Position Announcement: Director of Engagement & Development
The Institution
Founded in 1841, Fordham Prep is a Catholic Jesuit college preparatory school for young men located on the Rose Hill
Bronx campus of Fordham University in New York City. With approximately 950 students enrolled in grades 9-12, Fordham Prep
draws young men of diverse backgrounds from throughout the boroughs of New York City and its surrounding suburbs.
Fordham Prep’s mission is to inspire young men to reflect, to question, to learn, to pray, to love, to serve and to lead. Its challenging
curriculum and pursuit of human and academic excellence are based on a foundation of Catholic faith and principles. The school
seeks to be one community drawn from a broad spectrum of ethnic, racial, geographic and socio-economic backgrounds. We strive
to include qualified students of limited financial resources by providing substantial financial assistance. Our faculty and staff
dedicate themselves to a caring and dynamic interaction with students both inside and outside the classroom, a characteristic of
Jesuit education for over 450 years. Fordham Prep educates its students to be men for others: spiritually motivated, intellectually
accomplished and committed to promoting justice.
The Position
Fordham Prep seeks a dynamic, experienced professional to serve as Director of Engagement & Development. The position reports
directly to the Vice President for Engagement, Development & Communications (EDC). The Director will work with the VP and EDC
office to create an innovative and sustained giving and engagement program for Fordham Prep. This will include, but not be limited
by, conceptualizing, planning and executing a strategic and coordinated program to identify and create opportunities to advance
the Prep through alumni, parent and student relations (engagement) annual fund, major and planned gifts, capital campaigns, and
foundation and corporate gifts all focused on shaping a sustainable tradition of generosity and support to the Prep.
The incumbent will manage staff and collaborate with staff to ensure that alumni, parents and prospects are fully engaged in the
Prep's current and future campaign/development strategies and goals. The incumbent, along with his/her direct report(s), will be
the day-to-day manager of the engagement and fundraising effort and ensure that activity levels and dollar goals are met and that
the greater engagement process for Fordham Prep is enhanced as requested by the VP, President, Board and senior leadership. The
engagement process at Fordham Prep includes building and maintaining relationships with the community, and the incumbent will
work to strengthen the bonds with alumni, parents, students and prospects.
The primary responsibilities of the Director of Development and Engagement include but are not limited to the following:
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Embracing and articulating the mission and values of Fordham Prep to alumni, prospects, parents, students and
community;
Create and identify opportunities to engage the broader Prep community through events, programs and communications
Streamlining the giving areas of Fordham Prep into a comprehensive unit that includes Annual, Campaign, Restricted,
Reunion and Planned giving, and engaging donors in a way that more closely links their interests with Prep needs, while
also meeting aggressive goals in each area;
Managing the prioritization of new and existing donors to staff, including assignments to President, VP and others where
appropriate, and assisting with engagement and reporting of cultivation activities and goals of assigned prospects;
Cultivating a prospect pool consisting of alumni, parents, foundations and others of at least 100, and meeting associated
activity goals;
Leading staff and working collaboratively with the database services area to ensure that they are performing and meeting
the engagement efforts of Fordham Prep;
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Revamping the Planned Giving Program for Fordham Prep with guidance and direction from the VP;
Strategizing, writing and engaging in new Stewardship opportunities for the Prep – these include the accuracy of donor
reporting, acknowledgement letters and receptions;
Engaging with special programs (senior class gift, reunion, dedications, athletics, etc.) on programmatic and fundraising
priorities, goal setting, prospecting, solicitation, and stewardship (including acknowledgement process);
Assigning and actively researching prospects from the Prep community and ascertain capacity and willingness to give;
Creating and executing engagement opportunities using Prep assets;
Managing, overseeing and reconciling budget for fundraising activities;
Staffing the President, VP, Leadership Team, Board of Trustees, Faculty and key volunteers and ensuring that all are actively
and effectively deployed in the fundraising arena at the appropriate levels;
Working closely with database services to ensure the accuracy of data entry, gift processing, and gift acknowledgment, and
providing comprehensive reporting and analysis for all programs, including ROI on each tactic;
Promoting Fordham Prep through communications mediums, individual meetings and events; and
Additional responsibilities as warranted.
The ideal candidate demonstrates:
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a commitment to the principles and ideals of a Jesuit education as set forth in Fordham Prep’s mission statement;
excellent written & oral communication skills to effectively articulate the values and mission of Fordham Prep;
an ability to identify and implement best practices for the development process complementing a data-driven mindset;
excellent interpersonal skills - a relationship builder; able to build and foster networks of individuals and institutions;
a commitment to working as a member of a team - collegial approach to advancement; able to work across office lines to
achieve common goals;
comfort with ambiguity and able to navigate complex structures;
5-10 years of professional experience, with specific preference given to previous experience in educational fundraising;
prior experience raising gifts from a variety of constituent groups including five and six-figure gifts;
a working knowledge of social media, marketing and public relations;
advanced computer skills with proficiency in Raiser's Edge, giving software and research programs, and Microsoft Office;
self-motivation and creativity, as well as task- and detail-oriented, willing to work both collaboratively and independently;
capability of working with sensitive information with complete confidentiality; and
willingness to travel and flexibility with work schedule with availability to work weekends and evenings when necessary.
Applications will be accepted until July 25. Review of applications and interviews will take place in July; the position will be filled in
August. Please send a letter stating personal interest, a comprehensive resume, and the names and phone numbers of at least two
references (who will not be contacted until later in the interview process) to:
Darlene Milone
Fordham Preparatory School
441 East Fordham Road
Bronx, NY 10458
miloned@fordhamprep.org
Fax: 718-367-7598