Director of Advancement

Archbishop Riordan High School • Full-time • San Francisco, CA, US • $175k - $200k / year • 1months ago

The Director of Advancement is the chief architect and leader of the school’s fundraising, engagement, and community relations strategy. This position oversees two integrated teams - Fundraising and Hospitality & Engagement - and is responsible for building a high-performing, collaborative culture while personally managing a portfolio of major donors.

The Director must be a skilled fundraiser, an experienced manager of people, and a proven change leader who can:

Strengthen accountability and professionalism within an existing team
Improve morale and collaboration
Establish clear expectations and performance standards
Drive measurable growth in philanthropic revenue

This position reports directly to the President, serves as administrative lead to the Board of Trustees, and works closely with senior leadership to align advancement efforts with institutional priorities.

Core ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Team Development

Provide strategic leadership and daily management of Advancement staff across two functions:
Fundraising (Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Planned Giving, Alumni & Parent Giving, Database)
Hospitality & Engagement (Events, Stewardship, Community Relations, Parent and Alumni Volunteer Programs)
Assess current team structure, performance, and workflows; implement systems that promote accountability, collaboration, and excellence
Establish clear goals, metrics, and professional standards for all team members
Address performance issues directly and constructively; coach and develop staff to higher levels of effectiveness
Foster a culture of professionalism, customer service, and mission-centered teamwork
Recruit, train, and evaluate staff; restructure roles as needed to meet institutional priorities

Fundraising Strategy & Execution

Design and execute a comprehensive advancement plan that increases the parent pledge and annual fund, as well as planned and campaign giving
Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and donors, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Partner with the President and Board to identify and engage high-capacity donors
Expand corporate, foundation, and community partnerships
Strengthen alumni and parent engagement leading to increased philanthropic participation
Oversee donor stewardship, communications, and recognition programs

Operations & Administration

Develop and monitor the Advancement budget and annual revenue goals
Ensure effective use of the database/CRM for moves management, reporting, and analysis
Prepare regular progress reports for the President and Board of Trustees
Collaborate with school leadership to align advancement messaging with institutional priorities

Community & Mission

Represent the mission and values of the school with integrity and enthusiasm
Maintain strong relationships with alumni, parents, students, faculty, and community partners
Support Catholic and Marianist identity in all advancement efforts

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
Minimum 5-7 years of successful advancement experience, preferably in a Catholic school or independent school setting
Demonstrated success building and executing fundraising strategies, including proven experience securing major gifts. Average fundraising efforts have ranged from $4M to $7M annually, as reference.
Proven experience managing, motivating and transforming team members with differing skillsets
Strong supervisory skills: setting expectations, holding people accountable, and improving performance
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
Experience with CRM/database systems and data-driven decision making
Willingness to work evenings and weekends for events and donor engagement

Key Competencies

The successful candidate will be:

A confident, compassionate manager who can lead difficult conversations with professionalism
Results-oriented with the ability to set structure where it is lacking
Politically astute and skilled at navigating complex interpersonal dynamics
A collaborative partner to school leadership
Organized, decisive, and able to balance strategy with hands-on execution
Deeply committed to the mission of Catholic education