Executive Director of Advancement

Rothesay Netherwood School; Town of Rothesay; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rothesay Netherwood School seeks an inaugural Executive Director of Advancement to unify Development, Enrolment Management, Marketing and Communications, and the Registrar under a single strategic vision.

This senior leader will design a multi-year campaign and cultivation program, deepen a culture of philanthropy, strengthen donor relationships, and position the School for sustained financial sustainability and growth on national and international levels.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree or equivalent senior leadership experience.
• Significant leadership in advancement, fundraising or related field.
• Experience leading major fundraising initiatives and campaigns.
• Proven ability to cultivate, solicit and steward major donors.
• Experience growing endowments and philanthropy culture.
• Ability to lead integrated teams across advancement, enrolment and communications.
• Strong people leadership with accountability.
• Experience working with boards or governance bodies.
• Data-informed with CRM and analytics to guide decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year advancement strategy integrating fundraising, enrolment management, and communications.
• Provide unified leadership to the advancement portfolio and oversee resource allocation.
• Personally cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and oversee major gifts and endowment growth.
• Partner with Head of School to strengthen philanthropy culture and donor engagement.
• Collaborate with enrolment and marketing teams to optimize recruitment and financial aid strategies.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Fundraising

Donor relations

Communication

Board engagement

Data-driven decision making

Team leadership

Education

Graduate degree or equivalent senior leadership experience

Tools

CRM systems

Analytics tools

Job description

Rothesay Netherwood School (RNS) is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven leader to serve as its inaugural Executive Director of Advancement. This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead an integrated advancement vision in one of Canada’s leading independent schools.

The Organization

Founded in 1877, Rothesay Netherwood School (RNS) is a co-educational boarding and day school for Grades 6 to 12 that offers unique and exceptional world-class learning experiences in a safe, caring, and inclusive school community. Our mission is to provide a nurturing environment where students are empowered to embrace their individuality while pursuing the greater good. Located in Rothesay, New Brunswick, we challenge students to be active, compassionate leaders with a global perspective and the determination to make a difference in the world. We are a proud IB World School and a member of Round Square. RNS is a leading independent school with nearly 150 years of experience providing educational excellence for students from Atlantic Canada, across Canada, and around the world. Boarding is an integral part of our school culture, with half of our boarding students coming from outside Rothesay and half from countries around the world. We have representation from over 25 countries worldwide on our campus. Our international student population brings learning opportunities and a deep appreciation of heritage, history and languages.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of School and serving as a member of the Senior Management Team, the Executive Director of Advancement is a newly created role that brings together Development, Enrolment Management, Marketing and Communications, and the Registrar under a unified strategy. This executive will design and lead a comprehensive advancement program aligned with the School’s strategic priorities, with a central mandate to drive a $25 million campaign over the next five years. The Executive Director will play a key role in strengthening the School’s culture of philanthropy, enhancing its market position, and building lasting relationships across its community in Canada and globally.

Key areas of oversight and responsibility are:

Strategic Leadership and Integration

The Executive Director will develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year advancement strategy that integrates fundraising, enrolment management, and marketing and communications in alignment with the School’s strategic priorities. They will collaborate closely with senior leadership and Boards to establish clear goals, performance metrics, and reporting frameworks.

Human Resources Management

The role will provide unified leadership to the advancement portfolio, fostering a highly collaborative, high-performing team culture while overseeing resources to ensure strong return on investment and long-term institutional sustainability.

Campaign Leadership and Philanthropy

The Executive Director will personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major and transformational donors, while working closely with the Head of School to advance high-level philanthropic relationships. They will strengthen a Culture of Philanthropy across the School community and ensure the continued growth of major gifts, legacy giving, and endowment programs that support the School’s long-term vision.

Enrolment Management and Market Positioning

Working in close partnership with the enrolment and marketing teams, the Executive Director will support strategies to enhance student recruitment and retention across domestic and international markets. The role will leverage data, demographic trends, and market insights to refine the School’s value proposition, inform financial assistance strategies, and ensure a competitive and differentiated position in the independent school landscape.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you are a strategic and relationship-driven leader with a proven ability to advance institutional priorities through fundraising, communications, and team leadership. You bring experience cultivating major gifts and leading ambitious campaigns, with a strong commitment to growing the endowment as a means of expanding access, strengthening financial sustainability, and enabling the School’s long-term vision. As an exceptional communicator and storyteller, you articulate a compelling case for support and engage alumni, families, and donors in meaningful ways.

You thrive in a collaborative, cross-functional environment and are skilled at aligning teams around shared goals while fostering a high-performing, accountable, and supportive culture. Both visionary and pragmatic, you are comfortable using data and insight to inform decisions, while also challenging assumptions and introducing new approaches. Above all, you are aligned with the School’s mission and energized by the opportunity to position it for continued success, inspiring others to rally behind a clear and ambitious path forward.

Qualifications and Experience

• A graduate degree in a relevant field (e.g., business, communications, education, or a related discipline) or an equivalent combination of education and senior leadership experience.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in advancement, fundraising, or a related field, ideally within an independent school, post‑secondary, or not‑for‑profit environment.
• Demonstrated success leading or contributing to major fundraising initiatives, including capital campaigns and major gift programs.
• Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major and transformational donors, with experience supporting senior leaders in high‑level philanthropic engagement.
• Experience developing and executing strategies to grow and sustain endowments and build a strong culture of philanthropy.
• Track record of leading integrated or multi-functional teams, with the ability to align advancement, enrolment, and communications efforts around shared priorities.
• Strong people leadership skills, including building high‑performing teams, setting clear expectations, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Experience working with Boards or governing bodies, with the ability to build trust and support effective governance and engagement.
• Data‑informed and strategic mindset, with experience using metrics, CRM systems, and analytics to guide decision‑making and measure impact.

Attributes

• High level of judgment, professionalism, and discretion, with the ability to operate effectively in a senior leadership environment.
• Strong storytelling skills, with the ability to be persuasive while speaking to different audiences.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information and articulate a compelling institutional narrative to diverse audiences.
• The ability to work collegially and effectively and build trusting relationships both internally and externally.

Rothesay Netherwood School is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment where all members of our community feel valued, respected, and supported. We welcome applications from diverse backgrounds and are dedicated to a fair hiring process, free from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will provide support and accommodations to applicants with disabilities, upon request. If you need accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact [e-mail] or communicate your needs to the recruitment professional named in the job description.

Rothesay Netherwood School is located on the traditional territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples. We are honoured to share this place, and as a school community, we are committed to being responsible stewards of the land on which we live, teach, and learn, both today and for future generations.