Director of Alumni/ae Relations

Friends’ Central School Overview

Friends’ Central School is an independent, coeducational Quaker day school founded in 1845 and serving approximately 850 students in Nursery through grade 12. Located in the Philadelphia suburbs, the School has two campuses. The Middle & Upper Schools are located just outside of West Philadelphia in Wynnewood, and the Lower School is on our Old Gulph Road campus in the heart of Wynnewood. 

The exceptional faculty at Friends’ Central offers a curriculum that cultivates the intellectual, spiritual, and ethical growth of our students. Our pedagogy is grounded in continuing revelation, reflection, integrity, and a willingness to accept responsibility. From Nursery to grade 12, our students participate in a process designed to foster creative, critical, and flexible thinking, along with compassion. As they transform from playful children to skilled, self-possessed teenagers, they are always intellectually curious and engaged thinkers. Friends’ Central prepares graduates to succeed in college and in life.

Alumni/ae Relations Director

Friends' Central School, an independent, coeducational, Quaker day school founded in 1845, serving over 850 students in Nursery through grade 12. The Alumni/ae Relations Director is a frontline fundraiser for FCS, responsible for developing and managing alumni/ae engagement programs with the goal of increasing alumni/ae participation in the annual fund. With extensive knowledge of the FCS alumni/ae community, the Director also leads and develops the Alumni/ae engagement programs, identifying new alumni/ae prospects for major or planned gifts.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary Alumni/ae contact and external face of FCS for alumni/ae community.
• Direct and manage alumni/ae engagement & communications programs in coordination with the Development and Communications teams with the goal of increasing alumni/ae participation in the Annual Fund and financial support for FCS.
• Direct and manage in-person or remote alumni/ae events for Reunion and Alumni/ae Weekend. Identify and work with Reunion Committees in support of class events. Partner with the Annual Fund team to develop strategies for targeted reunion appeals.
• Using data analytics, determine the best use of resources for alumni/ae engagement and develop plans for the program.
• Evaluate and assess the alumni/ae newsletter defining goals for the publication, creating benchmarks and determining its content and frequency. Serve as project manager for this e-communication, leading the team and directing others in content development/writing, technology, etc. 
• Work closely with the Annual Fund Director to determine best strategies for alumni/ae appeals and solicitations. 
• Manage a personal portfolio of annual fund donors. 
• Serve as liaison and partner with the DEI director regarding alumni/ae diversity work.
• Make recommendations for Board Committees and volunteer roles.
• Serve as key advisor to Chief Development Officer regarding top alumni/ae prospects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s preferred.
• Appreciation of the School’s mission and values and ability to articulate this both internally and externally
• Track record of fundraising success
• Strong communication skills, attention to detail, ability to interact with all segments of the school community with tact, discretion and confidentiality
• Proficient in computer skills; database experience a plus
• Some weekend and evening work required, potential for limited travel

Please apply here. The application will ask for a resume, cover letter and three professional references. All applications should be completed by September 30, 2024.

Friends’ Central School seeks candidates with a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning community, who will address issues of diversity, as well as enhance the Philosophy of Inclusivity and Awareness articulated in our Diversity Statement.