Advancement Associate

Friends Academy; Locust Valley (NY); On-site; USD 28,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Friends Academy in Locust Valley, NY is hiring an Advancement Associate to support the development team. This entry-level position helps manage the office budget, draft donor communications, and create content for giving campaigns and social media.

The role offers hands-on learning in independent school fundraising, donor relations, and community engagement within a supportive, Quaker-guided environment; attendance at events may be evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Strong writing and communications skills.
• Experience with budgets, bookkeeping, or spreadsheets helpful.
• Familiarity with social media and content tools (Canva) helpful.
• Ability to collaborate across teams and manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Manage Advancement Office budget, track expenditures, and process invoices.
• Prepare donor stewardship materials and impact metrics.
• Draft content for giving campaigns and social media.
• Coordinate events and calendar with campus partners.

Skills

Writing & Communications

Analytical & Detail-Oriented

Tech-Savvy

Team Player

Quaker Values Alignment

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Veracross

Job description

Details

Posted: 16-Jun-26

Location: Locust Valley, New York

Type: Full Time

Categories: Other

Reports To: Director of External Affairs

FLSA Status: Full-Time Hourly, Non-Exempt; 40 hours per week

Work Schedule: 12-month position

Mission:

Guided by our Quaker principles, Friends Academy educates our students to discover and develop the best of who they are and who they can become.

Belief Statement:

We achieve educational excellence by committing to the highest standards of learning and living. Our diverse and welcoming community is strengthened by our Quaker values, which empower our students to inquire, reflect, and engage in their classrooms, in their neighborhoods, and in the world. Because when we inspire students to learn and live with purpose, they achieve greatness without sacrificing goodness.

Position Summary:

Friends Academy seeks a motivated, highly organized, and collaborative Advancement Associate to join our development team. This entry‑level position is specifically designed for an aspiring professional eager to launch a career in development and master the vocation of educational advancement.

The Advancement Associate will play a critical role in keeping the department running seamlessly by managing the office budget, preparing meaningful donor stewardship materials, and drafting creative content for giving campaigns and social media. This role offers an unparalleled, hands‑on opportunity to learn the inner workings of independent school fundraising, donor relations, and community engagement within a supportive environment rooted in Quaker values. This position requires attendance at school events, which may take place on evenings and weekends.

Essential Duties:

Duties may change, and others may be assigned

Office Budget & Financial Administration

• Budget Tracking & Management: Serve as the primary manager of the Advancement Office budget; track expenditures, reconcile monthly credit card statements, request purchase orders, manage facilities requests, and process invoices through the business office.
• Expense Reporting: Maintain meticulous records of department spending, helping to prepare regular budget updates and ensuring resources are utilized efficiently.
• Vendor Coordination: Manage relationships and administrative paperwork with external vendors, including printers, mail houses, and event suppliers.

Donor Stewardship & Cultivation Support

• Stewardship Materials: Prepare customized stewardship reports, thank‑you materials, and impact metrics for leadership donors and foundations to demonstrate the power of their philanthropy.
• Gift Acknowledgment Support: Assist with the timely drafting and processing and printing of specialized acknowledgment letters, ensuring donors feel recognized and valued.
• Donor Relations Logistics: Help coordinate details for stewardship touchpoints, donor recognition circles, and specialized giving societies.

Event Support

• Work closely with the Assistant Director of Events: to support end‑to‑end event management
• Attend school wide calendar meetings: Ensure Parent Council, advancement, and alumni events are properly represented and supported
• Ability to effectively manage calendaring tools and collaborate with campus partners: Work across departments including arts, athletics, admissions, academics, and facilities.

Campaign Content & Digital Communications Support

• Giving Campaigns: Assist with drafting compelling appeal copy, email blasts, and digital content for annual giving campaigns, day‑of‑giving initiatives, and milestone celebrations.
• Social Media & Storytelling: Partner with the advancement and communications teams to create and schedule engaging content across institutional social media channels, highlighting the impact of giving on students, faculty, and campus life.
• Collateral Development: Help write and proofread content for the school magazine, annual report of philanthropy, and event programs.
• Parent portal: Working with Parent Council and Advancement colleagues, oversee internal information hub

Vocational Learning & Professional Development

• Fully immerse in the principles of educational fundraising, learning best practices in data management, annual fund pipelines, capital campaigns, and major gift strategies.
• Actively participate in strategy meetings, cross‑training across event planning and alumni relations, and professional development opportunities with campus partners in arts, athletics, and academics.

Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: This is an entry‑level position; prior internship experience or campus leadership in fundraising, communications, marketing, or business administration is preferred.
• Writing & Communication: Strong written communications skills with the ability to tell inspiring stories and pivot between professional appeal letters and engaging social media captions.
• Analytical & Detail‑Oriented: Exceptional organizational skills and a comfort level with numbers, tracking budgets, and managing spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets).
• Tech‑Savvy: Quick to learn new systems; familiarity with social media platforms and design tools (like Canva) is highly desirable. Willingness to learn database management (Veracross) is essential.
• Team Player: A proactive, "can-do" attitude with a willingness to roll up your sleeves to support large‑scale advancement initiatives and events.
• Mission Alignment: A deep respect for, and commitment to, the Quaker values, mission, and community spirit of Friends Academy.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

The requirements listed above and below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

• A Bachelor’s Degree is required
• Exceptional organizational, time‑management, and multitasking abilities are required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and other productivity tools is required
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment are required
• Professional demeanor and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with diverse audiences are required

Competencies

• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently
• Effective communication skills, working with diverse teams, and clearly conveying complex information
• Proactive problem‑solving skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities
• Ability to adapt to changes and learn new processes
• Commitment to ongoing professional development in the field of educational advancement

Salary

The expected hourly rate for this position is $20-$23 per hour. This position is eligible for overtime. The actual compensation will be based on the candidates’ relevant and transferable years of service, and other factors, which include internal peer equity, the market and other organizational considerations. The salary range and/or hourly rate listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Must be able to travel around and across campus
• Must be able to operate a computer or related equipment 90% of the work day

Our Commitment to Diversity:

Friends Academy is committed to our guiding principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome candidates representing the diversity of the world as we deepen and elevate our educational program.

Friends Academy is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to hiring and retaining exceptional, dedicated people of diverse backgrounds. We consider qualified individuals for employment with the School regardless of age, color, disability status, gender identity or expression, genetics, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. It is Friends Academy’s policy to comply with all applicable laws pertaining to nondiscrimination and equal opportunity.

We invite you to visit our FAQ Diversity, Equity + Inclusion webpage.

About Friends Academy

Belief Statement: We achieve educational excellence by committing to the highest standards of learning and living. Our diverse and welcoming community is strengthened by our Quaker values, which empower our students to inquiry, reflect, and engage in their classrooms, in their neighborhoods, and in the world. Because when we inspire students to learn and live with purpose, they achieve greatness without sacrificing goodness.