Director of Advancement

Foundation Academies

$80K — $108K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of fundraising experience including team management
  • Proven success in closing five- to six-figure gifts
  • Skilled in CRMs and moves-management tools
  • Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills
  • Experience in relationship-driven environments
  • Mission-focused with a collaborative mindset
  • Strategic thinker capable of maximizing resource allocation

Responsibilities

  • Build and maintain donor research and engagement systems
  • Lead weekly tactical donor relations meetings
  • Secure over $500,000 annually in five-figure gifts
  • Cultivate fundraising relationships with strategic targets
  • Establish visibility in local philanthropic communities
  • Develop strategies to engage new prospects
  • Collaborate with senior leadership to optimize fundraising efforts

Benefits

  • Merit-based annual pay increases
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
  • Tax-deferred 403b retirement with 25% matching
  • Free financial wellness advising
  • Optional disability benefits through Aflac
  • Regular professional development and coaching
  • Career advancement opportunities
  • Company-provided smartphone and laptop
  • Regular team-building activities
  • Generous paid holiday and personal leave
  • Impactful career in education
Full Job Description
Schedule

Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:15pm

Salary: $80,000-$108,000 What is the opportunity?

You will help define how this organization funds its future. The systems you build, the relationships you steward, and the culture you set within advancement will determine what is possible in the years ahead. This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior role at a moment when your decisions will matter - and where success is visible, measurable, and deeply meaningful.

What is in it for you?
  • Merit-based pay increases annually
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefit plans
  • Tax-deferred 403b retirement account with 25% matching up to a certain amount
  • Free financial wellness advising through our Financial Advisor Service
  • Optional short or long-term disability benefits through Aflac
  • Regular strategic professional development and coaching
  • Career advancement opportunities
  • Smartphone and fully paid wireless plan through T-Mobile
  • Windows-based laptop
  • Regular team-building activities and outings
  • 10 sick days and 3 personal days that roll over annually
  • 30 paid holiday observances
  • A rewarding career that positively impacts the lives of our amazing students
What will you be doing?
  • Build and maintain robust systems for donor research, engagement, stewardship, and tracking, ensuring data-driven decision-making and consistent follow-through.
  • Lead weekly tactical and donor relations meetings, supervise and develop the Senior Advancement Associate, and partner with the Advancement Associate to implement a new CRM for long-term adoption.
  • Personally close $500,000+ annually in five-figure gifts, manage annual campaigns generating $150,000+ in three- and four-figure gifts, and cultivate pathways toward six- and seven-figure opportunities.
  • Identify, engage, and steward strategic fundraising targets, leveraging donors, board members, and community partners to unlock institutional and individual opportunities.
  • Serve as a visible, trusted presence in Princeton and Mercer County philanthropic and business communities, participating in events, networks, and memberships with clear strategic intent.
  • Develop creative strategies to introduce and engage new prospects, prioritize high-impact donor interactions, and ensure senior-level engagement throughout the stewardship cycle.
  • Collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer to focus resources on high-value activities, streamline processes, and maximize mission impact.
  • Drive employee engagement opportunities for corporate partners, moving relationships into annual renewal cycles with increased giving.
  • Stay current on local, regional, and statewide philanthropic trends, funding priorities, and opportunities to inform strategic fundraising efforts.
What do we require from you?
  • 7+ years of fundraising experience with increasing responsibilities, including managing staff while remaining an active fundraiser.
  • Proven success closing five- to six-figure gifts and building pipelines toward larger opportunities.
  • Strong systems and strategic mindset: skilled in CRMs, moves-management tools, and designing processes to drive organizational growth.
  • Exceptional organizational, follow-through, prioritization, research, and preparation skills.
  • Comfortable operating in relationship-driven, externally facing environments, with a willingness to network extensively in Mercer County.
  • Collaborative, disciplined, outcomes-oriented, and mission-focused, with an ownership mindset and a desire to shape an organization's future trajectory.
  • Energized by turning relationships into long-term partnerships and thinking strategically about where time, money, and attention should be spent.

Want to join our FAmily?

We are conveniently located a quick car ride to downtown Princeton, a 45-minute SEPTA ride to Philly's Center City, and a hop on the NJ Transit Express to New York City.

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