Chief Development Officer

Location: North Palm Beach, Florida | Type: Full Time

About the Role

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is a visionary architect of The Benjamin School’s future, tasked with orchestrating a transformative advancement strategy that fuels the school’s ambitious mission. As a key member of the executive leadership team and reporting to the Head of School, the CDO drives sustainable, long-term growth by expertly managing comprehensive fundraising initiatives, including capital campaigns, annual giving, and high-impact special events. By fostering a culture of philanthropy and deep communal engagement, the CDO cultivates enduring relationships with alumni, parents, and partners, ensuring the School’s legacy of excellence is matched by its philanthropic vitality. The ideal leader will be a compelling storyteller, sophisticated strategist and innovator, possessing a proven track record in major gift solicitation and the ability to inspire a diverse community toward a shared vision of educational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute ongoing multi-million dollar comprehensive capital campaign, ensuring donors are qualified, stewarded, and inspired to make major contributions to the institution.
• Conduct wealth research and other methods for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-level benefactors and corporations.
• Cultivate and sustain meaningful relationships with a broad constituency to advance the school's mission and philanthropic goals.
• Provide counsel to the Head of School in all philanthropy-related matters. Work with the Head of School and/or board leadership to close gifts.
• Attend Board of Trustees meetings and engage with the Development Committee, Capital Campaign Steering Committee, Head of School, Senior Leadership Team, volunteers, parents, alumni, faculty, and staff to create engagement.
• Assist the board with governance matters.
• Prepare and present all reporting for various constituent meetings.
• Lead and manage quarterly Development Committee meetings along with committee co-chairs.
• Establish a Planned Giving Program component to diversify giving.
• Follow industry best practices while providing direction and strategy to the Director of Annual Giving to execute the Annual Fund, the Director of Special Events to execute the BASH gala, and the Director of Alumni Relations in the execution of the alumni and parents of alumni programs, including all special events.
• Manage and direct the development staff, including recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation.
• Cast innovative vision, gather input, and approve all departmental communications, including annual report/magazine, microsite, and social media.
• Inspire parents, grandparents, alumni, corporate supporters, and other stakeholders to engage with the school community.
• Actively engage in school life by participating in a wide variety of events, including special events, athletic matches, performances, and community “friendraisers”.
• Complete all work and assigned tasks in a timely, efficient, accurate, and organized manner.
• Use discretion in all sensitive matters.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, along with 10+ years of supervisory fundraising experience; preferred higher degree or CFRE.
• Previous experience in an independent school setting and/or experience in non-profits.

Skills

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to prioritize and work independently and address several challenges simultaneously.
• Familiarity with development best practices, especially in independent schools.
• Thorough knowledge of tax laws and ethics.
• Possession of a pleasant and collaborative style in the workplace, including a professional attitude, being dependable, and taking initiative.
• Ability to communicate effectively with all constituents in a school environment.
• Well-versed in technology, various software suites, and office equipment related to the position.
• Ability to maintain confidential information.
• Effective managerial techniques and approaches; positive leadership style.
• Ability to prioritize and delegate tasks.
• Must possess strong business knowledge and the ability to think in a variety of business environments.
• Public speaking skills are required for speeches at fundraising events, presentations to donors on recent achievements, and meetings with board members.

Key Expectations

• Demonstrates support of the school’s mission and policies.
• Consistently models The Benjamin School values.
• Builds positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues by establishing effective communication through listening, responsiveness, openness, availability, and approachability.
• Takes initiative and ownership in displaying a positive work ethic and behaviors, and encourages this attitude in others.
• Maintains proficiency in the field as well as personal and professional development that strengthens the role and the school.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Prolonged periods of time sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Occasional movement about the office and lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to work in excess of 8 hours a day, as well as evening and weekend hours as necessary for events and projects.
• Travel when necessary for meetings, events, and professional development.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision.
• AFLAC.
• 403(b) Retirement.
• Paid Time Off.
• Flexible Spending.
• Student Tuition Discounts.
• Educational Assistance.
• School-paid Basic Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability.

About The Benjamin School

Go Benjamin. Then Go Anywhere. At The Benjamin School, students begin a lifelong pursuit of understanding, embracing the excitement of learning, and realizing its unlimited power. Beginning in our PK3 classrooms and continuing through grade 12, students have the opportunity to discover and explore their passions. With sprawling campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, students spend plenty of time outdoors enjoying their natural surroundings. A community of just over 1,300 students is rooted in a shared commitment to excellence, achievement, and a strong sense of values. Students learn to balance confidence with humility, and competitiveness with collaboration to reveal their best selves and to bring out the best in each other.

An exceptional faculty guides children to experience gratification through the pursuit of knowledge. Our Lower School program begins with WOW, our Worlds of Wonder program for 3-year-old students and continues through grade 5. Joy and inspiration guide teacher interaction with our young learners as students explore new concepts and skills through hands-on discovery, teacher-guided investigation, and project-based learning. A warm and caring atmosphere centered on the 12 Benjamin Values promotes a sense of respect for one’s self and others and encourages a spirit of belonging. Students are inspired to develop their full potential intellectually, artistically, physically, socially, and emotionally as they mature into the best version of themselves.

From the moment middle school students in grades 6-8 arrive on campus, they are guided by a community of supportive educators passionate for teaching the early adolescent. Our exceptionally skillful and creative teachers are characterized by their commitment to the individual student's academic success. An engaging and challenging learning environment fosters confidence, self-esteem, global understanding, personal and civic responsibility, and a love for learning. An interdisciplinary focus rich in technology gives students the tools to apply newly acquired knowledge. A rigorous core curriculum reinforces basic skills and innovative course electives introduce students to a wealth of novel and meaningful information.

With 23 Advanced Placement courses and a dozen Honors courses, our Upper School students in grades 9-12 are challenged in all subject areas. Rigorous work is deemed an opportunity by gifted and dynamic teachers who impart academic challenges with clear expectations and support. Character Education is implicit in all we do, and students adhere to the School’s Honor Code with respect and courtesy central to the learning experience. Twice-weekly advisory meetings are held, where faculty serve as advocates for their advisees and foster the personal growth of our upper school students. A comprehensive selection of electives, curricular and co-curricular sports, art programs, and over 40 clubs enable students to discover various opportunities and achievements. Our students excel beyond academics, earning visual, performing, and digital arts awards. A robust athletic program prepares an average of 20% of our graduates to pursue collegiate athletics each year. Benjamin alumni are currently playing in the NFL and MLB. While our curriculum prepares students for the nation's most selective colleges and universities, our College Counseling Office works closely with students to target institutions that best satisfy their individual interests and aspirations. They start here. And from here, they see that they can go anywhere.