Director of Advancement

Tvt-Community-Day-School; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

TVT Community Day School in Irvine, CA seeks a Director of Advancement to lead fundraising and donor engagement as the senior fundraising leader. You will grow philanthropic support through major gifts, the annual fund, and campaign initiatives, while building systems to sustain a high-performing program.

Reporting to the Assistant Head of School for Strategic Engagement, you will collaborate with the Head of School, leadership, and the Board's Advancement Committee to advance donor cultivation

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of progressive fundraising experience with major gifts.
• Experience planning and executing capital or endowment campaigns.
• Ability to lead and develop an advancement team and collaborate with senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead major gifts program with a portfolio of high-capacity donors and a disciplined moves process.
• Plan and execute capital and endowment campaigns with strategy, timelines, and reporting.
• Oversee Annual Fund, donor engagement, stewardship, and data-driven forecasting.
• Ensure strong systems, moves management, and staff performance aligned with school priorities.

Skills

Major gifts

Campaigns

Leadership

Fundraising strategy

Data & systems

Tools

Raiser’s Edge NXT

Job description

Position OverviewTVT Community Day School is a Jewish Community Day school where students of many backgrounds learn together, and our Jewish identity is at the heart of who we are. We seek a Director of Advancement to lead the school's fundraising and donor engagement efforts at a pivotal moment in TVT's growth. The Director is TVT's senior fundraising leader, responsible for growing philanthropic support through campaign initiatives, major gifts, the annual fund, donor engagement, and the systems and strategies that sustain a high-performing advancement program. Reporting to the Assistant Head of School for Strategic Engagement, the Director works in close partnership with the Head of School, school leadership, and the Advancement Committee of the Board. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on relationship management and execution, building sustainable philanthropic support for TVT's mission and long-term financial strength. Success in this role calls for a genuine appreciation of Jewish life and values and the ability to build authentic relationships across our diverse, pluralistic community.Key ResponsibilitiesMajor GiftsLead TVT’s major gifts program, managing a portfolio of high-capacity prospects and donors and driving disciplined qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and pipeline movement.Establish clear goals and accountability for major gift activity and results, including prospect qualification, portfolio movement, solicitations, commitments, and pipeline growth.Personally cultivate and solicit significant gifts, including five- and six-figure commitments, and support opportunities for larger transformational gifts as appropriate.CampaignLead the planning and execution of capital and endowment campaign initiatives, establishing the strategies, timelines, systems, case for support, gift opportunities, prospect strategies, solicitation materials, and reporting needed to achieve campaign objectives.Partner with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, Strategic Engagement, and Board leadership to prepare for and advance donor cultivation and solicitation efforts.Coordinate campaign priorities and messaging with the Advancement Committee and marketing team to ensure a consistent and compelling donor experience.Annual FundLead the annual fund, establishing clear goals, strategies, calendars, systems, and volunteer engagement while monitoring participation, donor retention, average gift, and total revenue to support sustainable year-over-year growth.Guide coordinated engagement of parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of TVT, ensuring annual giving and alumni engagement support broader fundraising, stewardship, and community-building goals.Donor Relations & StewardshipLead a comprehensive stewardship approach that strengthens donor relationships through timely acknowledgment, recognition, impact reporting, and meaningful engagement.Strengthen donor retention and build a culture of philanthropy across the TVT community, helping parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends understand the role charitable giving beyond tuition plays in advancing TVT’s mission and priorities.Partner with the marketing team to align campaign messaging, donor communications, and advancement storytelling with school priorities and the donor experience.Advancement Operations & Team LeadershipEnsure the advancement program is supported by strong systems, accurate data, disciplined moves management, and clear standards for prospect research, gift records, portfolio management, and pipeline reporting, maintaining proficiency in Raiser’s Edge NXT.Provide accurate and timely advancement reporting and fundraising forecasts to the Assistant Head of School, Head of School, and Board partners, highlighting progress against goals, opportunities, and areas requiring attention.Lead and develop the Advancement team, establishing clear priorities, responsibilities, performance expectations, and goals while maintaining a strong understanding of TVT’s programs and priorities to connect donors meaningfully to the school’s mission and opportunities for impact.Experience & Fundraising Results: Seven or more years of progressive advancement or fundraising experience, with demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and closing significant gifts and increasing responsibility for fundraising strategy and results.Major Gifts & Campaigns: Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of major-gift prospects and donors, advancing prospects through disciplined moves management, and contributing to the planning and execution of capital, endowment, or other significant fundraising campaigns.Leadership & Partnership: Demonstrated ability to lead and develop advancement staff and partner effectively with senior leaders, Board members, and volunteers on donor strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.Fundraising Strategy, Data & Systems: Strong command of fundraising strategy, pipeline development, and the use of data and CRM systems to manage portfolios, track activity, forecast results, and inform decision-making.Preferred:Experience with Raiser’s Edge NXT or a comparable advancement CRM.Experience with independent school fundraising and the parent, grandparent, alumni, and community giving dynamics common to school advancement programs.Knowledge of Jewish communal philanthropy, including networks, foundations, and giving traditions that shape it