Director of Advancement

About the role

You will help define how this organization funds its future. The systems you build, the relationships you steward, and the culture you set within advancement will determine what is possible in the years ahead. This is a rare opportunity to step into a senior role at a moment when your decisions will matter — and where success is visible, measurable, and deeply meaningful.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain robust systems for donor research, engagement, stewardship, and tracking, ensuring data-driven decision-making and consistent follow-through.
• Lead weekly tactical and donor relations meetings, supervise and develop the Senior Advancement Associate, and partner with the Advancement Associate to implement a new CRM for long-term adoption.
• Personally close $500,000+ annually in five-figure gifts, manage annual campaigns generating $150,000+ in three- and four-figure gifts, and cultivate pathways toward six- and seven-figure opportunities.
• Identify, engage, and steward strategic fundraising targets, leveraging donors, board members, and community partners to unlock institutional and individual opportunities.
• Serve as a visible, trusted presence in Princeton and Mercer County philanthropic and business communities, participating in events, networks, and memberships with clear strategic intent.
• Develop creative strategies to introduce and engage new prospects, prioritize high-impact donor interactions, and ensure senior-level engagement throughout the stewardship cycle.
• Collaborate with the Chief Advancement Officer to focus resources on high-value activities, streamline processes, and maximize mission impact.
• Drive employee engagement opportunities for corporate partners, moving relationships into annual renewal cycles with increased giving.
• Stay current on local, regional, and statewide philanthropic trends, funding priorities, and opportunities to inform strategic fundraising efforts.

Requirements

• 7+ years of fundraising experience with increasing responsibilities, including managing staff while remaining an active fundraiser.
• Proven success closing five- to six-figure gifts and building pipelines toward larger opportunities.
• Strong systems and strategic mindset: skilled in CRMs, moves-management tools, and designing processes to drive organizational growth.
• Exceptional organizational, follow-through, prioritization, research, and preparation skills.
• Comfortable operating in relationship-driven, externally facing environments, with a willingness to network extensively in Mercer County.
• Collaborative, disciplined, outcomes-oriented, and mission-focused, with an ownership mindset and a desire to shape an organization’s future trajectory.

Qualifications

• Educational background in a related field preferred.
• Experience working with K-12 educational institutions is a plus.

Skills

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Benefits

• Merit-based pay increases annually
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefit plans
• Tax-deferred 403b retirement account with 25% matching up to a certain amount
• Free financial wellness advising through our Financial Advisor Service
• Optional short or long-term disability benefits through Aflac
• Career advancement opportunities
• Smartphone and fully paid wireless plan through T-Mobile
• Windows-based laptop
• Regular team-building activities and outings
• 10 sick days and 3 personal days that roll over annually
• 30 paid holiday observances

Pay

$80,000-$108,000

Schedule

Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:15pm

What do we require from you?

We are Foundation Academies: Trenton, New Jersey’s largest and highest-ranking K-12 free public charter school serving more than 1,000 scholars across three schools on two campuses. Our mission is to ensure that all of our students secure the academic knowledge and skills to prepare them for the nation’s finest colleges, and to instill in them the core values of caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty. We admit students by lottery, irrespective of gender, race, household income, or academic ability.

About Foundation Academies

We are conveniently located a quick car ride to downtown Princeton, a 45-minute SEPTA ride to Philly’s Center City, and a hop on the NJ Transit Express to New York City.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Foundation Academies is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best available persons in every job. Foundation Academies prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, genetic information, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. All such discrimination is unlawful and prohibited by Foundation Academies. It is also our policy to comply with all applicable state and federal laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

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