Director of Development in El Segundo, California at Vistamar School

The School

Vistamar School, founded in 2005, is an independent college preparatory day school serving grades 9-12 in El Segundo, CA. The Vistamar experience is guided by its core values and its mission which rests on three pillars: challenging academics that engage and inspire students; an intimate atmosphere that supports students with caring relationships; and a diverse community that encourages the authentic exchange of perspectives and leads students to be comfortable crossing cultural boundaries.

Vistamar is governed by a 21-person Board of Trustees composed of current and alumni parents, alumni, educators, and members of the community at large. The institution draws from a variety of public, charter, independent, and parochial schools from the South Bay of Los Angeles and has a diverse population of 265 students in which approximately 49 percent of students identify as people of color. Of the 50 faculty and staff members, roughly 50 percent identify as people of color and 80% of them have advanced degrees. Vistamar has an annual budget of $11 million and provides $4.7 million in the Moderated Tuition Program supporting 44 percent of the student body. The student:teacher ratio is 9:1. Vistamar is accredited by California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Today, Vistamar has graduated 18 classes, beginning with the class of 2008. Alumni have been accepted at the nation’s best colleges and universities and are making their mark as global citizens on their campuses and in their fields.

The Opportunity

The Director of Development will join Vistamar in the year we are enjoying our largest enrollment in seven years. Vistamar is building on the momentum generated from our 20th Anniversary celebrations last year. Founding and pioneering families, alumni and alumni families, former staffulty and trustees have rediscovered a campus that has been developed to spotlight our community connectivity. We declare that Vistamar is no longer a “new school”. We are here to stay and play an integral role in our community. The Director will have an essential role in the storytelling of Vistamar - our past, present, and future. Vistamar cherishes our community. The Director will leverage this unique moment to connect our people to our goals for institutional excellence and sustainability.

The Position

The Director of Development serves on the Leadership Team and reports to the Head of School. This person supervises the Advancement Associate and designs and manages the budgets for the department. The Director is responsible for leading the School’s advancement program in partnership with the Head, development team, and members of the Board of Trustees. This position provides the vision, strategy, and tactics for community building and all fundraising efforts at the School. To that end the Director develops and maintains consistent and productive relationships with Board members, donors, alumni, parents, and faculty & staff colleagues. This position uses data, research, and personal interactions to design meaningful giving opportunities.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced development officer who understands the unique independent school industry. This person is a relational leader, a team player, and a creative, innovative problem-solver who inspires community members to participate in institutional priorities. Far beyond simply making up the difference between the price of tuition and the cost of educating each student, they positively frame fundraising as an opportunity for people to invest in their values and interests which are realized in the school’s program. The ideal candidate’s experience highlights the interplay of annual giving, community galas, major gifts and capital campaigns, and grant writing. Through all of these vehicles, they cultivate a culture of philanthropy, where all community members find their place, feel acknowledged and appreciated, and come to understand that their contribution is essential and impactful.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Fundraising

• Designs, implements and manages all fundraising activities including annual giving, endowment and capital campaigns, special projects, and other school-related solicitations
• Manages all strategies and activities for donor cultivation, solicitation, and relations
• Maintains contact with and develops grant proposals for foundations and corporations
• Recruits and trains parent volunteers to be ambassadors for fundraising campaigns
• Leads acknowledgement and gratitude communications and events

Board of Trustees Relations

• Works with the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School to determine fundraising goals and strategize how to achieve them
• Collaborates with the Chair of the Development Committee and Head of School to prepare the agenda for Development Committee meetings, and supports the facilitation of meetings
• Generates Development Committee reports to the Board and other agencies
• Provides training for the Board in fundraising activities
• Assists the Board by researching and recommending potential new members of the Development Committee

Development Office Management

• Creates office systems to support all Development projects and operations
• Supervises the Advancement Associate
• Designs and manages the Development budget
• Oversees donor and gift record-keeping, and management of databases
• Coordinates development research activities
• Manages the pledge reminder and acknowledgement programs

Alumni Relations

• Strategizes meaningful engagement for the alumni community in the life of the School
• Collaborates with the Advancement Associate to manage and maintain the alumni database
• Organizes and supports an alumni association
• Collaborates with the Director of Communications to host alumni events, collects news and information about the members of the alumni for publication

Parent Relations

• Liaises with the Parent Alliance for Vistamar Education (PAVE), and partners with the PAVE Council to identify and train a core group of volunteers to assist with the Vistamar Fund, parent education and special events, and other fundraising programs as needed.

Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising

• Works closely with the Director of Communications and the Head of School to design and oversee the production of the annual report, portions of the school’s website, and development collateral materials.
• Creates and implements a communication and promotional plan for the School’s annual fund and capital campaign.

Desired Candidate Qualities

• A bachelor’s degree is required; a masters degree, professional certifications or equivalent experience is preferred.
• A minimum of 4 years professional fundraising experience, preferably in independent schools and/or non-profit organizations.
• Proven experience and demonstrated success in designing and managing development and alumni relations programs.
• Proficiency with technology, including Google and Microsoft Office Suites
• Proficiency with Blackbaud, Raiser’s Edge 7, Raiser’s Edge NXT, and Adobe Suite
• Experience with developing and maintaining productive working relationships with board members, donors, parents, and faculty & staff colleagues.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, a high level of attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Ability to work as a leader and as part of a team, and the ability to take initiative.
• Strong computer skills and knowledge of current advancement software.
• A sincere desire to work in an intentionally diverse and inclusive community.
• Flexibility and a sense of humor

Vistamar School is a 501c3 non-profit corporation that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, employment, and athletic and other school-administered programs.