Mercy High School (mercyhigh.com), a Catholic diocesan college preparatory high school for young women in Middletown CT is seeking a Senior Director of Advancement with primary responsibility for raising the resources to further the school’s mission and more fully engage constituents and sources of support.  The Senior Director will work closely with the President in designing, implementing, and leading development programs to achieve the school’s strategic goals. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop, implement and lead achievement of a comprehensive development program with components for annual giving, planned giving, fundraising, special events, alumnae relations and parent relations.
• Design strategies and effectively communicate how development initiatives support Mercy’s mission, vision and programs. 
• Build, maintain and grow relationships with current and prospective donors for major gifts to the annual fund, endowment and future capital campaigns. 
• Establish and maintain relationships with foundations and corporations and oversee submission of major grant proposals and sponsorship requests.
• Create a planned giving program to support endowment and scholarships.
• Work with the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees to develop and monitor strategies and plans in accordance with best practices.
• Lead the development staff in achieving department and individual goals, providing mentoring, performance evaluations and opportunities for professional development.
• Collaborate with the Director of Admissions and the Director of Communications and Public Relations to design and implement coordinated plans to enhance Mercy’s marketing and advancement efforts.
• Oversee development office data management and record keeping, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance as it relates to donors and donations. 
• Develop and manage the development office budget.

ORGANIZATION:

• Reports to the President
• Oversees the development staff
• Works closely with the Board of Trustees, Alumnae Association, Home and School Association and volunteer leaders
• Collaborates with Director of Finance, Director of Admissions, and Director of Communications and Public Relations

QUALIFICATIONS:

Recognizing that Mercy High School is a Catholic school instilled with the charism and traditions of the Sisters of Mercy, candidates will be expected to subscribe to and embrace the school’s mission.  Preference will be given to individuals of the Catholic faith who possess the required background and experience:

• 5-7 years of development experience, preferably with an independent school, a college or a university, including annual giving, major giving, and planned giving programs;
• Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting and closing major gifts of $50,000 or more;
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills in order to serve as a highly visible leader and effectively market and communicate the values and mission of the school;
• Leadership experience to effectively lead and motivate the development staff and volunteers;
• Experience working with a President/CEO, Board of Trustees, community leaders, foundations and businesses to raise funds;
• Experience in writing grants and proposals to various types of foundations;
• Ability to identify and implement best practices related to institutional advancement and donor cultivation;   
• Passionate about single gender secondary education for young women and Catholic education;
• High level of integrity, strong work ethic and confidence;
• Ability to work evenings and weekends when necessary; limited travel;
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge and Microsoft Office Suite preferred.

EDUCATION:  Bachelor’s degree with business administration, marketing, communications or non-profit management concentration preferred; master’s degree will be highly regarded.

SALARY & BENEFITS:  This is a full-time, 12-month position with a desired start date of July 1, 2021.  Salary is negotiable and commensurate with experience and qualifications. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:  Interested and qualified candidates are asked to submit electronically in one file a letter of introduction, a resume, a personal statement highlighting their strengths in furthering the mission of Mercy High School, and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of five professional references to:  Senior Director of Advancement Search at  SeniorAdvancementSearch@mercyhigh.com.  Review of applications will begin immediately.