Reports to: Chief Advancement Officer

Schedule/travel: Full-time Calendar Year Non-Exempt Position. 40 hours a week. Must be able to work a flexible schedule as needed, including evening/weekend hours. Domestic travel for Alumni & Development events may be required on occasion.

FLSA/Classification: Staff

Housing: No

The Development Associate provides confidential executive-level support to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) and the Director of Advancement (DOA), as well as supporting the administrative functions of the Kent Fund team.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Executive Support
• Provides executive support to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), including preparing formatted briefings for the Head of School (HOS) and leadership meetings and events, creating detailed itineraries, and coordinating domestic and international travel arrangements for the CAO, HOS, and the DOA.
• At the direction of the CAO, supports the Development Committee and the Committee on Trustees and Governance, including the production of meeting materials and minutes.
• Generates, compiles, and organizes reports for the Board of Trustees. 
• Provides support around specific fundraising initiatives. 
• Assists in aspects of planning leadership-level small-scale events, in partnership with the Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement and A&D leadership.

• Team Support

• Works closely with the other Development Associate to ensure consistent coverage of core administrative responsibilities.

• Provides regular weekly and monthly reports and updates to the Alumni and Development team regarding prospect meetings and gifts received.
• Maintains awareness of ongoing fundraising initiatives, including appeals, campaigns/initiatives, and reports. 

• Manages the fulfillment processes for gift acknowledgements and thank-you notecards, working closely with the Director of Donor Relations.

• Handles the fulfillment of electronic and printed pledge reminders, working closely with the Director of Advancement, Director of Donor Relations, and Advancement Services.

• Provides administrative support for the Kent Fund team, which includes, but is not limited to, fulfilling internal mailings, such as class-specific appeals and other related tasks.

• Executes database updates, maintaining accurate and up-to-date constituent records, working closely with the Advancement Services team. This includes employment updates and demographic updates from mailings, forms, returned mail, National Change of Address (NCOA) records, LinkedIn, Veracross, and other sources.

• Provides on-site support for key events, including registration for Fall Alumni Weekend, Family Weekend, and Reunion Weekend. 
• Provides collaborative support related to event preparation when needed for the other Development Associate, including, but not limited to, event registration and event prep support, and serves as a backup when that individual is unavailable. 
• Answers the main Alumni and Development phone line and serves as the backup for the alumni email inbox. Determines appropriate next steps for incoming messages and ensures timely follow-up.
• Oversees the Alumni & Development Google Calendar related to team meetings and school holidays.
• Order and maintain office supplies and equipment, and coordinate with IT, Marketing, and Facilities as needed.
• Oversees office kitchen supplies, including ordering coffee, snacks, and other refreshments.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief Advancement Officer and the Director of Advancement.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree
• Experience in an independent boarding school environment is preferred
• Proficiency with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and mail merge tools is essential for managing documents, data, and personalized communications effectively
• A proven track record of successful collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including teammates, volunteers, and donors
• Committed to the mission of the School
• Possess a high degree of professional discretion, integrity, good judgment, and high standards of professional conduct
• Collaborate actively by soliciting and suggesting new ideas and improving upon the ideas of others
• Speak and communicate effectively with a wide range of constituencies across the institution
• Demonstrate a high level of organization and attention to detail while keeping the big picture in focus

Additional Requirements:

• Successful completion of post-offer, pre-employment criminal background checks, and drug tests
• Maintain punctual and regular attendance
• Work is performed on a smoke-free campus

Additional information:

The essential functions and basic skills have been included. It is not intended to be construed as an exclusive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate.

Kent School is committed to making equal employment opportunities available to all qualified persons. In accordance with federal, state and local laws, we recruit, hire, promote, and evaluate all personnel without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, ancestry, citizen status, veteran status, physical or mental handicaps, sexual orientation, or any other factors protected by law. Candidates from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

About Kent School

Kent School is a coeducational boarding school located in northwestern Connecticut, serving 570 students, grades 9-12.

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