Posted: 13-Jun-25
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
Type: Full Time
Categories:
King School is an independent college preparatory day school in Stamford, CT, educating students in PreK-Grade 12.
MISSION
King prepares students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Our students are immersed in an engaging and innovative curriculum anchored in an inquiry-based approach that fosters curiosity, intellectual growth, and character development.
At King, individual accomplishment complements a deep sense of belonging. We embrace diversity in all its forms, nurturing every student to learn and grow in a collaborative and supportive community.
Guided by dedicated educators and a commitment to academic excellence, King students become invested in their journey, develop a lifelong love of learning, and are well-equipped to succeed in college and beyond. They graduate with a global mindset, a strong sense of social responsibility, and the confidence to pursue lives of purpose.
DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING
Reports to: Director of Development and Alumni Relations
Location: King School, Stamford, CT
Classification: Full Time (12 months), Exempt
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive annual giving program that raises funds in support of King School's operating budget, as well as additional funds for the Community Enrichment Scholarship (CES). The Director also leads the Senior Parent Gift campaign and manages a personal portfolio of approximately 150 donors and prospects. This individual plays a pivotal role in strengthening the culture of philanthropy across the King community and works closely with Advancement, Admissions, Communications, and Finance to ensure strategic alignment.
The Director is also responsible for recruiting, organizing, and managing key volunteer committees, including Annual Fund Co-Chairs, Class Representatives, Senior Parent Gift Co-Chairs, and their respective committee members. These volunteers play an essential role in year-round outreach, donor engagement, and fundraising efforts throughout the King community.
This position offers the opportunity to shape the school’s annual philanthropic strategy while building relationships with parents, alumni, trustees, and friends of King. The role combines strategic planning with hands-on execution, emphasizing volunteer engagement, donor cultivation, and data-informed decision-making.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Fundraising Strategy and Annual Campaign Management
- To support the school’s operating budget and fundraising goals, create and implement a strategic, comprehensive, multi-channel annual giving program. This includes digital, print, in-person, and peer-to-peer components.
- Plan and execute King’s two largest giving days, GiveKingTuesday and Philanthropy Day, in collaboration with Communications, Events, and Advancement leadership, to drive broad community engagement and participation.
- Lead fundraising efforts for the Community Enrichment Scholarship and Senior Parent Gift programs, coordinating messaging, outreach, and stewardship initiatives.
- Manage a portfolio of approximately 150 donors and prospects, setting individual goals and coordinating solicitations throughout the year.
- Refresh and maintain Annual Fund acknowledgment letter templates annually to ensure donor-centric language and timely stewardship.
- Partner with the Director of Development and Alumni Relations to develop a strategic vision for annual giving and identify opportunities to increase participation and dollars raised.
- Secure challenge and matching gifts to incentivize broader participation and elevate campaign performance.
- Support in the preparation of Annual Fund reports and presentation materials for Development Committee and Board meetings, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strategic insight.
- Participate in reporting to external benchmarking surveys on mid- and year-end results.
Volunteer Engagement and Leadership
- Oversee the Annual Fund Committee, including the recruitment, training, and stewardship of co-chairs and annual fund volunteers.
- Lead monthly meetings with parent volunteers to track outreach, share updates, and strategize on participation.
- Coordinate phone-a-thons and other volunteer-driven outreach efforts.
- Partner with trustees and key volunteers to plan and execute beginning-of-year and mid-year outreach to new parents and Annual Fund donors, with the goal of inspiring and securing leadership-level support from new families.
New Family Engagement
- Collaborate with Admissions to ensure each new family is thoughtfully assigned to a Development staff member or trained volunteer for early outreach and relationship-building.
- Ensure timely follow-up and engagement from new parent welcome callers or Class Reps.
- Develop and distribute the annual Guide to Giving, along with other introductory materials, to educate families about philanthropy at King.
Collaboration and Event Support
- Coordinate with the Special Events Manager on events supporting the Annual Fund and donor engagement, such as the campaign kickoff, Roadmap to Senior Year, Senior Parent Reception, and Annual Giving Appreciation events.
- Serve as a visible representative of the Development team at school and community events.
Alumni and Reunion Giving
- Build and launch the Alumni Ambassador Program to engage student volunteers in alumni-focused development efforts.
- In partnership with the Alumni Relations Associate, develop and execute a Reunion Giving strategy that promotes volunteerism, participation, and alumni pride.
Data Management and Reporting
- In coordination with the Director of Advancement Services and Prospect Research, track and distribute monthly LYBUNT reports to ensure that portfolio managers follow up with donors in the same month as the previous year.
- Analyze donor behavior and Annual Fund campaign performance to refine segmentation, guide response analysis, and provide updates to team members, Advancement leadership, Development Committee members, and trustees.
- Create regular campaign progress reports and dashboards to guide strategy and assess performance.
Required Skills & Attributes
- 3+ years of experience in fundraising, with a strong preference for annual giving, volunteer management, and donor engagement.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills and social and emotional intelligence, with the ability to build trust across diverse constituencies.
- Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
- Data-driven mindset with experience using donor data to inform strategy.
- High proficiency with fundraising databases (e.g., Raiser’s Edge), Google Suite, and digital communication platforms.
- Experience leading or supporting development events and community engagement initiatives.
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a fast-paced environment.
- Available to work occasional evenings and weekends
- Deep commitment to confidentiality, discretion, and King School’s mission and values.
- Prior experience in independent schools or education-related nonprofits preferred.
Highlights of Benefits include:
At King, we prioritize your well-being with a comprehensive health insurance and benefits package that includes a Retirement Plan featuring an employer match Plus, every new employee is onboarded with a mentor for their first year at King. Apply today to experience a supportive workplace that invests in your personal and professional success! Join a warm, dedicated and welcoming first-class employee community serving Western Connecticut and Westchester, County New York children and their families in a bucolic New England suburban setting close to major metro areas.
How to apply:
King School has engaged DovetailED to lead this search. Interested candidates
should email a cover letter (addressed to Director of Human Resources, Daniel
Kearney), a resume, and a list of at least three professional references consolidated
as a single PDF document to Zack Lehman at zack@dovetailedsourcing.com, and
Victoria Jones, Recruiter, at victoria@dovetailedsourcing.com.