Grace Church School

Director of Advancement

Deerfield Associates has been retained by Grace Church School, located in New York, New York, to conduct a national search for a Director of Advancement.

Grace Church School

Grace Church School is a private school whose original building is located at 86 Fourth Avenue between East 10th and East 12th Streets in the East Village neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The school was founded in 1894 by the Grace Church as the first choir boarding school in New York City. The private day school, which much resembles the school today, began in 1934. Grace Church School’s High School Division opened in 2012 and is located at 46 Cooper Square. In the 2015–2016 school year, the school opened for the first time as a Junior Kindergarten through 12th grade program.

In 1947 Grace became a co-educational school and was admitted to the Guild of Independent Schools of New York City. In the following decade the school began to expand its facilities to accommodate a growing student body. Grace has grown to its current enrollment of more than 796 students drawn from a wide variety of ethnic, economic, and religious backgrounds.

While the school has continued its close relationship with Grace Church, since 1972 it has been governed by an independent Board of Trustees, and it is a fully accredited member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools. Grace Church School is also a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools. In 2006, the School became a legal entity separate from the Church, and now owns the buildings at 84-96 Fourth Avenue.

The Grace Church School’s high school building is located in Cooper Square. It was inaugurated in 2011. A rooftop addition by MBB Architects provided a 14,000 square foot gymnasium and athletic center.

The endowment as of January 2023 was $40 million. There are currently approximately 2,000 alumni/ae.

The opportunity is available in July 2023 and will be filled following a comprehensive search and once the candidate of choice is identified.

For more background on Grace Church School please visit: www.gcschool.org

Overview of the Opportunity

The Director of Advancement reports to the Head of School and has responsibility for oversight of all fundraising and alumni and parent relations, as well as alumni communications. The Director is a member of the School’s senior administrative team and is responsible for relationship management, administration, goal-setting, and budgeting for the Advancement Office, and for managing several staff.

Key Accountabilities: The Director of Advancement personally maintains a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivating, soliciting, and closing these gifts. This leadership role also includes setting goals, determining strategy, establishing plans, and managing staff and relationships with various constituencies. The Director is responsible for implementing best practices in data recording and management, gift acknowledgment and reporting, donor relations, giving policies, and confidentiality of information. The Director serves as a staff member on the Advancement Committee, Long-Range Planning and Committee on Trustees.

Annual Fund Works with the Director of Annual Giving, the parent co-chairs, the board’s Advancement Committee, and the head of alumni/ae class agents to create a plan of operation, annual goals, and tactical fundraising materials, as well as the organization of the campaign and volunteers and all related communications.

Alumni Relations Manages and leads the Director of Alumni Relations who is responsible for the development and enhancement of the alumni relations program, including implementation of a system of class agents, alumni reunions, special regional alumni gatherings, and alumni involvement in annual and capital giving.

Cultivation and Stewardship Plans and leads events and activities to engage people and build greater affinity for Grace Church School. Ensures that all donors are kept informed and feel appreciated for their support after their gift has been made.

Philanthropy and Endowment: Like all independent schools, Grace Church School relies on the generosity of parents and alumni to help fund current programs as well as endowment and new facilities. Every year, all members of the Grace Church School community are asked to support the Annual Fund. Tuition does not cover the full investment that is made in each student; therefore, the school relies on the Annual Fund to support the annual operating budget each year. From time to time, Grace Church School conducts capital campaigns to secure funding to achieve major strategic objectives. For these critical priorities, Grace Church School relies on the community’s philanthropic support of a capital campaign, in addition to their support of the Annual Fund. The endowment provides long term financial stability, serves as an indication of the stature and stability of the school, and is a measure of the school’s ability to remain at the forefront of teaching innovation and excellence.

Responsibilities

The Director of Advancement leads, plans, and implements a comprehensive alumni and parent giving program, which includes events. The Director of Advancement is responsible for continuing to grow a strong culture of philanthropy at Grace Church School. The Director directly manages and supervises the Director of Alumni Relations, Director of Annual Fund, Database Manager, Special Projects & Events Coordinator and Advancement Assistant.

Responsibilities:

Establish and execute forward-thinking, goal-driven advancement plans and programs that optimally grow the Annual Fund and any future capital campaigns or fundraising initiatives.
Work each year to evaluate each year’s giving programs and develop goals and objectives for the following year.
Oversee all aspects of the advancement program, including annual giving, grants, alumni, special events, and database management.
Develop plans for the cultivation and solicitation of prospective donors.
Formulate new ways to educate the Grace Church School’s community about philanthropy.
Strengthen relationships with the school’s alumni/ae both locally and nationally and continuously improve alumni/ae programming.
Maintain a database of all contributors and provide advancement reports as required, with the assistance of the Database Manager.
Manage the advancement budget, forecasting needs and meeting budget targets.
Identify, recruit, train and build relationships with Parent Annual Fund Committee
Partner with all trustees, especially those serving on the Advancement Committee, in setting and achieving the school’s fundraising goals.
Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Communications on the school magazine, annual report, website, and other constituent-facing communications.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree required
8 – 10 years direct experience in advancement, preferably with an independent school, college or university
Significant experience in the non-profit sector, including management of fundraising campaigns
Appreciation for and commitment to independent school education and culture
Ability and interest in leading, management and motivation of advancement staff
A track record of success in a major gift or capital campaign environment is necessary, along with demonstrated ability to develop and implement 5,6, and 7 figure gift strategies
Ability to develop and execute a multi-tiered fundraising strategy across multiple constituencies
Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to work graciously with the school’s community while maintaining discretion and confidentiality
Excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong data analysis skills and public speaking abilities
Passion for working with a wide range of individuals from diverse backgrounds
Practical experience working with and motivating volunteers and staff members
Successful fundraising experience with cultivating, engaging, and expanding donor relationships with a wide variety of donors
Experience working with, and connecting to, a sophisticated and diverse community
Excellent listening skills, a growth mindset, warmth, and good humor
An interest in and ability to leverage social media and embrace technology to accomplish Grace Church School’s goals and objectives

Message from Head of School, Robbie Pennoyer

Grace is a school inspired by some big ideas. Our talented faculty promote academic excellence through a pedagogy of joy: an approach that reflects our belief that stress isn’t the fuel of academic achievement but that joy is, and that students learn best when motivated by delight, wonder, curiosity, and purpose. Grounded in tradition, the school remains ever open to innovation, looking to the best research on the science of learning and the craft of teaching to advance the timeless values and aspirations of our mission. Believing in the importance of reflection and growth, not only for ourselves and our students but also for the school’s program, we develop, structure, and fine-tune the curriculum to feed the intellects of our students, broaden their curiosity, stretch their imaginations, and equip them with the knowledge, skill, and desire to live lives of purpose, integrity, compassion, and fulfillment.

Knowing that the health of our community is not a separate concern from the learning that takes place within it, we work hard to take good care of one another so that this may be a diverse and resilient community of broad welcome and deep belonging. We hold fast to kindness, humility, generosity, and joy while resisting the cynicism, scorn, selfishness, and stress that often fester within the cultures of elite schools like ours. An Episcopal school, welcoming children of all faiths and of none, Grace believes in the inherent, precious dignity of every individual and seeks to provide an outstanding education worthy of our common humanity.

Powerful though we have found them to be, Grace’s big ideas are ultimately less important than the program and community they inspire, which is why we invite you to visit us and see how we translate these ideas into the daily experience of our students. If you do, I expect that you will get a firsthand sense of the enthusiasm for learning, warmth of spirit, and energy and excitement that make Grace such a wonderful place to work, learn, play, and grow.

Sincerely,

Overview

Founded in 1894
Head of School: Robbie Pennoyer
Coeducational independent college preparatory school
Junior Kindergarten-Grade 12
Accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools(NYSAIS)

Students

Current enrollment: 796
33% of students of diverse cultural backgrounds
28% of students receive financial aid
Student-Faculty Ratio 7:1
Class size ranges from 8-24 with an average of 16
Students drawn from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and New Jersey

Faculty

Total number of faculty: 216
69% hold advanced degrees, 60% female; 40% male

Programs

Grace International Exchange program with India, Japan, China, France, and Spain, plus experiential learning trips.
Innovative academic opportunities, including: Robotics and 3D printing, partnership courses with NYU and Cooper Union, and independent study projects
One-to-One iPad/MacBook program in the high school; 1:1 Chromebook program in grades 7-8; tablets available to all students Grades JK-8; laptops and Chromebooks available to all students
Interscholastic competitive teams starting in Grade 5
Associate members of the AAIS (Athletic Association of Independent Schools and PSAA (Private School Athletic Association)
After School Program and June School for students in JK-4
Lower School Sports Program for students in Grades 1-4

Facilities

3 campuses: 86 Fourth Avenue (Junior Kindergarten-Grade 8), 785 Broadway (Middle School Swing Space), and 46 Cooper Square (High School Division)
7 Science Labs with dedicated labs for biology, chemistry, physics, and research
2 Computer Labs
Design Lab for Robotics, 3D Printing, and Technology
Smartboard and tablet technology
Stokes Library(86 Fourth Avenue) with books, periodicals, and subscribed online resources
Library and Information Center(46 Cooper Square) with books, periodicals, and essential e-resources and databases
10Art Studios for 2D and 3D visual and digital arts, plus a wood shop
Performance spaces and practice rooms for dance, music, and drama
2 outdoor playgrounds
New 12,000 square foot gymnasium, fitness room and golf simulator at the Cooper Square campus
10,000 square foot athletic center, climbing wall and batting cage, full size regulation basketball court and volleyball court
Rooftop Greenhouse
Teaching Kitchen

Tradition and Commitment to Excellence

The Grace Church School brings the school’s rich tradition and commitment to excellence in academics, arts, athletics, ethics, diversity, and community to the college preparatory, secondary school level. The core characteristics of the school – a proven academic track record, the joy of focused learning, the warmth of a caring community, and engagement with the wider world – find broader avenues for expression in the vibrant and dynamic academic environment.

Students receive the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to live in the world they will inhabit. To that end, our curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written expression, aesthetic appreciation, physical, social, and emotional health, and explores human culture across history and geography, so that students both understand the world they live in and are prepared to make a difference in it. The program supports experiential, community-based, and multi-sensory approaches to teaching and learning that challenges students by drawing on what they know and building their competence and confidence.

The High School

Each class of students has the opportunity to shape their education and the culture of our high school, contributing to the creation of a school for the 21st century as a part of an inclusive and pluralistic community. High School students at Grace Church School distinguish themselves as leaders and innovators, going on to leading colleges and universities.

The High School Division is located in a spacious and renovated landmark building at 46 Cooper Square in Greenwich Village, a short four-minute walk from Grace Church School at 86 Fourth Avenue, one block from Astor Place, and close to Washington Square Park and the East River fields. Juniors and Seniors have an opportunity to take select classes at nearby New York University and Cooper Union.

Episcopal Identity

Since its founding, Grace Church School has integrated ethical consciousness and academic excellence by addressing the moral, personal, and spiritual development of students as naturally as we promote their intellectual and cognitive growth. We believe that leadership, critical thinking, and creativity develop best in tandem with integrity, compassion and care for others.

We are an intentionally inclusive community where reverence for the dignity of each individual informs all aspects of school life. The Episcopal school tradition recognizes the unique, intrinsic worth of every human being, bestowed upon each by a loving God. In this spirit, we welcome, openly and with warmth, families of all faiths and no faith at all. We seek out a rich diversity of students, families, faculty and staff, and strive to instill in our students a deep respect for differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and culture. Our expectation is that Grace Church School students will live these ideals, honoring our common humanity with kindness, respect and love.

Mission Statement

Grace Church School aims to establish in its students firmly rooted confidence in themselves and their abilities. Because we believe that school experience sets the foundation for lifelong intellectual and social growth, we strive to develop in each student mental keenness, physical confidence, pleasure in learning, and the skills basic to understanding one’s self and the world. Our structured curriculum, enriched with broad opportunities for creative expression, assumes as fundamental the mastery of a specific range of academic skills, especially the ability to express one’s own ideas and to appraise those of others.

Yet the educational goals of the school are broader than intellectual and social development. We nurture in our students a steady, affectionate trust in themselves and their world, made resilient by the interaction of different ethnic, religious, and socio-economic influences. We strive to help each student develop an active ethical consciousness, supported by close acquaintance with Judeo-Christian beliefs and enhanced by the beauty and faith inherent in Grace Church. We encourage a mutually supportive relationship between family and school. We aim to have students graduate from Grace Church School with a strong sense of self, able to think clearly, function well academically, and embrace coming challenges with confidence.

School Benefits

Grace Church School offers a dynamic and supportive work environment, competitive salaries, and a generous benefits package. Grace Church School is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and seeks candidates who will add to the diversity of the school community.

Target Salary Range

$250,000. – $280.000.

Contact Information

Confidential referrals and nominations of top tier advancement professionals for this excellent professional opportunity are encouraged and welcomed by DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES.

To explore this superb career opportunity on a highly confidential basis, interested candidates are asked to send your résumé, a letter of interest articulating your interests and particular areas of expertise, along with a list of four (4) references (who will be contacted only if mutual interest is determined), to:

Doug Cooney, Executive Search Consultant, DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES Executive Search, Inc.
572 Washington Street, Suite 15, Wellesley, MA 02482 Telephone: 781-237-2800.
Email: jobs@deerfieldassociates.com