About Harbor Country Day School Harbor Country Day School is an independent, co-educational school for children in grades Preschool 2 through 8. It is located on a beautiful 10-acre campus along the North Shore of Long Island. Guided by our mission to cherish childhood, cultivate wonder, and inspire confident learners and leaders , and grounded in our motto, Sine Labore Nihil (Without Work, Nothing), our dedicated faculty and staff work collaboratively to provide an exceptional educational experience. Together, we foster a culture of curiosity, perseverance, and excellence. Position Overview Harbor Country Day School seeks an organized, proactive, and relationship-focused Development Manager to lead the School's annual giving and donor engagement efforts. Reporting to the Head of School and working in close partnership with Board leadership and the School's philanthropy consultants, this role manages the fundraising program from start to finish—including campaign planning, donor communications, stewardship, events, data management, and reporting. This is a hands-on, relationship-driven position for an energetic, professional who enjoys connecting with people, bringing ideas to life, and ensuring every detail is thoughtfully executed. The ideal candidate is a collaborative self-starter who thrives on building meaningful relationships, keeping projects on track, and inspiring generosity that strengthens Harbor's mission and community. While this role works closely with volunteer leaders and fundraising consultants, it is not a chief philanthropy officer position; it is an execution-focused leadership role for someone who takes initiative, values collaboration, and enjoys making a tangible impact every day. Key Responsibilities Annual Giving & Donor Engagement Manage the School's annual giving program from planning through stewardship, ensuring timely execution of appeals, acknowledgments, events, and follow-up. Develop strategies to increase annual giving participation and volunteer engagement, collaborating with the Community & Content Coordinator and Director of Parent Relations to maintain consistent messaging. Create donor communications, stewardship materials, impact reports, and campaign updates in partnership with school and board leadership. Support donor and community events that strengthen philanthropic engagement. Donor Relations & Volunteer Support Conduct prospect research and prepare the Head of School and board volunteers for donor meetings and solicitations. Develop and manage cultivation and stewardship plans for leadership donors and prospects, ensuring meaningful engagement and consistent follow-up. Track donor activity, coordinate volunteer fundraising efforts, and support current-parent and alumni engagement initiatives. Data Management & Reporting Maintain accurate donor records, process gifts, and partner with the CFO to ensure database integrity. Produce reports and dashboards that track fundraising participation, campaign progress, and donor retention for school and board leadership. Collaboration Partner with the Community & Content Coordinator on fundraising communications and impact storytelling. Work closely with the School's philanthropy consultants to keep fundraising initiatives on schedule. Serve as staff liaison to the Board Advancement Committee by preparing meeting materials, tracking action items, and supporting committee initiatives. Harbor Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, citizenship, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, marital status, veteran's status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Skills and Qualifications Education:

Bachelor's degree required; degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, marketing, or a related field preferred.

Experience:

Ideally, 3+ years in development, annual giving, advancement, donor relations, or a comparable relationship-and project-driven role at a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.

Fundraising:

Understanding of the annual-giving cycle, appeals, stewardship, acknowledgments, and follow-through, and comfort supporting solicitations alongside volunteers and leadership.

Organization & Execution:

Excellent project-management skills and the discipline to run a fundraising calendar and keep many moving pieces on schedule.

Data & Systems:

Proficiency with donor databases, CRM, and gift processing, with strong attention to accuracy and reporting. Ability to build dashboards and interpret participation and retention data.

Writing & Communication:

Strong written communication and proofreading skills for donor-facing materials across audiences.

Relationship Building:

Warm, professional, and discreet, with exceptional interpersonal skills and a genuine enthusiasm for cultivating meaningful relationships and representing Harbor Country Day School. Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends to support school events and donor engagement activities.

AI Fluency:

Comfort using AI-assisted tools to increase efficiency, improve communications, and streamline administrative work. What We Offer A warm, welcoming, and collaborative school community where relationships matter. The opportunity to make a meaningful impact by strengthening a culture of philanthropy that supports Harbor's mission and future. A supportive leadership team and engaged volunteers who value collaboration, initiative, and fresh ideas. Competitive independent school compensation, comprehensive benefits, and ongoing opportunities for professional growth and development. The chance to help shape the story of a vibrant, mission-driven school while building lasting relationships with families, alumni, and friends of Harbor.