Senior Director of Development

Organizational Overview Founded in 2001, Yellow stone Schools collectively educates m ore than 650 children through its private Christian low er school serving PreK-5th grade and its tuition-free, public charter upper school serving 6th-12th grade students through IDEA. Yellow stone partners w ith students and fam ilies- regardless of nancial m eans- to provide a life-changing education, develop a strong m oral foundation, and prepare scholars for life beyond high school. The K12 cam pus is located in the Third W ard, one of Houston''s oldest historically Black neighborhoods. M ost students served live in com m unities w ithout access to strong educational opportunities. W ith an average class size of 17, our students experience a rich academ ic and co-curricular m odel w hile receiving bus transportation, tw o m eals a day, and access to a com prehensive student support program . Yellow stone Schools serves the w hole child and prepares students for success after high school, enabling them to lead lives lled w ith choices. Position Summary The Senior Director of Developm ent leads all aspects of Yellow stone Schools'' fundraising efforts, including annual fundraising, grant w riting, special events, m ajor giving, donor stew ardship and records, volunteer engagem ent, and corporate partnerships. Follow ing a recent restructuring of Yellow stone''s leadership team , this is now the senior-m ost advancem ent role at Yellow stone: the Senior Director reports directly to the Superintendent and partners w ith the Board''s Advancem ent Com m ittee to set strategy, annual goals, and long-range plans. The Senior Director leads Yellow stone''s Advancem ent team - currently a Com m unications M anager, Advancem ent Assistant, and Volunteer Job Title Senior Director of Developm ent Reports To Superintendent Department/ Group Advancem ent Travel Required Local travel as needed School Low er School Position Type Full-tim e Exem pt Salary Com m ensurate w ith experience Calendar 12 M onth Coordinator- and w ill play a central role in an am bitious $4M +annual fundraising goal as Yellow stone builds tow ard long-term , sustainable fundraising. Qualications Bachelor''s degree required. 5+ years of experience in developm ent, advancem ent, fundraising, or a related eld. Dem onstrated experience coordinating m ajor special events, m anaging a departm ent or team , and com m unicating w ith key stakeholders. Strong donor cultivation, solicitation, stew ardship, grant-w riting, and relationship-m anagem ent experience. Com fort operating as the senior advancem ent leader w ith direct access to executive leadership and the Board. Ability to w ork evenings and w eekends as needed for events and donor engagem ent. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Development Strategy, Fundraising Leadership & Team Management Direct developm ent staff and fundraising efforts to ensure Yellow stone achieves its fundraising goals. W ork w ith the Superintendent, Com m unications M anager, and Board Advancem ent Com m ittee to establish fundraising priorities, annual goals and tim elines, and long-range plans. Directly supervise and develop the Advancem ent team - currently the Com m unications M anager, Advancem ent Assistant, and Volunteer Coordinator - as they w ork tow ard specic fundraising and engagem ent goals. Lead donor identication, cultivation, solicitation, stew ardship, recognition, and retention efforts, including for m ajor donors and prospects. Personally follow up w ith donors through phone calls, handw ritten notes, donor m eetings, and other m eaningful touchpoints. Develop new initiatives to attract and retain donors on an annual basis. Ensure all grant-w riting activity and reporting is accurate, com plete, and subm itted on tim e. M anage donor stew ardship system s, including database m anagem ent, so donors rem ain engaged, inform ed, and appreciated. Oversee preparation of m onthly fundraising statem ents and ensure reconciliation w ith the Finance Ofce. M aintain strong internal com m unication and processes w ithin the Advancem ent team so team m em bers rem ain inform ed and accountable for shared goals. Build foundational relationships and cultivate corporate and institutional partners to diversify Yellow stone''s funding base. M eet w eekly w ith the Advancem ent team and individual team m em bers to m onitor progress tow ard annual departm ent and individual goals. M onitor m onthly fundraising reports and evaluate progress tow ard annual goals. Coordinate Advancem ent Com m ittee m eetings and reports and keep the com m ittee chair updated on related m atters. M anage the annual Board fundraising effort, including the Board''s "over-and-above" cam paign, to achieve 100% Board participation. Prepare fundraising budgets, forecasts, and progress reports. Donor Engagement, Events & Partnerships Serve as the school''s lead for fundraising and stew ardship events, overseeing content developm ent, venue selection, collateral m aterials, data m anagem ent, vendor relations, volunteer coordination, and event-day logistics. Ensure donor events are high quality, effectively represent Yellow stone, rem ain w ithin budget, and support established fundraising targets. Plan and im plem ent donor cultivation and stew ardship events that show case Yellow stone''s plans, program s, im pact, and long-term fundraising priorities. Coordinate effective recognition, involvem ent, and stew ardship opportunities for m ajor and special-gift donors across Advancem ent events. Build and lead a planned giving program for the school. Partner w ith the Volunteer Coordinator to develop and m aintain corporate relationships. Core Competencies Highly detail-oriented, decisive, analytical, dependable, and organized. W arm and friendly w ith excellent interpersonal skills and a high level of professionalism in person and by phone. Excellent w ritten and verbal com m unication skills, including strong w riting, proofreading, and presentation abilities. Ability to com plete projects w ith lim ited supervision and m aintain high standards for quality. Strong custom er service orientation and relationship-building skills. Self-m otivated, self-directed, adaptable, and a quick learner. Ability to m anage m ultiple priorities in a fast-paced, dynam ic environm ent w hile m eeting internal and external deadlines. Uses sound judgm ent and dem onstrates cultural com petency w hen com m unicating w ith diverse audiences. Collaborates effectively w ith Advancem ent team m em bers to achieve shared objectives. Work Environment The w ork environm ent can be active and m ay involve a w ide variety of challenges, deadlines, and professional contacts. The physical dem ands below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position. W ork is prim arily perform ed in a traditional, clim ate-controlled ofce or school environm ent w ith a usually m oderate noise level. The em ployee is regularly required to use hands and to talk or hear; frequently required to stand, w alk, sit, and reach; and occasionally required to clim b, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or craw l. The em ployee m ust occasionally lift and/or m ove up to 25 pounds. Required vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The em ployee m ay occasionally w ork outside in varying w eather conditions, including extrem e heat or cold, particularly during events. Compensation & Benets Base salary w ill be com m ensurate w ith qualications and experience. Yellow stone Schools offers eligible em ployees a com petitive benets package that includes: M edical coverage, including an HSA option, plus dental and vision insurance Retirem ent savings options $50,000 in em ployer-paid life insurance Supplem ental life, short-term disability, cancer, hospital, and accident coverage options W ellness day and a generous paid-tim e-off program Ten w eeks of paid parental leave Yellowstone does not refuse to hire, terminate, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of race, color, sex, or national or ethnic origin.