Assistant Director of Annual Giving

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Assistant Director of Annual Giving

Commonwealth School seeks a full-time Assistant Director of Annual Giving to begin in fall 2025. The Assistant Director of Annual Giving plays a critical role in Commonwealth School’s Advancement team.

About Commonwealth School

Commonwealth is an independent day school in Boston's Back Bay, serving students in grades 9–12. The school is known for its rigorous academics, low (5:1) student-teacher ratio, strong program in the arts, and unparalleled access to the city’s many resources. In the warmth of a small yet richly varied community, we work closely and collaboratively as we strive, as our mission suggests, to educate young people from diverse backgrounds to become knowledgeable, thoughtful, and creative adults capable of careful analysis, fruitful cooperation, and responsible leadership. Faculty and staff value trust and respect, shared stewardship, autonomy, accountability, creativity, and enjoyment (see our fully articulated norms here). Detailed information about the school is available on our website.

About the Assistant Director Position

Following a period of exciting, strategic team growth, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving will be a new and impactful member of Commonwealth School’s Advancement team. Annual giving accounts for $1 million each year, making up a crucial 10% of Commonwealth’s budget. The Assistant Director will collaborate with and support the Associate Director of Advancement to achieve annual fund targets through proactive and comprehensive cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of parents, alumni/ae, and friends. Managing a portfolio of 40–50 donors capable of giving up to $5,000 on average, the Assistant Director will apply best practices and moves management strategies to build relationships and grow giving. They will utilize Raiser’s Edge NXT to make data-driven decisions and will oversee creation, distribution, and follow-up of print and electronic appeals and annual fund communications. 

Commonwealth School deeply values professional development for faculty and staff. As a member of a small, fast-paced Advancement Team, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving will have the opportunity to grow in knowledge of industry best practices and methodology. We are a collaborative and supportive team and enjoy the opportunity to be immersed in the life of our school. Commonwealth encourages and invests in discovery and curiosity in its adult community as well as in its students. As a member of a high-performing advancement team, the Assistant Director of Annual Giving will play a crucial role in creating opportunities for educational excellence for our talented students.

Annual Giving

• Manage a portfolio of 40–50 donors, focused on soliciting annual gifts in the $1,000–$5,000 range through personal communication and face-to-face meetings.
• Play a major role in planning and executing Commonwealth’s annual Giving Day and other annual giving efforts
• In collaboration with the Associate Director of Advancement and Communications team, oversee creation, distribution, and follow-up of print and electronic appeal(s) and Commonwealth Fund communications
• Manage and grow recurring giving, reunion giving, corporate matching gifts, and renewals and reacquisitions of previous donors
• Conduct regular donor management activities such as thank-you calls and cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship visits
• Support advancement operations, including database management, online giving forms, and data synthesis

Departmental Responsibilities

• Support advancement events 
• Participate in professional development and regular training on database and related platforms
• Maintain and update the Commonwealth Policies & Procedures Manual for Raiser’s Edge to reflect Advancement processes and platform updates
• Actively support and collaborate with teammates to achieve goals
• Provide occasional support in other areas of school life as needed

Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the Associate Director of Advancement.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree, or equivalent experience, and 2–3 years of experience on a fundraising team
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience with a fundraising CRM, preferably Raiser’s Edge NXT
• Strong organizational, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to manage concurrent projects, adapt, and prioritize
• A high level of professionalism, flexibility, diplomacy, and responsiveness working with a range of constituencies
• A high degree of computer literacy, including proficiency using Google Workspace and learning new technology
• Familiarity with independent schools a plus

Job Status

This is a full-time, exempt position. Daily attendance is required and some evening and weekend work will be necessary during the academic year for events that take place outside of normal business hours. While this role primarily works in person, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., there is an opportunity for some remote work (i.e., one remote day each week).

Salary Range

$75,000–$80,000, pending experience.

Benefits

• Competitive medical and dental insurance
• Retirement plan with 8% employer contribution
• Four weeks’ vacation in first year of employment: two weeks typically used in the summer months, one week each in December (inclusive of holidays) and March during the school’s winter and spring breaks
• Reduced work hours for eight weeks in late June to early August
• Additional benefits information available upon request

Commonwealth School is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate against any individual based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, veteran status, military service, application for military service, or any other characteristic protected by law.