Development Associate
Seattle Girls' School Overview
"At SGS, we believe that belonging to a community where it is safe to be oneself with all of the nuance, quirk, and growth that is part of adolescence is one of the most important gifts we can give our students. Our mission challenges us to help each girl discover her place as a leader and to support her as she develops and uses her voice to change our world." - Brenda Leaks, SGS Head of School
Founded in 2000, Seattle Girls' School, an independent middle school serving girls in Seattle's Central District, continues to carry out its mission of inspiring and developing courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change. The school has played a unique role in the Seattle community, working to ensure that young women from all backgrounds, regardless of their family's economic status, have an opportunity for an exceptional education. SGS actively combats the distressing trend of middle school girls losing confidence before gaining competence, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. The project-based curriculum-grounded in real-world experiences-offers its students endless opportunities for leadership, collaboration, and problem solving.
Today, SGS educates a diverse student body in grades 5-8; more than a third of students are awarded financial aid. The annual budget is over $3 million, and there are 25 staff and faculty as well as 19 committed board members. As it nears its 20th anniversary, SGS has embarked on a $12 million capital campaign to build a new facility to house this very special community of learners. This new directions promises to be transformative for the school, and the campaign will be an opportunity for SGS families, alumni, and community supporters to embody the SGS values of "standing up, standing out, and standing together" to make this vision a reality.
The Opportunity
Seattle Girls' School is seeking a Development Associate who loves all things development operations -- from data to events management -- and is eager to work with a team of staff, trustees and volunteers to raise over $500K in annual funds and support the execution of a $12M capital campaign to fund construction of a new school campus. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, and as part of a 4-member development team, this position will use eTapestry to meticulously manage donor data, develop the reports and systems to ensure effective and efficient development operations, run a fall annual fund campaign and lead the execution of an annual large-scale fundraising event. Specifically, the Development Associate will:
Development Operations Management
- Manage donor database for the team, including regular gift entry and gift acknowledgement, data auditing and database improvements, and data analysis to show progress on donor strategies, including major donor cultivation and solicitation, fundraising events, and annual fund activities.
- Run scheduled and ad hoc reports, involving running queries and pulling data, including mailing lists, from eTapestry database, manipulating in Excel, and presenting in an appropriate format.
- Coordinate with Enrollment Management staff to build reports in our admissions (Ravenna) and student management (BigSIS) databases on key areas that support our development activities, particularly student demographics, previous and next schools and outcomes data.
- Collaborate with development team to adopt development operations best practices, recommending and implementing new data and operational strategies and tactics. '
- Collaborate with faculty and leadership team to collect all SFA, classroom and committee volunteer activity and track in donor database.
Annual Fund & Event Management
- Create and implement an annual strategy for the fall annual fund drive, including kick-off event, to raise $150K+, by engaging, training and supporting team of parent and community volunteers.
- Oversee the execution of large-scale signature event and smaller cultivation and fundraising events, including an annual luncheon for up to 1,000 guests with a $400K fundraising goal, including:
- Event project and data management: Create and manage the timeline, program, task management, vendors, and budget. Support data needs of development events, including utilizing historical data to inform event fundraising strategy, mailing list development, RSVP tracking, day-of event production, and event follow-up.
- Event relationship management: Partner with leadership to identify and secure event volunteer leadership (e.g. co-chairs and planning committee); lead planning meetings; serve as external "face of the event" with individual donors, prospects, and corporate contacts.
- Program development: Partner with colleagues to craft event program and provide support in preparing event speakers (e.g. staff, students, alumni).
- Marketing and materials: partner with communications staff to develop event concept, graphic design/production/printing; manage invitation and RSVP process.
- Day-of execution: ensure smooth logistics; oversee attendee check-in process; managing staff and volunteers working at the event.
Who You Are
- You have at least 2 years of work experience, ideally supporting a development function at an independent school or nonprofit organization
- Demonstrated experience in data management and in large-scale event management.
- You share a genuine commitment to Seattle Girls' School's mission of inspiring and developing courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change.
- You bring prior experience using eTapestry (preferred), or comparable CRM database, as well as advanced Excel skills; fluidity and ease with technology and data analysis.
- You have eagle-eye attention to detail and project management skills; organized and systematic in managing multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- You build and manage relationships easily, with demonstrated ability in partnering with external stakeholders (such as board members, event committees, major donors, corporate partners) and engaging them in meaningful ways.
- You are able to "manage up, down, and across" to use staff time effectively in order to achieve goals.
- You are a resourceful and results-oriented self-starter, with an ability to thrive in an authentic, feedback-driven culture and roll-up-your-sleeves environment.
- You have a proven ability to collaborate as part of a team, proactively in sharing information and ideas with colleagues and holding self and others to high standards.
- You are highly motivated with capacity and desire to learn on-the-job.
- You employ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with an ability to gather and use data to understand challenges and find solutions.
Compensation and Benefits: This is a full time, exempt position. We are committed to staff learning, growth and development. Our investment includes:
- Competitive salaries. The salary range for this position is $42,000 - $44,000.
- Generous time off including 20 vacation days (typically used during the summer and school breaks when students are not at school) and 10 paid non-vacation days for medical or family leave.
- 14 holidays (8 company-wide holidays and a 6-day December closure).
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees
- A 3% contribution to a retirement plan starting after 6 months of employment.
- Individual, internal training; plus a $1,000 professional development stipend for external training
- An organizational culture that supports staff well-being and holistic self-care/community care
Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: With a staff that cares deeply about social justice and racial justice, we believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds create a rich work environment and enhance our ability to pursue our mission. We are committed to building a school with raised consciousness in order to impact how we work with students, as well as how we work together as a team. We hope you will join us as we continue to build a justice-centered school that fosters a work environment where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued.
Seattle Girls' School is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Seattle Girls' School does not discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or family composition in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs. Seattle Girls' School admits students who identify as female, regardless of their biological sex.