Thanks for your interest in Success Academy! Running the largest, fastest-growing, and highest-performing network of public charter schools in New York City takes a village - families, children, teachers, staff and faculty, advocates and supporters alike. We would love to welcome you to our community! We work tirelessly every day to ensure each child in NYC has access to a fun, rigorous, whole-child education regardless of zip code or economic status. When you join SA, you play a part in giving every student who walks through the doors of one of our 57 schools in NYC a fair shot at reaching his or her potential.

Job Description

Success Academy’s mission is to reimagine public education. From the classroom to the halls of government, this means finding profoundly different approaches to how to deliver a high-quality education at scale. We re-conceive every aspect of school design, from writing rigorous new curricula to drawing regularly on the advances in technology and business that are transforming every sector except education.

This school year marks the 19th anniversary of Success Academies and the launch of our mission to drive public education as an excellent, efficient, and equitable pillar of American society. During this time, Success Academies has grown faster than any charter network in the nation, building a vibrant network of 55 elementary, middle, and high schools. Our 20,000 children - from underrepresented communities - are out-performing students at top city and suburban schools across New York State. Looking forward, our goals are even more ambitious: to grow to 100 schools and to educate 50,000 children across New York City in a uniquely holistic pre-K-12 system, bringing transformational change here and across the country through extraordinary school quality.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Development (“Head”) and serving as a key member of the Individual Giving (IG) team within the Advancement department, this position advances the mission of Success Academy Charter Schools (SA) through the engagement and solicitation of individual donors and prospects to secure mid-level and major gifts. Specifically, this includes managing and coordinating the identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the assigned portfolio with the goal of significantly increasing philanthropic revenues in support of SA’s ambitious goals for operational, programmatic, and capital purposes.

Key responsibilities include:

Cultivation and Solicitation

• Under the direction of the Head of Development, the Officer manages and grows an assigned portfolio of existing and prospective individual donors with mid-level up through major gift capacity ($5,000-$500,000), with the goal of significantly increasing philanthropic revenues from this donor segment to meet established goals.

• Actively participates in the solicitation of support for special events (e.g., Spring Benefit) to meet/exceed goals.

• Engages in the direct cultivation and solicitation of donors and prospects, including through in-person meetings, telephone, video conferences, written solicitations/proposals, email, and other means tailored as specifically as possible to donor preferences.

• Meets or exceeds agreed upon monthly, quarterly, and annual goals and performance metrics with respect to portfolio management, moves management, solicitations, closures, and dollars raised.

• Records all significant donor interactions in the RE NXT database and tracks gifts and pledge commitments within the assigned portfolio. Monitors pledge reminders, receipting, and acknowledgement processes for timeliness and accuracy.

• In collaboration Advancement colleagues, develops and coordinates the execution of actionable engagement and solicitation strategies for current/prospective donors.

Donor Prospecting

• Utilizes the RE NXT database and other available prospect research and analytical tools to identify, segment, and qualify a broader and deeper pool of prospective donors with the capacity and affinity to make annual gifts at targeted levels, including potential upgrades to the major gift level.

• Works closely with the External Relations team to identify prospective donors for deeper engagement opportunities, including grassroots donors, event attendees, referrals, etc. to augment Officer’s portfolio.

• Collaborates with the Advancement Services team to source qualified prospects through informed database queries and analysis.

Donor Stewardship & Communications

• Along with other Individual Giving Officers and External Relations team, assists with annual donor recognition/appreciation efforts and activities.

• Collaborates closely with the External Relations team to conceive and implement targeted communications and engagement strategies, stewardship, and tailored events/experiences to deepen engagement and support within Officer’s donor portfolio.

• Serves as informal advisor to the External Relations team regarding donor communiques such as acknowledgement letters and “Success Stories” newsletter.

Special Projects & Administration

• Assists the Head of Development and Chief Advancement Officer with any special projects, especially those related to individual giving, including but not limited to fundraising events, direct response efforts, planned giving, and/or administrative tasks.

• Participates in overall IG team and Advancement department planning and budgeting, as requested, and manages expenses within budget.

• Endeavors to remain abreast of SA programs, activities, accolades, and new initiatives to most effectively engage and/or steward donors to greater levels of support.

• Participates in and helps staff SA/Advancement events, as needed.

A successful applicant will have the following experiences and education:

Required Qualifications

The Individual Giving Officer is a proactive, confident self-starter that thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment that values results. They are persistent and driven to succeed in advancing efforts to grow a robust pipeline of individual donors and in meeting or exceeding goals. Success in this role will require the following qualities:

• Self-motivated, self-sufficient, and driven to lead and collaborate with others to achieve success;

• Detail-oriented and analytical;

• Strategic, proactive, and forward thinking;

• Persuasive, outgoing, and confident with exceptional communication skills;

• Possesses the highest standards of personal and professional integrity; and

• Adheres to and promotes SA’s mission, culture, and strategic priorities.

• Superb verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Possesses a passion for the mission of SA and engages prospects with the same passion.

• Ability to travel locally, occasionally work after hours and on weekends.

Skills

• Ability to think strategically and contextually, and to anticipate the needs and expectations of manager and executives.

• Ability to manage competing priorities and multiple, concurrent tasks, exhibit flexibility, and meet deadlines.

• Ability to analyze and present data effectively, make decisions, and align efforts with priorities and opportunities.

• Acts with tact and discretion, respecting confidentiality and proprietary information.

Special Skills

• Proficient with RE NXT or similar CRM systems, MSOffice (and/or Google suite), and Internet required.

• Knowledge of relevant prospect research and analytical tools is beneficial.

A successful applicant will have the following traits:

Required Traits

• Minimum Required: Bachelor’s Degree

• Preferred: Advanced degree. CFRE or other specialized certification/designation is beneficial.

• Minimum Required: 3+ years in individual giving (or similar fundraising experience) and/or consultative sales in a similar role at an organization of comparable size and complexity.

• Demonstrated prior success in individual giving (or consultative sales role) required. Portfolio management experience is beneficial.

To join our team, please upload a cover letter and resume that outlines your candidacy. Your cover letter should explain in detail your qualifications for the position. Resumes without cover letters will not be reviewed.

Success Academy Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer and actively encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth.

Compensation Range: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00
Exact compensation may vary based on skills and experience.

Already an employee of Success Academies? Please go to your Okta Dashboard> Workday> Applications> Career to apply via our Internal Careers page.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We actively seek applications from people of all backgrounds to strengthen our community and the perspectives needed to flourish in a multicultural world. Success Academy offers a full benefits program and opportunities for professional growth. Learn more about our philosophy, benefits, and team at https://jobs.successacademies.org/working-here/ .

Success Academy Charter Schools does not offer employment-based immigration sponsorship.

Our dual mission is to: Build exceptional, world-class public schools that prove children from all backgrounds can succeed in college and life; serve as a catalyst and national model for school reform, and help change public policies that prevent children from having access to opportunity.