The Hewitt School is seeking candidates for a director of advancement for the 2024-2025 school year. The director of advancement manages and leads all fundraising and advancement programs including: annual giving, capital giving, alumnae relations, planned giving, prospect research, foundation and corporate giving, advancement communications, and event management. The director also oversees event management for the academic divisions, admissions, and Parents’ Association.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Founded in 1920, The Hewitt School is an independent girls’ school serving approximately 475 students in grades K-12 on New York City’s Upper East Side. The mission of Hewitt is to inspire girls and young women to become game changers and ethical leaders who forge an equitable, sustainable, and joyous future. Hewitt empowers and expects all community members to embrace multiple points of view, to engage others with empathy and integrity, and to champion equity and justice in all areas of their lives. As a community, Hewitt is fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty, staff, and student body. Nestled on a quiet block on East 75th Street, the Hewitt School's main campus consists of three connected buildings housing its middle and upper schools. Located just one block away, McKelvey Hall is designed specifically for young learners and is home to lower school students. The Theater at St. Jean, as well as wellness facilities, further enrich the student experience. In March 2020, the School announced a new mission and strategic vision, with three major commitments:
Redesign learning around transdisciplinary real-world challenges to build students’ leadership capacity and sense of purpose. Click to learn more.
Reimagine where school happens to take full advantage of immersive, collaborative, and hands-on learning in New York City. Click to learn more.
Redefine women’s leadership by convening student, academic, and industry leaders to challenge, transcend, and transform conventional assumptions about gender, power, and leadership in society. Click to learn more.
Over the last several years, Hewitt has made excellent progress toward its strategic vision. Hewitt girls and young women are healthy, happy, high achievers who are authentically engaged in real-world learning and achieving exceptional college outcomes without being exposed to the kinds of toxic achievement pressures that make teenagers unwell.
At Hewitt, diversity, equity, and inclusivity stand as foundational commitments that guide every aspect of teaching andlearning. These institutional values inform pedagogy, foster personal growth, and cultivate belonging. Hewitt believesthat a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community is essential to educating girls and young women to be positive contributors and citizens of the world. The School recognizes that the work of creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community is ever evolving, never completed, often difficult, and deeply rewarding. All diversity, equity, andinclusivity initiatives at Hewitt invite the community to remain fully present, develop empathy, establish a collective purpose, and employ research-based practices for educating girls in a richly varied and globally interconnected world.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES
Work closely with the head of school and members of the school leadership team, chair of the board, chair of the development committee, chair of the committee on trustees, chair of the finance committee, chair(s) of the Annual Fund, president of the Alumnae Association, and president of the Parents’ Association to further the School’s mission
Collaborate with the School’s leadership team, which includes the heads of each academic division and the directors of marketing and communications, equity and community life, finance, admissions, and facilities and campus operations
Manage a highly productive, hard-working, and collaborative four person advancement team
Continue to evolve guidelines, systems, and procedures for all advancement programs in accordance with best practices
Oversee and direct support services including: record keeping, report systems, budgets, budget reconciliation, and annual reports
Attend all meetings and events, as appropriate
Annual and Capital Giving:
Cultivate and solicit major prospects for annual, capital, and planned giving
Continue to refine the approach to donor relationship management, including stewardship
Implement strategies to achieve the Annual Fund goal with all constituencies
Maintain and refine the comprehensive prospect research program
Alumnae Relations:
Oversee the planning and implementation of the alumnae relations program to improve engagement
Support Reunion and other alumnae giving programs
Foundation and Corporate Giving:
Continue to refine and assist with the planning, writing, and submission of grants to foundations
Cultivate and solicit underwriting opportunities from corporations to further the School’s mission
Events:
Oversee fundraising and alumnae events such as donor cultivation dinners, the Annual Benefit, Reunion, and any kickoff events
Supervise the liaison for Parents’ Association events to ensure proper alignment between school priorities and parent volunteerism
Supervise the execution of admissions and other parent events
Oversee the management of parent-facing academic events
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of ten years of advancement experience required, preferably at an independent school or in higher education
Ability to interact effectively and earn the respect of all the constituencies of the school community: the head of school, the administration, staff, faculty, the board of trustees, alumnae, parents, and friends of the School
Knowledge and experience with successful major gifts and planned giving solicitation for alumnae, parents, and friends of The Hewitt School
Knowledge of how to effectively communicate the values and mission of the School both internally and externally
A vision and interest in being involved in the strategic planning process
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated commitment to anti-bias education and social justice
Ability to oversee the identification, cultivation, and securing of major gift and Annual Fund leadership prospects
Knowledge and experience in prospect tracking, stewardship and reporting procedures, and all aspects of annual giving programs
Knowledge and experience in planned giving preferred, but not required
Experience in organizing and conducting a capital campaign
A high level of integrity, a strong work ethic, a positive outlook, and a good sense of humor
Experience in managing volunteers, including members of governing boards
Ability and interest in managing, leading, developing and mentoring staff
A strong commitment to all-girls independent school education
QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED
A master’s degree in a related field
Proficient with Mac platforms; comfortable with technology or demonstrated ability to learn quickly
Commitment to student life
Proven dedication to professional growth and purpose-driven practice
Professional practice and ability to model contemplation as part of intellectual exploration
SALARY RANGE
Starting Salary Range: $190,000 to $260,000 (salary based upon, but not limited to, relevant experience and expertise)
TO APPLY: Please submit a resumé, cover letter, and examples of previous relevant work on our applicant tracking portal. Cover letters should reflect a careful reading of The Hewitt School’s website, including the School’s academic philosophy. No phone calls, please. Recruitment will remain open until the position is filled; applicants should apply as soon as possible for consideration.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Hewitt School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It has been and will continue to be a fundamental policy of the School not to discriminate on the basis of any category prohibited by applicable federal, New York State and/or New York City laws/regulations. This policy applies to all aspects of the employment process, including hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation/benefits, performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, training, working conditions, layoff, and termination.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED
Bachelor’s degree
Minimum of ten years of advancement experience required, preferably at an independent school or in higher education
Ability to interact effectively and earn the respect of all the constituencies of the school community: the head of school, the administration, staff, faculty, the board of trustees, alumnae, parents, and friends of the School
Knowledge and experience with successful major gifts and planned giving solicitation for alumnae, parents, and friends of The Hewitt School
Knowledge of how to effectively communicate the values and mission of the School both internally and externally
A vision and interest in being involved in the strategic planning process
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Demonstrated commitment to anti-bias education and social justice
Ability to oversee the identification, cultivation, and securing of major gift and Annual Fund leadership prospects
Knowledge and experience in prospect tracking, stewardship and reporting procedures, and all aspects of annual giving programs
Knowledge and experience in planned giving preferred, but not required
Experience in organizing and conducting a capital campaign
A high level of integrity, a strong work ethic, a positive outlook, and a good sense of humor
Experience in managing volunteers, including members of governing boards
Ability and interest in managing, leading, developing and mentoring staff
A strong commitment to all-girls independent school education
QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED
A master’s degree in a related field
Proficient with Mac platforms; comfortable with technology or demonstrated ability to learn quickly
Commitment to student life
Proven dedication to professional growth and purpose-driven practice
Professional practice and ability to model contemplation as part of intellectual exploration
The Hewitt School is an independent college preparatory school for girls in kindergarten through grade twelve with 525 students. The Hewitt School inspires girls and young women to become game changers and ethical leaders who forge and equitable, sustainable, and joyous future. The school values each girl’s individual talents and encourages respect for the diverse interests and backgrounds of others. Hewitt’s small size and supportive environment enable each student to reach her full potential and to become a responsible and socially aware leader. In keeping with its motto “By Faith and Courage,” Hewitt seeks to instill in each girl lifelong faith in herself, personal integrity, and the courage to face challenges with confidence. Hewitt is an inclusive and diverse community of students, faculty, administration, board of trustees, and staff and continues to integrate diversity into the life of the school. Hewitt respects and values individuals whose differences include age, ethnicity, family structure, gender, learning styles, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.