Nestled in the Bowmanville neighborhood just eight miles north of Downtown Chicago, Rogers Park Montessori School is a community of families and educators guided by Maria Montessori’s vision of the progression of peace in our world. The school is an independent, non-sectarian, co-educational day school established in 1966, offering education and after school programming to children ages 2-14. The students, staff, faculty, and parents of our two toddler classrooms, six 3-6 classrooms, five 6-9 classrooms, four 9-12 classrooms, and one Middle School classroom comprise a close-knit school community with a proud tradition of collaboration.

We are seeking an Advancement Manager to build relationships that advance the mission of the school and lead to increased support through charitable gifts. This position is a key part of the school’s administrative team and provides an extraordinary opportunity for an ambitious development professional to both promote — and play a major role in running — a school that routinely transforms the lives of its students.

The ideal candidate is an outgoing people-person with a versatile skill set who can champion the benefits of a Montessori-based education, our unique culture and programmatic offerings. This position reports to the Director of Advancement and will work closely with Finance and Operations, Admissions, faculty, staff and the Board of Trustees to raise funds in order to support the school’s operations and financial aid program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manages all administration associated with gift processing, database management, acknowledgments and receipts.

• Manages prospect research and building a pipeline of diverse revenue streams including major gifts, foundations, corporate partners and government grants in support of programmatic opportunities as well as auxiliary fundraising events.

• Manages execution of Annual Fund communications, solicitations, benchmark tracking, and recognition.

• In coordination with volunteer committees, plan and execute school and community events including but not limited to a fall community-focused event, a spring fundraising gala, and Grandparents and Special Friends Day open house event.

• Serves as primary liaison to the Families’ Association and in collaboration with school program directors to recruit and manage volunteers to fill identified needs (carpool; traffic safety; open house guides; etc.).

• Produce and promote community volunteerism activities (food or supply collection drives; meal creation or delivery to community organizations; neighborhood clean-ups; etc.)

• Monitors and manages assigned projects ensuring goals are met and adherence to specific budgets.

• Creates and contributes to communications that increase awareness of RPMS, its achievements, activities and impact.

• Builds and maintain strong relationships with staff and faculty, community volunteers, and community leaders to grow awareness of Rogers Park Montessori and amplify engagement opportunities.

• Promote and perpetuate wide ranging efforts to ensure inclusion and a sense of belonging in the Rogers Park Montessori School Community.

• Develop and implement a program to recognize and celebrate volunteerism within the community.

  
  

Experience necessary:

• 5+ yrs working in nonprofit development/advancement

• Annual fund campaign execution

• Event coordination and production

• CRM or fundraising database usage

• Working with and motivating volunteers and staff members

  
  

Skills required:

• Autonomy to manage and complete work projects independently

• Eagerness to contribute to a community/team mentality and fill priority needs whatever those may be

• Excellent verbal and written communication

• Highly organized project manager

• Technical adaptability

• Demonstrable commitment to a culture of equity, inclusion and belonging, underscoring the value of diversity across markers of identity

  
  

Additional abilities:

• Exhibits a genuine willingness to know people and to ensure that they feel seen and valued as members of the community

• Enjoys working with and around children

• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about development in a school setting

• Content marketing and social media knowledge

• Shares warmth, kindness, and compassion always

  
  

Rogers Park Montessori School offers an excellent compensation package including wide-ranging opportunities for professional development; and a talented and dedicated staff of teaching professionals and supportive administrators.

Applicants are invited to visit Rogers Park Montessori School’s website (rpmschool.org) to learn more about the school and its programs. Successful candidates will join a dynamic, supportive, and forward-thinking community.

Rogers Park Montessori School does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability.

Please contact resumes@rpms.org to submit your resume.