Director, Major Gifts

About CSS
CSS is an anti-racist, fast-paced, collegial, and team-oriented organization wholly committed to
helping schools become places where students want to be. Our work directly addresses student
disengagement, a root cause of diminished academic performance, students dropping out of school,
and other high-risk student behaviors. We partner with schools in three areas: developing all
students into leaders; empowering teachers to collaborate with each other and with students; and
engaging entire school communities to improve how learning happens.

CSS is driven by the vision that one day, all students will thrive in schools that graduate them
prepared for the rigors of college and lives filled with meaningful work, active citizenship, and
personal fulfillment.

We are committed to antiracism. Our vision for students will not be realized absent the dismantling
of systemic racism that permeates schools and society. Schools are not safe, supportive, engaging,
and inspiring unless they address all areas of marginalization and eradicate all the many
interconnected forms of oppression. CSS's focus on antiracism results from the outsized role that
racism has played in shaping the United States and its institutions, from the fact that racism
intersects with all other forms of oppression and given that which we learn and develop-tools,
frameworks, resources-in dismantling racism can be leveraged to abolish all other forms of
oppression.

Founded in 1979, we are a national organization currently impacting 65,000 students annually and
committed to supporting every K-12 school in the country. Most of our partners are economically
disadvantaged communities where the consequences of student disengagement can be most devastating.

For more information, please visit www.supportiveschools.org. For more information about CSS's
commitment to antiracism, please visit www.supportiveschools.org/antiracism-resources.

The Role
The Center for Supportive Schools (CSS) seeks a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and emerging leader
to serve as the Director, Major Gifts. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO), this
leader will execute and manage cultivation and stewardship strategies in support of annual giving,
gift planning and procurement, donor relations, and campaigns. This leader will support the greater
CSS team through active research of philanthropic investments throughout our footprint, therefore
identifying and consistently increasing new potential partners, contributors, and future champions
of our work.
With the vision and strategic direction of the CEO and CAO, the Director, Major Gifts professional
will serve on the front-line of fundraising, working directly with the Coordinator, Advancement
Operations to
Every school...safe, supportive, engaging, and inspiring.

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Director, Major Gifts 2

successfully manage stewardship of donors and pursue new donors and funding opportunities. The
Director, Major Gifts leader, will grow and maintain a $500,000+ annual giving portfolio as a
component of an emerging, seven-figure, integrated fundraising strategy for CSS. This portfolio
will result from direct solicitations and new partnerships through event sponsorships.

Key Job Responsibilities

Foundational Duties and Responsibilities

● Create and oversee a world-class major gifts program to ensure consistent growth of the Center
for Supportive Schools giving community, including annual year-end giving campaigns
● Qualify, develop, and maintain year-round relationships with a portfolio of donors and prospects
to grow immediate funding, long term funding and planned gift programs
● Secure $500,000+ in major gifts through a diversified giving portfolio and active cultivation
leading to a robust, researched, and well-informed donor pipeline
● Develop, plan, and implement a comprehensive prospect strategy to achieve successful
cultivation, engagement, and solicitations, including but not limited to moving prospects from one
giving level to the next
● Conduct regular benchmarking of peer institutions and new markets (in collaboration with Chief
Growth & Reach Officer), to assess pacing and goal setting for the Advancement team and
partnerships with business development colleagues within the organization
● Prepare monthly reports and quarterly dashboards in support of the CAO's engagement with the
Development Committee for the CSS Board of Trustees, as well as the Senior Leadership Team
● Partner with MD, External Affairs and Engagement and team to develop necessary systems,
collateral, and processes to communicate the role and impact of major gifts
● Support the preparation of Executive and Senior Leaders in the preparation of prospect
communications, research, collateral, and funding proposals
● Support the documentation of "moves" for all outreach activities for prospects, keeping an
accurate and timely report of solicitations
● Provide feedback and execution of stewardship plans and giving goals, in alignment with the
vision and leadership of the CAO
Partnership, Sponsorship, and Special Events

● Identify, create, and implement cultivation/volunteer opportunities, visits, tours to increase
involvement for current and prospective donors

CENTER FOR SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Director, Major Gifts 3

● Create small-scale engagement and event opportunities to educate, inspire, and uplift major
gifts donors and prospects, including but not limited to the following: Trustee Networks and
Cocktails; CSS External Lunch and Learns; Summer Luncheon Series
● Partner with People & Culture colleagues and Growth & Reach colleagues to establish an annual
CSS Service Day, allowing for corporate engagement
● Partner with CEO and Executive Leaders to create a solid itinerary of outreach conversations
while conducting business travel for conferences, business development, or other efforts across new
and existing markets

Qualifications and Experience
Education: Bachelor's degree and minimum of 5-7 years of demonstrated success in fundraising, with
particular attention to major gifts fundraising, corporate relationships, and constituent
engagement responsibilities. CSS is looking for:
● Authentic relationship building, with keen insights on empathetic and reflective listening,
consistent
follow-through, genuine expressions of gratitude and care.
● Outgoing professional who recognizes the value of networking and taking initiative to build
productive relationships on behalf of philanthropic investments in CSS
● Passionate and professional advocate for youth development, thriving schools, social emotional
learning, and youth mental health
Professional Experiences and Personal Qualities/Skills:
● Proven track record of successfully soliciting donations, follow through on pending asks and
bringing gifts to fruition.
● Previous success with annual galas, breakfasts, and/or other social events with fundraising asks
attached
● Previous success with direct mail, phone-a-thon, and corporate philanthropy partnerships
● Experience cultivating and executing five- and six-figure major gits, developing donor
strategies, and effectively cultivating and stewarding major donors
● Research and development of 'mini-campaigns as needed for specific fundraising projects
● Outstanding working knowledge of CRM software, with a desired focus on Salesforce
● Ability to work with and communicate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
● Superior written and verbal skills to persuasively convey the history and impact of CSS
● Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities with meticulous attention to detail
and deadlines
● Experience with multi-state organizational reach and footprint

CENTER FOR SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Director, Major Gifts 4

Location
The Director, Major Gifts role is a remote position, with scheduled in-person meetings either in
Princeton, NJ or New York City, NY to support the CEO, CAO, and Board of Trustees. There will be
approximately 20% travel as needed and directed by the Chief Advancement Officer. As the strategy
unfolds, this leader will be expected to travel to successfully represent CSS, support cultivation
and solicitation of gifts, as well as support renewal and stewardship efforts.
Work Environment/Physical Requirements
● Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working at a computer, including participating in
virtual videoconference meetings
● Communicating with others in writing and verbally to exchange information
● Traveling long distances by plane/car

Compensation and Benefits
The anticipated starting date for this position is June 1, 2024. The annual salary range for this
position is
$80,000 - $95,000 per year.

CSS offers the following benefits:
● Comprehensive and competitive benefits plan, including health, dental, vision, flexible spending
accounts, health reimbursement accounts, commuter and transit accounts for employees who meet the
eligibility requirements
● 403(b) plan with employer match
● Generous paid time off
● Paid holidays and winter break
● Flexible work option based on job role eligibility
● Employee Assistance Program
● Reduced schedule on Fridays during summer months
● Phone stipend

To Apply
Interested applicants are requested to apply by emailing a cover letter and CV/résumé to
ssimonetti@supportiveschools.org. Please include the title of the position in the subject line of
your email. If possible, please email all documents in PDF format. Black, Indigenous, and other
People of Color (BIPOC) are strongly encouraged to apply.

Center for Supportive Schools is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusive hiring and
dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and equity in its work and staff. CSS's Equal Employment
Opportunity and Affirmative Action related policies are available upon request.
CENTER FOR SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS