Director of Philanthropy

Opportunity Summary

The Director of Philanthropy is responsible for raising an annual minimum of $500K in General Operating support sourced from contributed revenue, earned revenue, and Arizona tax-credit funding. Additional fundraising will be required to support the $3MM, multi-year 2025-2027 Capital Campaign. This individual will work collaboratively with the Head of School, the CFO, the Board Philanthropy Committee, and the Capital Campaign Committee to execute the School’s annual and long-term fundraising plans, aligned with the 2025 – 2027 Strategic Plan. Reporting to the Head of School, the Director of Philanthropy oversees the day-to-day management and implementation of a multi-faceted annual advancement effort to secure ongoing and increased funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, government, and other sources. The Director of Philanthropy supervises a Part-time Database Manager (20 hours weekly).

2024 - Celebrating a Landmark Year

On November 2nd, St. Michael’s School’s 65th Anniversary Celebration will take place, reconnecting alumni, donors, old friends and teachers to celebrate the distinguished legacy of the School. Events include the unveiling of plaques acknowledging the campus being listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the formal kick-off of the 65th Anniversary Capital Campaign “Honoring Our Past and Securing Our Future.” The goal of the Capital Campaign is to raise $3 million, over three years, to help preserve and strengthen the historical legacy of the School.

Essential Duties and Areas of Responsibility include, but are not limited to:

Individual Giving

Major Donors and Trustees: Managing engagement and strategic-development efforts for the School’s trustees and individual major donors at the $5K level and above. Responsibilities include ongoing prospecting for and stewardship of the School’s trustees and major donors, including developing giving strategies with targeted and coordinated asks for ongoing Annual Giving (Halo Fund) and Capital Campaign support.

Institutional Giving

Corporate and Granting Organizations: Creating and overseeing ongoing grant calendars, ensuring on-time submission of high-quality grant packages and reports, data entry, benefits and recognition, deliverables tracking, and ongoing stewardship.

Fundraising and Cultivation Events

Annual Golf Tournament and Spring Fundraising Event: Overseeing the planning and implementation of the School’s annual fundraising events, as well as ongoing donor cultivation events. Responsibilities include event planning and logistics, development of event collateral, internal coordination with other departments, data entry and external communications.

Planned Giving

Planning for the Future: Creating a robust annual planned-giving strategy and a coordinated communications calendar to steward existing donors and inspire additional planned gifts. The future launch of a Legacy Society is under consideration.

Arizona Tax Credit Giving

St. Michael’s School Scholarship Program: Crafting optimal promotion of tax-credit giving to ensure this program continues to be 100% funded through annual tax-credit donations.

Building a Culture of Philanthropy

Stewarding internal and external stakeholders with a community and donor-centered focus to support and expand an emerging organizational culture of philanthropy.

Administrative and Managerial Duties

With support from the Database Manager, developing and tracking goals for annual fundraising strategies, revenues and expenses, and reporting. Reviewing and updating philanthropy-related content on the School’s website and digital channels, with support from the part-time Marketing Specialist. Overseeing annual updates to the School’s major donor recognition vehicles including published donor lists. Other duties may be assigned.

The position is Full-Time: $65 - $75K (commensurate with experience)

Benefits

Salary is commensurate with years of experience and educational background, and negotiable within the established range. Benefits include paid vacation, personal and sick-leave days; plus

comprehensive health coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield; dental and vision coverage; and a matching-contribution program for retirement.

Professional Development benefits include Chapter annual dues and monthly meeting breakfasts for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Planned Giving Round Table for Southern Arizona.

Employment Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree in non-profit administration, business administration, communications or a related field from an accredited four-year college or university in the U.S. is required. Candidates will demonstrate substantive experience in nonprofit fundraising, including experience in relationship development, staff management and grant writing; previous experience in both the cultivation of individual and corporate relationships; outstanding written, interpersonal, and verbal communications skills; familiarity with Blackbaud or other preferred CRM platforms; working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook; excellent ability to strategize, set and meet goals, be proactive, and have meticulous attention to detail in the completion of tasks.

Preferred Qualifications and Previous Experience

Successful candidates will demonstrate 5+ years of productive fundraising experience with increasing levels of responsibility. Prior work in a private/independent school setting is desirable. Proven success in securing significant contributions through creative discovery and cultivation of productive relationships with prospective donors should be clearly demonstrated. Strong organizational, relationship, collaboration, and communication skills, as well as the ability to work independently are essential. A master's degree is highly desirable as well as an advanced certification (CFRE) and continued education in the field of philanthropy.

A Background Check Required.

More About St. Michael’s School

St. Michael’s School in Tucson, Arizona, is an Episcopal parish-affiliated TK-8 co-educational day school enrolling approximately 300 students. Located 20 minutes from downtown Tucson in the Harold Bell Wright neighborhood, the historical eight-acre campus was originally designed by the renowned Tucson architect Josias Joesler and is shared with St. Michael and All Angels Church. Our historic campus offers a unique setting, where students and faculty alike demonstrate a sense of energy, imagination, and collaboration.

St. Michael’s School has nurtured the hearts and minds of students since 1960. As an integral part of St. Michael and All Angels Parish, the School expects and promotes the individual’s active commitment to personal integrity, service, and academic excellence. The St. Michael’s School community reflects the values of the Episcopal Church and as such embraces cultural, racial, socioeconomic, and religious diversity. At St. Michael’s, everyone seeks a broader perspective—an expanded understanding of each other, our community, and the larger world.

St. Michael’s is open and inclusive of all religious traditions and embraces diversity as a value to be sought, including in its employment practices. St. Michael’s School is accredited by the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools (SAES) and is a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES). St. Michael’s School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, age, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Instructions

Please send a cover letter and resume to Brendan Sullivan, Head of School, 602 N Wilmot Road Tucson, Arizona 85711 or by email to bsullivan@stmichael.net; please use the subject line: Director of Philanthropy.

Follow Us!