Concord Academy
Assistant Director of Advancement Communications and Operations
Concord Academy, Concord, Massachusetts, us, 01742
Founded in 1922, Concord Academy is a mission-driven boarding and day school with a rich history and bright future; as a social-profit organization, CA relies on philanthropy and volunteerism from a variety of stakeholders across generations and around the world. CA recently completed a multi-year $50 million Centennial Campaign in service of the school’s aspirations for its students and the greater community. Highlights include a vital infusion of endowment dollars in support of students and faculty, the redesign of 40% of CA’s campus, and the building of the Centennial Arts Center. Alums, families, and friends of the school consistently step forward to lead the school into the future.
Below covers everything you need to know about what this opportunity entails, as well as what is expected from applicants.We seek applicants who reflect and support our commitment to advancing the core tenets of the school’s mission and want to be part of CA’s second century. A successful candidate will have a solid understanding of communications, fundraising, and engagement, a track record of project management success, and experience in writing, editing, and producing compelling print, digital, and social media content using diverse communication tools.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and execute communications to support major Advancement and Engagement (A&E) initiatives and programs, both internal and external, across all constituents (i.e. parents, grandparents, alums, faculty, staff, and friends). This includes annual fundraising campaigns, planned and major giving, engagement and events, volunteers, and donor relations.
In collaboration with project lead, support concept development through execution for timely delivery of various annual print and digital projects while collaboratively working with A&E and Marketing and Communications (M&C) teams, including fundraising appeals, event invitations and programs, direct mail, emails, donor and newsletter stories, class notes, promotional items, and content for social media, webpage, and donor reports.
Write, edit, and produce frequent and highly customized print and digital content across different channels for engagement, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and major and planned giving communications; ensure branding is consistent and messaging is genuine and meaningful, optimizing the experience for the end user.
Manage a comprehensive communications calendar to ensure strategic delivery of all A&E department communications with consideration for pace, timing, messaging, and audiences; outline clear processes, communicate timelines, and manage deadlines.
Serve as primary liaison between A&E and the M&C Team, collaborating daily to ensure that all audiences are receiving school communications in strategic and meaningful ways. Work closely with campus partners to highlight school happenings and news relevant to the greater CA community.
Work closely with the Assistant Director of the Annual Fund to develop and maintain regular, meaningful annual giving and stewardship communications with all constituents via email, CA’s website, print communications, and social media.
Maintain and analyze data; report on key metrics and benchmarks to make recommendations and support strategies for building and enhancing communications practices; stay abreast of best practices for both print and digital solicitations and communications.
Work in close partnership with the Advancement Services team to submit complex data requests and follow appropriate procedures to produce mail and email lists, manage data query projects, and ensure the accuracy of lists.
Support administrative and operational initiatives for the department such as processing billing, vendor orders, and contracts, managing freelance contractors, event support, and other functions, as needed.
Assist with all phases of planning, execution, and follow-up of local and regional A&E events. Event support includes tracking registrations, nametags, staffing speakers, preparing materials (invites, talking points, speaker gifts, video, print pieces, signage, etc.), and generating internal and external event communications in collaboration with the Head of School’s Office and related student-facing departments.
Manage CA’s long-standing class secretary program, inclusive of annual high-touch volunteer management and collection and consolidation of class notes for the CA magazine.
Attend events, programs, and meetings as appropriate; some evening and weekend work is required.
Lead special projects, publications, and other duties as assigned.
Competencies and Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree required; minimum of 3-5 years of related experience.
Understanding CA’s mission and goals, and the ability to articulate the school’s values and importance in the independent school landscape; be a visible member of the community.
Ability to lead a project from inception to completion, multitask, manage competing projects and priorities, anticipate problems, and take initiative to ensure quick resolutions.
Customer service-oriented with superb interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively across multiple stakeholders in support of shared goals.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Attention to detail with demonstrated time management, organizational, and project management skills.
Proven administrative skills include the ability to organize and prioritize tasks with initiative, sound judgment, independent thought, and maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality under pressure.
Strong strategic thinking, creative and innovative mindset, relationship building, supportive and flexible approach to day-to-day work.
Analytical thinker to contribute fresh ideas to each assignment and collect and analyze data to suggest direction and strategy.
Proven resourcefulness in finding appropriate solutions to complex problems (operational and administrative); takes initiative in implementing solutions or making recommendations.
High degree of integrity, dependability, use of sound judgment, diplomacy, and resourcefulness, with a strong work ethic combined with an entrepreneurial spirit, and creative thinking; flexibility and ability to adjust to a dynamic environment with grace and positivity; ability to maintain confidentiality in all matters, including those related to sensitive donor relations.
Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.
Proficiency in Microsoft (MS Access, Excel, and Word) and Google suite applications required; database experience and the ability to learn new software and to analyze and present data, Raisers Edge/NXT or another database CRM is preferred; familiarity with, or ability to quickly learn, project management systems (Asana), web content management systems, and email marketing systems and tools desired (MailChimp), and productivity tools (Slack, Adobe Creative Suite).
This is an on-site position.
But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:
Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.
If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious plans - and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional – we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills, our values, and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application.
To learn more about Concord Academy, the Advancement and Engagement office, and other job opportunities at Concord Academy, please visit www.concordacademy.org.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Below covers everything you need to know about what this opportunity entails, as well as what is expected from applicants.We seek applicants who reflect and support our commitment to advancing the core tenets of the school’s mission and want to be part of CA’s second century. A successful candidate will have a solid understanding of communications, fundraising, and engagement, a track record of project management success, and experience in writing, editing, and producing compelling print, digital, and social media content using diverse communication tools.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and execute communications to support major Advancement and Engagement (A&E) initiatives and programs, both internal and external, across all constituents (i.e. parents, grandparents, alums, faculty, staff, and friends). This includes annual fundraising campaigns, planned and major giving, engagement and events, volunteers, and donor relations.
In collaboration with project lead, support concept development through execution for timely delivery of various annual print and digital projects while collaboratively working with A&E and Marketing and Communications (M&C) teams, including fundraising appeals, event invitations and programs, direct mail, emails, donor and newsletter stories, class notes, promotional items, and content for social media, webpage, and donor reports.
Write, edit, and produce frequent and highly customized print and digital content across different channels for engagement, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and major and planned giving communications; ensure branding is consistent and messaging is genuine and meaningful, optimizing the experience for the end user.
Manage a comprehensive communications calendar to ensure strategic delivery of all A&E department communications with consideration for pace, timing, messaging, and audiences; outline clear processes, communicate timelines, and manage deadlines.
Serve as primary liaison between A&E and the M&C Team, collaborating daily to ensure that all audiences are receiving school communications in strategic and meaningful ways. Work closely with campus partners to highlight school happenings and news relevant to the greater CA community.
Work closely with the Assistant Director of the Annual Fund to develop and maintain regular, meaningful annual giving and stewardship communications with all constituents via email, CA’s website, print communications, and social media.
Maintain and analyze data; report on key metrics and benchmarks to make recommendations and support strategies for building and enhancing communications practices; stay abreast of best practices for both print and digital solicitations and communications.
Work in close partnership with the Advancement Services team to submit complex data requests and follow appropriate procedures to produce mail and email lists, manage data query projects, and ensure the accuracy of lists.
Support administrative and operational initiatives for the department such as processing billing, vendor orders, and contracts, managing freelance contractors, event support, and other functions, as needed.
Assist with all phases of planning, execution, and follow-up of local and regional A&E events. Event support includes tracking registrations, nametags, staffing speakers, preparing materials (invites, talking points, speaker gifts, video, print pieces, signage, etc.), and generating internal and external event communications in collaboration with the Head of School’s Office and related student-facing departments.
Manage CA’s long-standing class secretary program, inclusive of annual high-touch volunteer management and collection and consolidation of class notes for the CA magazine.
Attend events, programs, and meetings as appropriate; some evening and weekend work is required.
Lead special projects, publications, and other duties as assigned.
Competencies and Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree required; minimum of 3-5 years of related experience.
Understanding CA’s mission and goals, and the ability to articulate the school’s values and importance in the independent school landscape; be a visible member of the community.
Ability to lead a project from inception to completion, multitask, manage competing projects and priorities, anticipate problems, and take initiative to ensure quick resolutions.
Customer service-oriented with superb interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively across multiple stakeholders in support of shared goals.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; Attention to detail with demonstrated time management, organizational, and project management skills.
Proven administrative skills include the ability to organize and prioritize tasks with initiative, sound judgment, independent thought, and maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality under pressure.
Strong strategic thinking, creative and innovative mindset, relationship building, supportive and flexible approach to day-to-day work.
Analytical thinker to contribute fresh ideas to each assignment and collect and analyze data to suggest direction and strategy.
Proven resourcefulness in finding appropriate solutions to complex problems (operational and administrative); takes initiative in implementing solutions or making recommendations.
High degree of integrity, dependability, use of sound judgment, diplomacy, and resourcefulness, with a strong work ethic combined with an entrepreneurial spirit, and creative thinking; flexibility and ability to adjust to a dynamic environment with grace and positivity; ability to maintain confidentiality in all matters, including those related to sensitive donor relations.
Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.
Proficiency in Microsoft (MS Access, Excel, and Word) and Google suite applications required; database experience and the ability to learn new software and to analyze and present data, Raisers Edge/NXT or another database CRM is preferred; familiarity with, or ability to quickly learn, project management systems (Asana), web content management systems, and email marketing systems and tools desired (MailChimp), and productivity tools (Slack, Adobe Creative Suite).
This is an on-site position.
But that’s not all we’re looking for; we want someone who embodies our values:
Teamwork, transparency, and mutual respect, because we value every member’s contributions and know that leadership can come from anywhere.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and a commitment to ensuring that each of us knows we belong here.
Integrity in how we work and how we treat one another.
Strategic thinking and curiosity in the relentless pursuit of fresh approaches and measurable results.
Continuous growth and improvement, both as individuals and as a team.
Joy and shared appreciation for working hard toward goals that matter.
If this resonates with you and you want to help us in our ambitious plans - and maybe do some of your best work as an advancement professional – we encourage you to apply. If you are hesitant to apply because you have not previously performed every responsibility listed in the description, but you do possess transferable skills, our values, and the defined qualifications, we still want to hear from you and welcome your application.
To learn more about Concord Academy, the Advancement and Engagement office, and other job opportunities at Concord Academy, please visit www.concordacademy.org.
#J-18808-Ljbffr