Development Manager - Events and Communications

Merchant Taylors' School; Watford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Merchant Taylors' School is seeking a proactive Development and Alumni Relations professional to plan and manage a broad events programme in line with the school's strategy.

You will analyse event attendees to maximise fundraising opportunities, liaise with other event organisers, and measure outcomes against targets, adapting the programme as needed while supporting communications, editorial work, newsletters, and online platforms to engage alumni and donors.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage a range of school events (including social, reunion, career support, prospect cultivation) in line with the Development and Alumni Relations Office's strategy.
• Analyse event attendees to maximise fundraising opportunities and brief canvassers.
• Liaise with other event organisers and ensure they have what they need for smooth execution.
• Analyse events and measure success against targets; implement changes as required.
• Manage the events budget in conjunction with the Director of Development.
• As part of an editorial team, work with the Director of Development and Alumni Relations and Marketing/Admissions to generate content for Concordia magazine and oversee production schedules.
• Create content for and produce the termly e-newsletter Parvae Res.
• Communicate and market the events programme by email and printed communications.
• Manage the school's online alumni platform Almabase and generate content for Almabase and the school's social media to drive engagement.
• Review communications against targets and identify growth opportunities.
• Collaborate with the Development Manager (Fundraising and Stewardship) to produce benefactor publications.
• Assist in prospect identification, cultivation and engagement through research, events, and featuring prospects in communications.
• Contribute to the production of fundraising materials.
• Report on progress against objectives (alumni relations) to the Development and Alumni Relations Committee and ensure all contact with OMTs and parents is recorded in Raiser's Edge.

Job description

• Planning and managing a range of events for the school (that will include social and reunion opportunities, networking, careers support, prospect cultivation, etc). This will include involvement in the organisation of OMT Society events, Friends of MTS events, Careers Office events, and general school events, where these are aligned with the Development and Alumni Relations Office's strategy.
• Analysis of event attendees prior to events so that fundraising opportunities are maximised, including briefing any prospect canvassers who are to be present at the event.
• Liaising with other event organisers and taking responsibility for ensuring they have everything they require to make the event run smoothly.
• Analysis of events and measurement of their success or otherwise against office targets, implementing changes to the programme where necessary.
• Manage the budget for events in conjunction with the Director of Development.

Communications:

• As part of an editorial team, working with the Director of Development and Alumni Relations and the School's Marketing and Admissions Department, to generate content for Concordia magazine. This may include conducting interviews for features for both, playing a part in the editorial process, and overseeing production schedules.
• Generating content for, and producing, the termly e-newsletter, Parvae Res, sent at the end of the Easter and Summer terms.
• Communicating and marketing the events programme by email and in printed communications.
• Managing the school's online platform for alumni, Almabase.
• Generating content for Almabase and the school's social media platforms, in conjunction with the Marketing and Communications Office, to drive online engagement with the School.
• Reviews and analysis of communications programme against office targets and identifying areas for growth.
• Working in conjunction with the Development Manager (Fundraising and Stewardship) to produce benefactor publications.

Fundraising:

• Assist in the process of prospect identification, cultivation and engagement through research, events, and featuring prospects in our communications.
• Contribute to the production of fundraising materials.

Reporting:

• Reporting on progress against all objectives, particularly alumni relations, to the Development and Alumni Relations Committee, a sub-committee of Governors.
• Ensuring that all contact with OMTs and parents is recorded on the Development Office's database, the Raiser's Edge.