Director of Annual Giving

Renbrook School (West Hartford, CT), an independent day school for children age three to grade eight, seeks a full-time Director of Annual Giving to begin in May 2025.

For 90 years, Renbrook has held fervently to our founders’ mission to engage the area’s children in relational, hands-on learning – founded on John Dewey principles of “learning for life” – with extraordinary outcomes. Renbrook families prize the school’s student-centered approach to teaching and learning and the partnerships we forge to “bring learning to life” with fidelity and passion. Our faculty and staff pursue excellence with profound purpose, autonomy, and mastery, and we truly love what we do.

With inspirational educational outcomes as our propulsive force, the Alumni & Development Office rallies the Renbrook family to realize the school’s ambitions to make these dreams a reality. The school’s Take Flight capital campaign – in its final months – boasts fundraising outcomes surpassing $11.5 million toward a $12 million goal.

Overview:

The Director of Annual Giving is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive annual giving program that engages and inspires philanthropic support for Renbrook School. Reporting to the Director of Alumni & Development, the Director of Annual Giving will lead the strategic, creative, and operational direction of the Renbrook Fund, leveraging multiple channels, including personal outreach, direct mail, digital campaigns, and volunteer engagement. Additionally, the Director will oversee Celebrate Renbrook, the school’s annual fundraising auction event. This role requires collaboration with parents, alumni, faculty/staff, and friends to build strong relationships and drive annual participation and giving.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a strategic, data-driven annual giving plan, incorporating direct mail, email, phone, social media, and personal outreach to maximize participation and support.
• Recruit, train, and support volunteers to assist with fundraising efforts, maintaining strong communication and engagement.
• Manage a portfolio of leadership annual giving prospects.
• Track, analyze, and report on annual giving performance, including progress toward financial and participation goals for key donor segments.
• Assist with donor stewardship efforts, including personalized acknowledgment letters and recognition programs.
• Participate in planning and executing Alumni & Development Office events.
• Support office-wide initiatives and perform other responsibilities as assigned.

This role is ideal for a strategic and relationship-driven fundraising professional who thrives in a collaborative environment and is passionate about building a strong culture of philanthropy at Renbrook School.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent and at least 2-4 years similar experience.

The review of candidates will begin immediately with an expected start date in May 2025.

A generous salary and benefits package (including health, dental, and retirement, professional development, free lunch, and tuition remission) and a supportive professional environment is a strong feature of Renbrook’s learning community.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and three letters of reference included together in one PDF document, to employment@renbrook.org with “Director of Annual Giving” in the subject line.

Renbrook School is an affirmative action – equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disability, intellectual disability, learning disability or physical disability, including but not limited to blindness, veteran status, sexual orientation, and other protected classes.

Renbrook School will make a reasonable accommodation for known disabilities of a qualified applicant or employee unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on its operation.