Noble and Greenough School seeks a creative, goal-oriented, and strategic professional to join its ambitious and collaborative twelve-person development office and lead its highly successful Annual Fund program. 

About Noble and Greenough School

Founded by George Washington Copp Noble in 1866, Noble and Greenough School (Nobles) is a co-educational, non-sectarian day and boarding school for students in grades seven (Class VI) through twelve (Class I). Nobles has a current enrollment of just over 600 students—including approximately 50 five-day boarders—and 134 faculty members. The school is located on a 187-acre campus in Dedham, MA, just 10 miles from Boston.

Noble and Greenough School is a rigorous academic community dedicated to inspiring leadership for the public good. Through mentoring relationships, students achieve their highest potential and lead lives characterized by service to others.

The Nobles Community:

• Generates critical, creative, and socially conscious thinkers
• Upholds a commitment to diversity; 35% of the current students and 21% of the faculty and staff identify as people of color
• Develops character and intellect in deliberate conjunction
• Cultivates purposeful citizenship on local, national, and global levels
• Builds independence and self-respect through challenge and achievement
• Espouses humility, humor, collaboration, honesty, and respect for others as the foundations of a vibrant intellectual community.

About Philanthropy at Noble and Greenough School

The Annual Nobles Fund (ANF) raises over $4.8M yearly, making it one of the most successful independent school annual funds in the country. In 2018, Nobles successfully completed their comprehensive campaign, Be Nobles Bold – The Campaign to Secure our Mission, raising nearly $138M. The school’s endowment currently stands at approximately $200M, having grown from $38M since 2002.

The ANF serves as the foundation for giving to Nobles. The new Director will manage and enhance a highly successful program rooted in a deep cultural commitment to providing operating support for the school. The Board of Trustees is highly supportive, and Alumni are engaged, with 50% participation by reunion classes. Giving from parents—including new parents—is strong, and Nobles enjoys ongoing support from parents of graduates as well. During FY20, the annual fund totaled over $5.3M, with over $2.6M from parents, and over $1.8M from graduates.

One hallmark of Nobles’ successful fundraising is the Nucleus Fund. Annual gifts to support this fund are solicited in the fall of each year, with nearly 75% of yearly dollars raised by late fall. Fundraising for the Nucleus Fund culminates in a Nobles Night event that is held 9 weeks into the school year for parents and graduates in celebration of the long tradition of philanthropic support of the school.

About the Position

Nobles seeks an entrepreneurial professional to join its high-performing development team as the Director of the Annual Nobles Fund. The Director will report to the Director of Development and will serve on the development office’s senior leadership team.

The new Director of the Annual Nobles Fund will lead the effort to raise the funds from graduates, parents, friends, and students that support the annual operating needs of the school.

The Director is responsible for the development and implementation of annual giving strategies and activities, with the goal of growing unrestricted giving and increasing the percentage of constituents who support the Fund. They will develop marketing and solicitation strategies, solicit and close gifts, and partner with high-level volunteer leaders.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership

• Design the overall strategic, creative, and organizational direction for the ANF
• Work closely with all the members of the development office and other members of the school’s leadership team to ensure the success of the ANF and guarantee that ANF donors with major gift potential are strategically cultivated and solicited
• Communicate and report on the progress of the ANF as appropriate, including to the Board and Board Development Committee
• Collaborate with the Director of Marketing and Communications to develop the marketing and communications plan for the ANF
• Develop ongoing strategies and creative approaches to increase the annual graduate giving participation rate

Volunteer and Staff Management

• Work closely with volunteers to support class goals, strategies, leadership cultivation, events, stewardship, and evaluation of results
• Oversee effective recruitment, training, management, solicitation, and stewardship of annual giving volunteers and other volunteer leaders
• Manage, support, and inspire the Assistant Director of the ANF

Key Qualifications

The Director of the Annual Nobles Fund will be an accomplished, enthusiastic professional with a proven track record of success as a relationship builder and a manager. Prior experience in fundraising is not required and candidates with transferable skills are welcome to apply. Additionally, the successful candidate will possess:

• A passion for Nobles’ mission and the ability to compellingly articulate its uniqueness
• The capability to think strategically and measure results
• At least 3 years of staff management experience
• Excellent writing, communications, and presentation skills
• Enviable organizational skills and detail-orientation
• A high level of professionalism and integrity
• A sense of humor, flexibility, and an openness to risk-taking
• A strong work ethic, competitive spirit, and interest in working in a fast-paced environment

Nobles is a school that highly values relationships and engenders strong loyalty and support from its stakeholders. The development office is comprised of a well-functioning team of individuals, some of whom arrived with no previous professional fundraising experience but brought strong and successful related experience in other professional environments. This is a unique opportunity to join a collaborative and engaged school community and play a key role in the success of the fundraising program at Nobles.

All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. An equal opportunity employer, Noble and Greenough School welcomes applicants who will increase our diversity to apply and encourages candidates who will bring transferrable skills and mission alignment to express their interest.

If you are interested in being considered for this upcoming search, please email your cover letter and resume in confidence to:

[email protected]
Tracy Marshall
Senior Vice President
Development Guild DDI