Director of Annual Giving & Signature Events

Reports to: Director of Advancement

Department: Advancement

Status: Full-time, Exempt

Position Summary

The Director of Annual Giving & Signature Events is a key member of Marin Academy's Advancement team responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive annual giving program and leading the strategy for MA's signature fundraising event.

The Director oversees the MA Now Annual Fund, including fundraising strategy, donor participation, solicitation, volunteer engagement, communications, and performance. The Director also provides strategic leadership and overall management for MA Together (Marin Academy's signature community event and fundraiser), the spring online auction, and related fundraising parties and gatherings.

Working closely with the Director of Advancement, the Director of Annual Giving & Signature Events will help strengthen Marin Academy's culture of philanthropy, deepen donor engagement, and build a strong pipeline from annual giving into leadership and major giving as MA prepares for its next comprehensive campaign.

The position combines fundraising strategy, relationship building, volunteer management, communications, and event leadership.

Annual Giving Strategy & Fundraising

• Develop and execute the annual strategy for the MA Now Annual Fund, establishing goals for revenue, participation, retention, acquisition, upgrades, and renewed giving.
• Create and manage an integrated annual solicitation calendar across mail, email, digital communications, volunteer outreach, events, and personal solicitations.
• Develop leadership Annual Fund strategies in partnership with the Director of Advancement.
• Build strategies to acquire new donors, retain existing donors, reactivate lapsed donors, and increase giving over time.
• Personally cultivate and solicit a portfolio of Annual Fund prospects.
• Partner with the Director of Advancement to identify Annual Fund donors with the capacity and inclination for major and campaign giving.
• Regularly analyze Annual Fund performance and adjust strategies based on results.
• Partner with Advancement colleagues to ensure accurate tracking, reporting, acknowledgment, and stewardship of Annual Fund gifts.

Annual Giving Communications

• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop a compelling Annual Fund communications strategy.
• Create messaging that clearly demonstrates the impact of donor support.
• Develop solicitation materials, digital campaigns, giving-related communications, volunteer messaging, and other Annual Fund content.
• Develop messaging that strengthens community understanding of MA's philanthropic model, including the roles of tuition, Annual Fund giving, fundraising events, and other philanthropic priorities.
• Ensure Annual Fund communications remain coordinated with major gift and campaign communications.

MA Together

• Provide strategic leadership and overall management for MA Together, Marin Academy's signature fundraising and community event.
• Establish fundraising goals and develop strategies for sponsorships, underwriting, leadership gifts, and event-related giving.
• Lead and support MA Together volunteer co-chairs.
• Develop the overall project plan, timeline, budget, fundraising strategy, and donor engagement plan.
• Partner with the Director of Advancement, an event producer, Advancement colleagues, the Marketing and Communications team, school leadership, vendors, and volunteers.
• Ensure that fundraising and donor engagement remain central to event planning and decision-making.
• Develop donor engagement strategies with the Director of Advancement before, during, and after MA Together.
• Lead post-event evaluation of revenue, expenses, participation, donor engagement, and opportunities for future cultivation.

Spring Online Auction, Parties, & Gatherings

• Lead the fundraising strategy and overall management of Marin Academy's spring online auction.
• Partner closely with volunteer auction co-chairs on planning, procurement, promotion, and execution.
• Develop strategies to secure compelling auction items and experiences.
• Oversee the auction timeline, platform, communications, revenue goals, and performance.
• Partner with volunteers on community parties, gatherings, experiences, and other creative fundraising opportunities throughout the year.
• Use these activities strategically to increase participation, engage new donors, and strengthen relationships across the MA community.

Volunteer Leadership

• Recruit, train, support, and steward volunteers involved in the Annual Fund, MA Together, online auction, parties, and other fundraising programs.
• Develop strong partnerships with volunteer co-chairs, committee members, and MAPA (Marin Academy Parents Association).
• Provide volunteers with clear goals, messaging, timelines, tools, and support.
• Partner with MAPA and other community leaders when appropriate to strengthen participation and philanthropy.
• Create meaningful volunteer opportunities while maintaining clear staff ownership of fundraising strategy.

Donor Pipeline & Campaign Readiness

• Work closely with the Director of Advancement to use the Annual Fund as a pipeline for leadership and major giving.
• Identify donors whose giving, engagement, or interests suggest potential for deeper cultivation.
• Participate in prospect strategy and moves-management conversations.
• Coordinate Annual Fund solicitations with major gift and campaign activity to ensure donors receive thoughtful and appropriately paced outreach.
• Help strengthen annual giving during the campaign so that campaign fundraising does not come at the expense of unrestricted annual support.
• Participate in campaign cultivation and stewardship activities as appropriate.

Collaboration

• Serve as an active member of the Advancement team and contribute to department-wide fundraising strategy.
• Maintain an integrated annual calendar of solicitations, events, volunteer activities, and donor communications.
• Support other Advancement priorities as needed.

Experience & Qualifications

• Experience and demonstrated ability to personally cultivate, solicit, and steward donors in nonprofit fundraising, independent schools, higher education, or a related field.
• Strong financial and analytical experience, including budget development, revenue forecasting, and fundraising performance evaluation.
• Experience managing fundraising events and partnering effectively with volunteer leaders.
• Strong project-management experience with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.

Skills

The successful candidate will be a relationship-oriented fundraiser, strategic thinker, and highly organized self-starter who can see the big picture while owning execution.

• A strategic thinker who can connect day-to-day fundraising activity to broader institutional goals and identify opportunities to strengthen and grow the annual giving program.
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and follow-through.
• A proactive, self-starting approach with the ability to anticipate needs, take initiative, and move projects forward independently.
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building, and communication skills, both written and public speaking, with the ability to connect with diverse audiences.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and a donor-centered approach to fundraising.
• A collaborative and flexible approach to working with colleagues, volunteers, donors, and families.
• Deep cultural competency and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.

What Success Looks Like

Success means Marin Academy has a growing and increasingly strategic Annual Fund that consistently meets or exceeds revenue goals; donor retention, acquisition, participation, leadership giving, and upgrades are strong; MA Together and the spring auction achieve their fundraising and engagement objectives; volunteers feel supported and valued; and the Annual Fund increasingly serves as a pipeline for leadership and campaign giving.

To Apply: Interested applicants should submit a re9sume9 and cover letter to the ADP site on our web page: http://www.ma.org/careers

Annual Salary Range: $100,000 - $130,000 based on years of experience.