni, parents, donors, community partners, and external stakeholders — building external relationships that support the school’s vision and growth.
Professional Skills and Competencies:
The successful candidate will bring a track record of leadership, innovation, and results in advancement, along with the personal qualities needed to inspire confidence and trust. While CA will consider a broad range of backgrounds, candidates are expected to demonstrate most, if not all, of the following:
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (e.g., M.A., MBA, M.Ed.) strongly preferred.
- At least 7–10 years of senior-level experience in advancement/fundraising, institutional advancement, or development — preferably in independent schools, boarding/day schools, higher education, or nonprofit educational institutions.
- Demonstrated success with stewardship, major gift fundraising, annual funds, planned giving, and campaign management.
- Strong strategic planning, financial acumen, and operational management skills. Comfortable developing and managing budgets, business models, and multi-faceted programs.
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills — ability to engage with a wide array of stakeholders (alumni, parents, students, faculty, trustees, donors, community partners).
- Leadership style characterized by collaboration, integrity, diplomacy, and a commitment to mission-driven work.
- Deep appreciation for CA’s values: honoring individuality, creative learning, equity, community, and diversity. An orientation toward innovation, but sensitive to the culture of a close-knit residential school.
- Mission-driven, student-centered, community-oriented, and equity-minded.
- Entrepreneurial and strategic — able to envision and develop new programs while balancing mission and financial sustainability.
- Experience managing auxiliary enterprises, or revenue-generating non-academic services is desirable.
- Highly organized and flexible, demonstrating strong initiative and the ability to juggle competing priorities in a dynamic school setting.
To Apply-Candidates must provide:
- A letter of interest addressing qualifications and vision for the role
- A complete résumé detailing positions and responsibilities
- Three professional references with contact information
- You can find the link to the full profile here.
- Please send materials electronically to: ConcordAcademyCAO@ies-consulting.org