Vice President of Advancement

Vice President
of Advancement
To start August 2024

Reports to - Head of School
Department - Advancement
Job Type - Full Time

Our Mission
Every student. Every mind. Every heart. Known. Inspired. Challenged.

Our Vision
A compassionate community of diverse learners empowered and determined to reach their unique potential and positively impact the world.

Our School
Brownell Talbot, founded in 1863, is a Nebraska state-approved preschool through grade 12 school. We are a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS) and are accredited by Cognia. Brownell Talbot is an exciting environment for professionals who like to be part of a supportive team of dedicated individuals who thrive on the challenges and rewards of working with an active community. Brownell Talbot fosters an educational environment that is inclusive and accepting of diverse individuals and viewpoints. We currently serve 490+ students with a team
of 85+ faculty and staff.

Brownell Talbot has been voted best private elementary school in Omaha seven years in a row and best private high school in Omaha. Niche.com has also recognized Brownell Talbot as best private K12 school in Nebraska, best private high school in Nebraska, best private college prep school in Nebraska, and best high school for STEM in Nebraska.

Position Summary
The Vice President of Advancement (VPA) leads fundraising and institutional advancement for Brownell Talbot (BT) and the Brownell Talbot Foundation. The position reports to the Head of School (HOS) and is a vital member of the BT leadership team.

The VPA's primary responsibilities include:

• Relationships - fostering a robust donor base, cultivating affinity for BT across constituencies, and developing enduring relationships between BT and its supporters and community.
• Fundraising - strategizing and conducting annual fundraising, significant capital and special campaigns, and programming for major gifts, legacy giving, and planned-giving.
• Vision and Innovation - innovating and driving advancement solutions that continually elevate the donor/supporter experience and advance BT.
• Collaboration and Facilitation - collaborating closely with the HOS, the school board, BT leadership teams, and especially the foundation board to facilitate their respective roles, engagement, and effectiveness vis a vis advancement priorities.

The VPA manages the Advancement Team of two and collaborates closely with the HOS and other administrative teams in curating a uniquely BT experience for donors as well as students, families, faculty and staff, board members, alumni, friends of the school, and the greater community.

Qualifications
BT is seeking a seasoned advancement leader experienced in the Omaha philanthropic market.

Candidates will have a track record of success in orchestrating annual, capital, and special fundraising campaigns. They will be well-practiced in curating a diverse donor base and personally soliciting and securing donor commitments. In addition, they will understand effective independent school fundraising practices and how to engage individual and family donors, foundations, and corporations. Experience with major gifts and grant writing is also important.

Candidates will need to demonstrate an appreciation for educational fundraising, an embrace of BT's mission and vision, and an acumen for tailoring advancement and related communications to specific communities and cultures.

In addition, the following qualifications and skills are required:
• Bachelor's degree.
• 10+ years in the advancement field or other equivalent professional environments.
• Experience in leadership and team management.
• High regard for institutional and donor confidentiality.
• Aptitude for organization, collaboration, and community building.
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Social media mastery.
• Engaging public speaking style.
• Knowledge and experience with donor management software; Raiser's Edge NXT,
word processing and spreadsheets.
• Familiarity with best practices and evolving trends in advancement and fundraising.

The nature of advancement work combined with the vibrant life of BT's school community will necessitate weekend and evening commitments on occasion as well as participation in various school events for our community.

Essential Responsibilities
Essential Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Leadership
- Model BT's mission and values in leadership, decision-making, communications, team management, and programing.
- Animate all aspects of advancement with consistent, cohesive messaging anchored in BT's mission, vision, values, and strategic plan.
- Cultivate a culture of giving and gratitude across all constituencies.
- Foster an environment of inclusion, creativity, collaboration, and growth for all.
- Maintain sensitivity and awareness for diverse cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, values, attitudes, and languages.
- Supervise the advancement team, currently composed of the director of events and director of advancement.
- Safeguard institutional and donor information, ensuring personnel, systems, and procedures keep personal and private information in strictest confidence.
- Analyze and evaluate advancement performance against goals, continually planning and adjusting for improvement.
• Donor Base and Relationships
- Nurture and network BT's existing relationships and partnerships.
- Grow BT's donor base, forging new relationships, networks, systems, and programs that further activate the generosity and resources of our community.
- Capture and convey BT's mission and strategic plan to inspire engagement and support among diverse constituent groups, including major donors, board members, and others critical to BT's advancement.
- Lead/participate in a variety of fundraising, stewardship, community-building, and other school events.
• Fundraising for Annual Campaigns, Major Gifts, Capital Campaign, Legacy Gifts, Planned-Giving, and Special Campaigns
- Design and lead a multi-year advancement strategy to support BT's strategic plan and related advancement objectives.
- Design and lead strategies for continually growing and maturing annual, major, and capital campaigns; legacy gifts; and planned-giving.
- Present and secure approval for annual development objectives, plans, and budgets. Oversee and implement plans accordingly.
- Maximize constituent data management tools to prepare BT for engagement with donors and to customize the donor experience.
- Proactively solicit donors and secure support as part of advancement programming (audiences include parents and families, school and foundation trustees, alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of school).
• Reporting and Communicating
- Ensure necessary audiences are consulted on (as appropriate) and well-informed of advancement work, events, and status.
- Ensure appropriate integration between BT's strategic communications plans and advancement programming/communications.
- Report fundraising results and related metrics monthly.
• Collaboration and Facilitation
- Collaborate with and support the Head of School in her leadership and engagement throughout advancement and fundraising.
- Engage with the Brownell Talbot Board of Trustees and the Brownell Talbot Foundation Board to reach fundraising goals, engage in fundraising activities, and identify new funding prospects.

Compensation
A salary commensurate with experience, degree attainment, and qualifications is paid to employees annually. Salary range is $115,000-$135,000. Full-time employees are eligible for our benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, disability, tuition remission, professional development/education funds, and the ability to participate in the school's 403(b) retirement program.

Interested candidates are invited to apply through December 1, 2023.

**Brownell Talbot College Preparatory School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected under local, state, and federal law in admission or access to or treatment of employment or educational programs and activities.**