Milton Academy is an independent college preparatory K–12 school, boarding and day in grades 9–12, located south of Boston.

Milton Academy cultivates in its students a passion for learning and a respect for others. Embracing diversity and the pursuit of excellence, we create a community in which individuals develop competence, confidence and character. Our active learning environment, in and out of the classroom, develops creative and critical thinkers, unafraid to express their ideas, prepared to seek meaningful lifetime success and to live by our motto, “Dare to be true.”

The Milton Fund, Milton Academy’s annual fund, raises $5.5 million annually from 3,500 donors and provides 8% of the School’s operating budget, with ambitions to grow this program in significant ways. The Director of the Milton Fund will lead a team of four fundraising and engagement officers responsible for large-scale increases in annual support and overall participation in the Milton Fund.  The Director will set goals and strategy for the team, create a robust pipeline of donors to leadership gifts, ensure opportunities for alumni and parent engagement, use a variety of solicitation approaches to build participation and achieve financial goals, track program metrics, and manage a portfolio of prospects.

The Director of the Milton Fund should demonstrate a strong understanding of annual giving best practices and strategies to acquire, retain, and upgrade individual donors. The Director of the Milton Fund should be results-oriented and data-driven with demonstrated expertise managing complex, community-wide initiatives involving multiple team members throughout the department and School.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Advance Milton’s development program through a robust and pro-active annual giving program.
• Develop a working knowledge of Milton Academy in general and funding priorities specifically to articulate a compelling case for annual support to all constituents.
• Advance and oversee strategic planning and implementation for the Milton Fund, consistently identifying areas for innovation and growth within the program to achieve dollar/participation goals and meet current-use targets.
• Pipeline Milton Fund donors and prospects into the Leadership Gifts program.
• Strategize and implement cultivation and stewardship plans, in consultation with Senior Stewardship Manager, to keep annual giving donors informed and engaged, including but not limited to new donor welcome series, Giving Day, Thank-a-Giver Day, regional events, Reunion Weekend, and volunteer opportunities.
• Creates strategy for all Milton Fund-related communications, driving the creation of phonathon scripts and volunteer materials and, in partnership with Communications, creating print and digital solicitations, social media outreach, web presence and more.
• Report progress on goals to the department; produce analysis of annual fund strategy effectiveness.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a predominantly local portfolio of alumni/parent prospects with a giving capacity up to $100,000+.
• Identify and research current annual giving trends and best practices; incorporate into the Milton Fund program.
• Manage the budget for the Milton Fund.
• Hire, train, mentor, appraise, and direct Milton Fund staff; encourage professional growth.

Qualified candidates will hold a Bachelor’s degree; have a successful track record of growing a
comprehensive annual giving program; eight years of direct annual fund experience or ten years in
fundraising/development; supervisory experience. Development experience in an independent school or
college environment preferred.

Qualified candidates will have strong command of databases, preferably Raiser’s Edge, and Microsoft
Office suite (word processing, spreadsheets) and be well versed in creating reports for fundraising
analysis.

Candidates should have excellent interpersonal skills, excellent editing and proofreading skills, and
strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills; have excellent organization and time-management
skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and tasks in a fast-paced work environment.

Milton Academy welcomes candidates who would add to the racial, cultural and gender balance of the
School community. Milton Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.