Chatham Hall, Associate Director of Philanthropy & Advancement Communications

Mossand Ross•Chatham, VA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Chatham Hall seeks an Associate Director of Philanthropy & Advancement Communications to manage a portfolio of leadership and major gift prospects and develop strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors in support of the School’s strategic priorities. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this role leads donor communications and editorial content for constituent publications. In partnership with the Director of Advancement and the Marketing & Communications Office, the Associate Director helps strengthen the School’s culture of philanthropy through thoughtful stewardship, engaging storytelling, and communications that reflect Chatham Hall’s mission and inspire philanthropic support. Chatham Hall is a nationally recognized Episcopal all-girls boarding school serving grades 9–12. Founded in 1894, the School is located on a 365-acre campus in Chatham, Virginia, and emphasizes rigorous academics, leadership development, wellness, balance, and community. Approximately 95% of students live on campus. This position is based in person in an office environment on the residential boarding school campus. The role includes donor travel and may require occasional evening and weekend work to support donor engagement, school events, and fundraising priorities. The salary range is $70,000–$90,000, with a comprehensive benefits package that may include medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and disability insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; professional development; and tuition remission where applicable. The expected start date is on or before February 1, 2027.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, advancement, or related nonprofit leadership.
Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership and major gifts.
Exceptional writing, editing, storytelling, verbal, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to translate ideas and philanthropic impact into donor-centered communications for print and digital platforms.
Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to establish trust, engage constituents, and build meaningful connections.
Strong organizational, project management, and strategic planning skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
Sound judgment and initiative, with the ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative Advancement Team.
Ability to travel extensively and work occasional evenings and weekends to support donor engagement, School events, and fundraising priorities.
Proficiency with Raiser’s Edge NXT, Microsoft Office, and Google Workspace, including Docs, Sheets, Drive, and Calendar.
Ability to foster collaborative and meaningful relationships with School teams, alumnae, donors, faculty, and staff, and a commitment to Chatham Hall’s mission.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree preferred.
Experience in an independent school, college, or university preferred.
Exceptional ability to connect authentically across generations and engage a wide range of constituents, from young alumnae to seasoned donors.
Intellectual curiosity, emotional intelligence, thoughtful listening, insightful questioning, and an ability to build trust and make others feel valued.
Ability to capture the essence of people and experiences and translate them into compelling communications that inspire engagement and philanthropy.
Poise, warmth, professionalism, and a natural presence that reflect Chatham Hall’s values and mission.
Strong judgment, creativity, initiative, and problem-solving skills, with confidence working independently and flexibility collaborating with colleagues.
Energy, enthusiasm, and a thoughtful, engaging approach to advancing Chatham Hall’s mission.
A sense of humor and a positive, team-oriented spirit.
Ability to serve as a trusted colleague and strategic thought partner, bringing ideas, sound judgment, and a collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of approximately 100–150 leadership and major gift prospects, strengthening relationships and philanthropic support for the School’s strategic priorities.
Develop and implement individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for individual donors, foundations, and corporate donors.
Conduct personal visits with alumnae, parents, grandparents, foundations, corporations, and friends of the School to deepen engagement and identify giving opportunities.
Prepare gift proposals, solicitation strategies, and stewardship plans.
Partner with the Director of Advancement, School Leadership, trustees, volunteers, and the Advancement Team to develop and execute fundraising strategies.
Maintain constituent records, contact reports, and fundraising strategies in Raiser’s Edge NXT.
Meet annual fundraising, visitation, and engagement goals and contribute to campaign and annual fundraising objectives.
Lead the development and execution of donor-centered communications for alumnae, parents, grandparents, donors, and friends of the School.
Create stewardship, fundraising, reunion, campaign, and alumnae engagement communications that demonstrate philanthropic impact and encourage continued investment.
Develop and write gift proposals, donor correspondence, stewardship reports, acknowledgment language, impact stories, campaign materials, leadership communications, and other constituent communications.
Partner with the Advancement Team to maintain consistent messaging across annual giving, reunion giving, donor stewardship, volunteer engagement, campaigns, and other Advancement initiatives.
Use constituent feedback, data, and fundraising results to strengthen donor relationships, inform donor strategies, and evaluate Advancement initiatives.
Lead Advancement’s editorial content strategy for CHAT magazine and other Advancement publications.
Research, interview, write, and edit stories about alumnae, donors, students, and faculty that illustrate philanthropy’s impact and strengthen constituent engagement.
Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications Office on design, production, photography, visual presentation, and publication of CHAT magazine, the Annual Fund brochure, and campaign materials.
Develop and manage an editorial calendar aligned with fundraising priorities, donor stewardship, campaigns, alumnae engagement, constituent communications, and Advancement publications.
Support comprehensive campaign planning and execution with the Director of Advancement, trustees, volunteers, and the Advancement Team.
Represent Advancement through donor travel, cultivation and stewardship activities, reunions, Advancement events, volunteer engagement, and other institutional programs as appropriate.
Collaborate across Advancement and School teams to identify and communicate stories illustrating Chatham Hall’s mission, values, and impact.
Build a collaborative partnership with the Marketing & Communications Office to strengthen institutional messaging, constituent engagement, and philanthropic storytelling.
Stay current on best practices and emerging trends in philanthropy, donor stewardship, advancement communications, and independent school fundraising.
Coordinate Advancement communications and publications with fundraising milestones, School events, and institutional priorities.
Perform other duties as assigned.