Director of Development

Director of Development

Mission

Northern Light School (NLS) is an independent school in Oakland, CA serving students in Pre-K to 8th grade. NLS is committed to providing an empowering education for children from all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Our faculty and staff create an atmosphere where every child can excel — as learners, leaders, and engaged human beings. Our focus is on academic excellence as well as non-violence, acceptance of differences, respect for the environment, and the moral advancement of humanity — so that the children develop an understanding that they have a responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others.

Position Overview

The Director of Development is responsible for leading and executing our comprehensive fundraising strategy. This includes managing individual giving, major gifts, institutional giving, special campaigns, and donor stewardship. Reporting to the Head of School, the Director of Development oversees development staff and works closely with senior leadership and the Board of Directors to meet fundraising goals that advance NLS’s mission.

Reporting Relationships

The Directorof Development positionreports to the Head of School and plays a critical role in the advancement of the Northern Light School mission.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

• Develop, implement, and manage an integrated development strategy that includes annual giving, major gifts, foundation and corporate grants, planned giving, and special events.
• Set ambitious but achievable revenue goals in partnership with leadership and finance teams.
• Lead prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies across all donor levels.
• Oversee campaign planning and execution (capital, endowment, or special projects if applicable).
• Lead and collaborate with the Development team, Head of School, and Board to evaluate and execute NLS's fundraising programs and case for support messaging.

Team Management & Collaboration

• Manage and mentor a team of development professionals and volunteers.
• Oversee development office personnel activities, including hiring and staffing.
• Foster a collaborative and goal-oriented culture of philanthropy across departments.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the Development Committee and/or relevant board committees.
• Partner with program and communications teams to align messaging and storytelling with fundraising strategy.

Donor Relations & Marketing

• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects.
• Create and oversee systems for personalized stewardship and donor engagement.
• Ensure timely and thoughtful donor acknowledgments and reporting.
• Support marketing efforts to developand implement a strategic plan to incorporate all communications tools and platforms, including newsletter, socialmedia, press releases, etc.

Grants & Institutional Giving

• Oversee foundation and corporate relations, including prospecting, proposal development, and reporting.
• Work with the leadership and finance teams to ensure strong case statements and accurate budgets for grant submissions.

Reporting & Systems

• Maintain and oversee development CRM/database to ensure accurate donor records, reports, and analytics.
• Provide regular fundraising reports and insights to senior leadership and board members.
• Use data to refine strategies and improve donor retention and lifetime value.

Budgets & Forecasting

• Create, maintain, and monitor the annual budget and goals for the Development department.
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Finance & Operations on forecasting and reconciling budgets.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or CFRE a plus.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, including major gifts and team management.
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding revenue goals.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong understanding of fundraising best practices, donor stewardship, and donor psychology.
• Demonstrated organizational, staff and project management abilities.
• Proficient computer skills,including Microsoft Officesuite and Googleonline platform; experience in Salesforce or similar donor database preferred.
• Strategic, creative thinker with a high level of initiative and attention to detail.
• Deep appreciation and understanding of NLS's values and mission.

Preferred Attributes:

• Ability to build trust and rapport with diverse stakeholders.
• Experience with campaign management (capital/endowment).
• Familiarity with moves management and donor pipeline development.

Location: The Northern Light School campus is located at 3710 Dorisa Avenue in Oakland, CA. This position is primarily on-site, with some flexibility for remote work.

Salary Range

The salary range for this position is $96,000 to $115,000 plus benefits including:

• 100% employer paid health care (Employee only)
• 100% Dental and Vision Coverage (Employee only)
• 401K Retirement plus Employer Match

Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Statement

Northern Light School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, pregnancy, and breastfeeding), sexual orientation (including heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality), national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, age, medical condition, genetic characteristics or information, military and veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.

DEI Statement

At Northern Light School (NLS) we believe a diverse, inclusive, and equitable school community is critical for preparing passionate learners and engaged citizens. Inspired by the core ideals of the civil rights movement, NLS is deeply committed to advancing the cause of social justice through culturally responsive programming that affirms the diversity of our community and gives young people the tools to “promote the moral advancement of humanity,” as our mission powerfully states. We encourage all stakeholders — supporters, families, faculty, and most of all, students — to embrace differences, honor identity and value full membership and belonging for all.