Careers

Responsibilities include:

• Managing all aspects of the collaborative design lab, including purchasing equipment and materials.
• Collaborating with faculty in integrating Design Thinking, Video, Making, Coding, and Robotics into existing curriculum through workshops, seminars, one-on-one sessions, co–teaching and student projects in the Library Maker Space.
• Instructing faculty and students on programming and production topics, such as video, photo, 3D modeling, laser and vinyl cutters, electronics, and word working.
• Mentoring middle school students in designing and implementing their experiential maker projects.
• Teaching a 6th  grade Intro to Making class, a 5th  grade Maker Space class, and an elective. (7 class periods per 6-day cycle in total.)
• Teaching one section of science (grade and course is flexible and will depend on the strengths of the candidate.

A Bachelor’s degree and some level of applicable or transferable experience are required. A graduate degree is preferred.

Interested candidates, please send a resume and cover letter to Middle School Director Carson Smith P '25 at csmith@thayer.org.

Reports To: Associate Director of Development 

GENERAL SUMMARY
The Young Alumni Leadership Giving Officer, reporting directly to the Associate Director of Development, will identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of alumni who have graduated in the years 2000-2019 capable of making young alumni leadership gifts to support the mission of Thayer Academy. This person will create strategies for existing supporters, as well as new prospects, to move them along the continuum of giving to
achieve annual financial goals. Congruent with fundraising activities this person will also cultivate alumni engagement through a variety of activities to build Thayer pride and a strong alumni donor pipeline.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Young Alumni Leadership Giving Officer will develop and manage a portfolio of 200+ prospects.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward prospects for young alumni leadership gifts with a goal of achieving 40% participation and total giving of $100,000 from alumni who have graduated since 2000, personally closing $50,000 in gifts from assigned prospects.
• Oversee a multi-channel direct mail and online solicitation program including working with the Development Team on themes and lists and Communications on design.
• Responsible for working directly with the 5 th , 10 th , 15 th and 20 th year reunion classes to ensure a minimum of 40% attendance and 50% participation in the annual giving campaign.
• Build young alumni General’s Council participation with a goal of 125 total young alumni members for FY ‘20.
• Create programming for young alumni General’s Council members that would further engage membership.
• Strategize with faculty, senior leadership, and fellow development staff on ways to maximize alumni engagement via social media, events, and other vehicles.
• Strategize ways to engage alumni who are not currently connected to the school, putting a particular emphasis on young alumni – including events, communications channels and giving initiatives.
• Recruit and manage alumni volunteers (primarily class agents, reunion committees, Alumni Board members and others) in support of fundraising and participation goals.
• Participate in cultivation and stewardship events, including possible travel events and General’s Council events.
• Steward donor relationships so that donors feel highly appreciated by Thayer Academy.
• Prioritize work to have primary focus on face-to-face meetings and solicitations with current and prospective donors.
• Conduct donor research to identify potential donors.
• Coordinate with staff to develop best strategies for growing the pipeline of prospects.
• Identify organizational needs, innovations, and other funding opportunities that would appeal to appropriate donors.
• Responsible for coordinating class notes and obituaries for alumni section of Thayer Magazine. Specifically ensuring robust representation in class notes from alumni 1 – 20 years out as well as identifying alumni profiles for use in various Thayer Academy publications.
• Responsible for data integrity in Raiser’s Edge donor files including updating all personal information, keeping actions and proposals up to date and ensuring all notable information is recorded.
• Work with the gift processing team to ensure integrity of donor files, records, tracking, pledge reminders, and communication.
• Attend and assist with all Development Special Events (occasionally on weekends or evenings).

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Strong interpersonal skills, poise and confidence required.
• 2-4 years of a development or client relationship experience preferred.
• Ability to identify, cultivate, and solicit donors.
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgment to handle confidential information sensitively.
• Ability to establish rapport with a variety of personalities.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Working knowledge of The Raiser’s Edge software and Microsoft Office Suite a plus.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Eager to solicit gifts and cultivate relationships.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Ability to communicate to diverse constituencies in an effective and compelling manner.
• Ability to build successful professional relationships with faculty and staff.
• Mature professional judgment.
• Analytical thinking capacity.
• Ability to work independently in a self-directed manner and in collaboration with others.
• Superior follow-through and ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational capabilities.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Unflinching integrity seasoned with humor, perspective, and curiosity.

The above is intended to describe the general contents and requirements of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive statement of all duties, responsibilities or skills of personnel so classified.

Interested candidates, please email your resume and cover letter to Rachael Rouvales Vassalotti '79 P '07, '11, '12, Associate Director of Development, at rvassalotti@thayer.org.

Reports To: Associate Director of Development 

GENERAL SUMMARY
The Major Gifts and Alumni Relations Officer, reporting directly to the Associate Director of Development, will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of individuals capable of making gifts of $5,000 and above to support the mission of Thayer Academy. This person will create strategies for existing supporters, as well as new prospects, and work closely with the Alumni Board and Development team to move them along the
continuum of giving to achieve annual financial goals. Focused primarily on alumni donors from the 80’s and 90’s this professional will research, cultivate and solicit those donors with potential to make significant gifts to both the Annual Fund as well as The Campaign for Thayer Academy. Working closely with class agents from the 80’s and 90’s they will be responsible for building Annual Fund participation for each of their classes,
especially those celebrating Reunions, in an effort to bring more potential significant donors to the forefront.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• The Major Gifts & Alumni Relations Officer will develop a portfolio of prospects with a goal of carrying 150 prospects annually.
• Cultivate, solicit and steward prospects for Annual Fund gifts of $1,877 and above and Campaign gifts of $10,000 and above. With a goal of closing $250,000+ in gifts for FY20.
• Manage an annual stewardship reporting process for all donors with named endowed funds, writing reports on an annual basis including updated financials as well as programmatic impact.
• Strategize with faculty, senior leadership and fellow development staff on the appropriate engagement of alumni.
• Consistently perform research on alumni from the 80’s and 90’s to learn new information about possible wealth indicators.
• Participate in Alumni Board meetings, creating ways to engage alumni of the 80’s and 90’s in the activities of the Alumni Board.
• Working with other members of the Alumni Relations team, plan cultivation and stewardship events, including regional alumni events and General’s Council events.
• Steward donor relationships so that donors feel highly appreciated by Thayer Academy.
• Prioritize work to have primary focus on face-to-face meetings and solicitations with current and prospective donors.
• Responsible for working directly with the 25 th , 30 th , 35 th and 40 th year reunion classes to ensure a minimum of 30% attendance and 40% participation in the annual giving campaign.
• Coordinate with development staff to develop best strategies for growing the pipeline of prospects.
• Identify organizational needs, innovations and other funding opportunities that would appeal to appropriate donors.
• Responsible for data integrity in Raiser’s Edge donor files including updating all personal information, keeping actions and proposals up to date and ensuring all notable information is recorded.
• Work with the gift processing team to ensure integrity of donor files, records, tracking, pledge reminders and communication.
• Attend and assist with all Development Special Events (occasionally on weekends or evenings).

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• A minimum of 3 years of development experience with a proven track record in major gifts fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to use good judgment to handle confidential information sensitively.
• Natural ability to establish rapport with a variety of donor and alumni personalities.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Working knowledge of The Raiser’s Edge software, Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, preferred.

SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• Superb written and oral communication skills are essential.
• The ability to communicate to diverse constituencies in an effective and compelling manner.
• The ability to build successful professional relationships with faculty and staff.
• Mature professional judgment.
• Analytical thinking capacity.
• Ability to work independently in a self-directed manner and in collaboration with others.
• Superior follow-through and ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational capabilities.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Unflinching integrity seasoned with humor, perspective and curiosity.

The above is intended to describe the general contents and requirements of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive statement of all duties, responsibilities or skills of personnel so classified.

Interested candidates, please send your resume and cover letter to Melissa Tuthill Forger ‘92 P ‘25, Director of Development, at mforger@thayer.org.