The Role: 

The Miquon School is seeking an 80% time (12 month) Director of Development starting immediately. The salary will be commensurate with experience. Miquon offers a benefits package that includes health, dental, and life insurance, retirement plan, tuition remission, and vacation. This position reports to the Head of School.

The director of development is responsible for growing Miquon’s culture of philanthropy and is a key member of both the school’s senior leadership and advancement teams. Experience working in an institutional fundraising setting is required. A background working in independent schools is preferred. Miquon seeks candidates who are excited about showcasing the school’s work in Progressive education to prospective donors and who can connect with a diverse community of constituents, including current families, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and friends of the school.

The ideal candidate will enjoy being around and connecting with young children, will have strong executive functioning skills, will be flexible and ready to respond to changing needs and situations, and will enjoy working in a wooded nature setting.

Managing and meeting goals for the Annual Fund campaign is a priority for this position. In addition, The director of development will be integral in meeting capital campaign goals as they arise.

Primary Responsibilities Include: 

• Supporting the head of school in all philanthropic endeavors
• Cultivating/deepening relationships with various constituencies, e.g., current and past parents, alumni, neighbors, and vendor partners
• Creating and implementing an annual giving plan with strategies for different constituencies
• Managing the development database, currently DonorPerfect
• Stewarding donors; sending timely gift acknowledgments
• Managing special gifts (stocks, memorials, class gifts etc.)
• Cultivating major gift prospects
• Managing the EITC/OSTC giving program and recruiting new donors
• Assisting with the management of Miquon’s 19-person Board of
• Directors and attending board meetings; serving on board committees as necessary
• Reporting to the Board several times a year on fundraising progress and priorities
• Partnering strategically with colleagues, including the directors of admissions and advancement, to advance the school’s mission and priorities; and the Business Office regarding reconciliation of contribution records per DonorPerfect and receipt and booking of funds
• Staying current with best practices in independent school advancement
• Plan and oversee all special events on campus including invitations, mailings, volunteer organization, logistics, food, and transportation among others. Annual events include:
  • Grandparents and Grandfriends Day
  • Family Work Parties
  • Spring Fair
  • Pancake Breakfast
  • Graduation
  • Retirement events as necessary
  • Alumni Send-Off Parties
  • Facility rentals
  • Supporting other evening and weekend school events as needed alongside other school staff

Qualifications and Skills 

• Experience in development in a nonprofit organization; school experience preferable but not essential
• Grounding in all aspects of development work, from annual giving to major gifts, prospect research, stewardship, constituent events, and record/data management
• Having a team-oriented approach as a member of the Advancement and Senior Leadership teams
• Capacity to manage a diverse group of parent and alumni volunteers
• Experience working independently and excellent organizational skills
• Experience in DEIB tenets
• Superior communication skills, both written and verbal; experience with and some comfort in public speaking
• Ability to remain calm under pressure and an excellent sense of humor

About Miquon 

Founded in 1932 in a tradition of Progressive education that is strongly upheld today, Miquon is an independent, coeducational school for children ages 3 through 12. We enroll approximately 150 students in mixed-age groups, typically 18-22 children in size. Each classroom has co-teachers who are dedicated to preserving childhood, using innovative student-centered teaching practices, and developing children’s knowledge of and appreciation for the environment. Time spent outside on our 10-acre campus including woods, fields, and creek is an integral part of every child’s Miquon experience. We value independent thinking, varied individual and collaborative approaches to learning, authentic assessment methods, and creative, child-focused approaches to curriculum development.

Miquon is a community that values racial, ethnic, economic, religious, gender, and social diversity. Approximately 40% of enrolled students and one-fifth of full-time staff are people of color. The Miquon School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation in the employment of staff, admission of students, granting of financial aid, or the administration of school policies.

Application Procedure 

Please send your statement of interest and resume addressing your skills and experience in the areas listed above to resumes@miquon.org.