Wye River Upper School (WRUS) seeks a Director of Advancement effective immediately.  

Wye River Upper School is an independent college preparatory school serving bright students with learning differences. Students who learn differently discover through innovation, develop with rigor, and celebrate their strengths at Wye River Upper School while preparing for success in college, career, and life. WRUS is located in a historically renovated 1925 National Guard Armory in lovely Centreville, MD, on Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore. 

The Director of Advancement plays a critical leadership role in advancing the mission of the school by developing and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy. This position focuses on annual giving, financial aid fundraising, and grants to ensure access to a specialized, independent education for students and families who otherwise could not afford it.

The Director of Advancement reports directly to the Head of School and works closely with the Board of Trustees. This is a full-time administrative leadership position and a member of the School’s Leadership Team.

The Director of Advancement is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing all fundraising and advancement efforts for the school. This role leads donor cultivation and stewardship, alumni and community engagement, grant writing, and advancement operations while collaborating closely with school leadership, trustees, and volunteers.

The ideal candidate is an outstanding communicator, relationship-builder, and strategic thinker who is eager to engage fully in school life and contribute to WRUS’s long-term sustainability and growth.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership in Fundraising and Stewardship 

The Director oversees operating and fundraising for the School, to support Wye River’s short- and long-term needs. In addition, the Director works to engage the larger Wye River Upper School community by implementing and utilizing cultivation and stewardship strategies.

• Design, implement, and manage—in collaboration with the Head of School and Board of Trustees—a comprehensive development program to successfully raise annual, capital, financial aid, and endowment support to achieve the School’s mission and strategic goals.
• Personally cultivate and solicit gifts that support Wye River Upper School.
• Develop and oversee a planned giving program to secure long-term philanthropic support for the organization.
• Provide leadership and direction in building programs to support prospect research, major gifts, planned giving, and stewardship.
• To identify human interest stories within the school, document those stories in oral, written, and visual form, and disseminate them across a range of communication platforms.
• To seek professional development for the purpose of staying current with development initiatives
• Provide input into the School’s strategic direction. 
• Grant writing to maintain current and seek and pursue new opportunities.

Management and Administration: 

The Director manages and contributes to critical advancement-related processes while collaborating with a team of internal and external professionals.

• Oversee the advancement office budget and administrative systems to accurately manage donor/prospect information, gift processing, acknowledgment, accounting, data, and reporting systems.
• Oversee hiring and development of staff responsible for annual and capital giving, alum relations, auction/gala, events, database management, and prospect research.
• Serve as staff liaison to Board committees, including the Advancement Committee. Provide regular fundraising reports to the Board of Trustees.
• Assist the Head of School in identifying trustee candidates.
• Oversee the planning and execution of constituent-related activities and special events.
• Provide a development perspective on the school’s communications and marketing efforts.
• To oversee the use of and production through Raiser’s Edge to maximize fundraising campaigns.
• Serve as a member of the School’s Leadership Team.
• Understands and supports the mission and motto of Wye River Upper School.

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications and Competencies:

Wye River Upper School seeks an individual who can balance a wide range of fundraising experiences with a willingness to become an active member of our community. The following qualifications are encouraged but not mandatory requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree in a related field preferred.
• Three to five years of non-profit development experience, preferably in a school/college setting.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills to collaborate with various colleagues and constituencies.
• Proven management experience with demonstrated success as an advancement professional.
• Comfortable in a strategic capacity, management role, and/or hands-on contributor.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience developing compelling fundraising proposals and donor communications.
• Excellent editing and public speaking skills.
• Proven organizational skills, attention to detail, and respect for confidentiality.
• Familiarity with fundraising software and database management tools.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with a diverse group of stakeholders.
• Skilled in promoting a vision, communicating a strategy, and implementing goals.

Salary and Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience, Salary range of $60-70,000
• This is a full-time, 12-month position with full benefits.
• Full benefits include Health, Dental, and Life Insurance, an Individual Retirement Account with up to a 3% employer contribution match, and Vacation/Personal Days.

Wye River is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome diverse candidates of all backgrounds. Please visit our website, https://www.wyeriverupperschool.org/, to learn more about our school community and vision. 

Interested candidates should send a cover letter and resume to the Head of School, Nicole Sophocles, at NicoleSophocles@WyeRiverUpperSchool.org

About Wye River Upper School

Wye River is an independent, college and career preparatory school serving bright students with learning differences. We provide an individualized and supportive high school education in a low-stress, yet challenging academic environment. Diagnostic information, observation and parent input serve as the basis for understanding each student's unique learning profile. Our program ensures a well-rounded experience including athletics and the arts, offered within a daily structure that is responsive to the needs of teenagers. We are committed to affecting lifelong change in the lives of our students, many of whom have struggled in traditional settings. Our belief in the power of each student's unique talents, skills, interests and goals is our guiding force. Students who learn differently discover through innovation, develop with rigor, and celebrate their strengths at Wye River Upper School while preparing for success in college, career and life.

Connections working at Wye River Upper School