Director of Community Engagement & Development

Leila Inc; New Haven (CT); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Healthy breakfast and lunch provided

Job summary

Leila Day, a progressive, play-based school in New Haven, seeks a Director of Community Engagement & Development to lead philanthropic initiatives, community partnerships, and storytelling for the school's 150th Anniversary.

This 14–15 month, full-time role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution across fundraising, events, communications, and enrollment outreach, reporting to the Executive Director.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, events, or related nonprofit work.
• Proven ability to lead events from concept to completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organizational and project-management abilities.
• Experience with fundraising campaigns and donor relations is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and fundraising strategies, including 150th Anniversary campaigns.
• Plan, promote, and execute major community events and donor engagements.
• Manage communications across email, website, social media, and print.
• Support enrollment outreach and alumni engagement for the school.
• Build partnerships and coordinate storytelling and archival projects.

Skills

Community engagement

Fundraising

Event planning

Communications

Relationship-building

Project management

Job description

About This Role

Employment Details

Position: Director of Community Engagement & Development

Position Type: Full-Time, Fixed-Term (Approximately 14–15 Months)

Anticipated Term: November 2026 – January 2028

Compensation & Status: $70,000 - $80,000 annually, salaried and exempt; commensurate with education and experience.

Schedule: Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm; with occasional evenings and weekends

Location: New Haven, CT (On-site)

Reports To: Charlie Malone, Executive Director

About Leila Day

Leila Day is a progressive, play-based, nature-centered school where childhood is honored. We innovate and build on the best traditions and practices of progressive, early childhood education. We believe in teaching and learning grounded in caring relationships, filled with joyful, learning adventures, and powered by the creativity of children at play. Teachers plan learning experiences around the needs and interests of the children and the opportunities provided by the natural world and our multicultural community.

Our indoor and outdoor classrooms encourage children to explore, wonder, learn, and grow. Located beside East Rock Park in New Haven, we use the woods, trails, streams, and surrounding neighborhood as an extension of the classroom.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Holiday pay
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions available after two years of service
• Healthy breakfast and lunch provided daily

Contract Term & Opportunity for Growth

This is an anticipated 15-month, full-time, salaried position, beginning in November 2026, and concluding in January 2028. The role is designed to provide dedicated leadership during an exciting period of fundraising, community engagement, and preparation for Leila Day's 150th Anniversary.

For the right candidate, this position offers the opportunity to grow into a permanent, full-time salaried role, based on organizational needs, demonstrated success, and mutual interest.

What You'll Do

Position Summary

The Director of Community Engagement & Development leads Leila Day's efforts to strengthen relationships, grow philanthropic support, and deepen connections with families, alumni, prospective families, community partners, and the broader New Haven community.

This position provides strategic and hands-on leadership across development and fundraising, community engagement, events, communications, and storytelling, with particular responsibility for advancing Leila Day's 150th Anniversary initiatives and fundraising campaign.

The ideal candidate is an experienced relationship-builder, fundraiser, event leader, thoughtful communicator, and highly organized project manager who can move comfortably between strategy and execution. They bring creativity, warmth, strong organizational skills, and follow-through, and understand that meaningful community engagement and successful fundraising begin with authentic relationships and a compelling organizational mission.

Key Responsibilities

Development & Fundraising

• Co-lead fundraising strategies supporting Leila Day's 150th Anniversary in partnership with the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Establish campaign goals, timelines, and donor engagement strategies to advance fundraising priorities.
• Help identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, alumni, families, foundations, and community partners.
• Manage annual giving campaigns, fundraising appeals, sponsorship initiatives, and donor cultivation events.
• Develop compelling fundraising communications, donor appeals, and impact stories.
• Establish and maintain donor management systems, track fundraising progress, and report on campaign outcomes.

Community Engagement & Events

• Implement Leila Day's annual calendar of events, using these gatherings to strengthen relationships with families, alumni, prospective families, and the broader New Haven community.
• Lead the planning, promotion, and execution of major events, including Open House, Spring Fair, Fall Conference, Alumni Gatherings, Family Meetups, and fundraising events.
• Manage event budgets, timelines, logistics, and planning systems to ensure successful execution.
• Build community partnerships that advance Leila Day's mission, visibility, and philanthropic goals.

Communications & Storytelling

• Lead communications strategies across email, website, social media, print, and other channels.
• Manage regular communications with families, alumni, prospective families, donors, and community partners.
• Create compelling content showcasing Leila Day's children, educators, programs, history, and nature-centered approach.
• Oversee social media, website content, graphic design, and external creative vendors, maintaining a consistent organizational voice and visual identity.

Enrollment & Alumni Engagement

• Support enrollment marketing, prospective-family engagement, and retention initiatives in partnership with school leadership.
• Lead alumni outreach and reconnection efforts in preparation for Leila Day's 150th Anniversary in 2028.
• Coordinate anniversary-related storytelling, archival projects, and community-building initiatives.

Requirements

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in community engagement, event planning, communications, nonprofit work, education, development, marketing, public relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading events, programs, or community initiatives from concept through completion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and strong relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines independently.
• Proficiency in graphic design and the ability to create polished visual content for digital and print communications.
• Proficiency in social media strategy, content creation, scheduling, and community engagement.
• Experience with email marketing, website content management, and digital communications tools.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and project management abilities.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a small, mission-driven organization.
• Experience in early childhood education, nonprofit, cultural, community-based, or other mission-driven organizations is a plus.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Benefits
• Holiday and vacation pay
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer matching contributions available after two years of service
• Healthy breakfast and lunch provided daily
• Contract Term & Opportunity for Growth
• This is an anticipated 15-month, full-time, salaried position, beginning in November 2026, and concluding in January 2028. The role is designed to provide dedicated leadership during an exciting period of fundraising, community engagement, and preparation for Leila Day's 150th Anniversary.
• For the right candidate, this position offers the opportunity to grow into a permanent, full-time salaried role, based on organizational needs, demonstrated success, and mutual interest.

About Leila Day Nurseries

Leila Day is an accredited, nonprofit child care center serving children of working families from diverse economic, racial and cultural backgrounds from New Haven and surrounding towns. In operation since 1878, this celebrated program's mission is to foster children's social, emotional, intellectual and physical development within a warm and nurturing environment built on sound

principles of child development. Leila Day emphasizes nature and outdoor education. The children and teachers spend time learning outside every day.