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ASSISTSuffIeld, ConneCTICuT
dIreCTor of developmenTJAnuAry 1, 2018assist-inc.org
The poSITIon
For 48 years, ASSIST (American Secondary Schools for International Students and Teachers) has connected high-performing international scholars with fine American independent secondary schools on one-year scholarships. The organization works to identify, place, and support outstanding international students during their year of discovery in the United States. The overarching belief is that the ASSIST experience brings together future American leaders and future leaders of other nations, making a substantial contribution toward promoting understanding and tolerance of cultures, racial designations, and religious beliefs.
As ASSIST approaches the celebration of its 50th Anniversary in 2018-19, the organization seeks a Director of Development (DOD) to guide its ambitious fundraising programs and to build upon a strong development foundation laid by the current DOD over the past three years. The Director of Development will be a talented advancement professional who is passionate about and committed to fulfilling the mission of this unique organization.
The orgAnIzATIon
HistoryASSIST was founded in 1969 by the late Paul G. Sanderson, a visionary American educator among the first to conceive of the benefits of an international educational community for American independent secondary schools. ASSIST began with just 13 students, and in the four decades since has created an educational and cultural exchange program that continues to bring deserving and talented young men and women to study in the United States. Over time, programmatic advances
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Mission
ASSIST creates life-changing opportunities for outstanding international scholars to attend and contribute to the finest American independent secondary schools to promote mutual understanding, cultural interchange, and global citizenship.
Giving Highlights 2016-17
• $687,962 raised in total• Record $305,317 raised
through Annual Fund• 5% above goal• 100% Board participation• €120,297 raised in Germany• 25% of donations come
from alumni• ~700 donors
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and development have only strengthened ASSIST’s original mission: to discover, place, and support outstanding international students in American independent schools of stature.
In January 2000, the ASSIST Board of Directors appointed Robert A. Stanley, Jr., as the third president of ASSIST. Bob served in American independent schools for 13 years and has previous experience in the corporate world. He manages the staffs of the affiliate offices around the world and is responsible for the daily operations of the organization. He is a graduate of Suffield Academy, Brown University and Yale University Divinity School.
LegacyThe legacy of ASSIST is long-lasting, creating connections among international achievers and their American peers, teachers, and host families. One goal of the program is to create a worldwide circle of future leaders, and ASSIST’s breadth has allowed more than 5,050 students from 52 countries to develop leadership skills and cultural fluency. In a typical year, ASSIST recruits students from over 20 countries. In the current school year, its Scholars hail from Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Somaliland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and Vietnam.Schools and Scholars alike benefit from participating in ASSIST; Scholars are academically high-performing, and each is also required to contribute to at least one co-curricular activity during his or her scholarship year. Schools benefit from the diversity and unique experiences of the Scholars, who enrich their communities.
ASSIST depends on the generosity of donors to fund its programs. Donors have various opportunities to contribute, primarily through gifts to the Annual Fund or to the student sponsorship program. The sponsorship program covers expenses not included in the tuition award, ensuring students from all socio-economic backgrounds have a chance to participate in this experience. Major donors
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also support ASSIST through restricted gifts to technology, staffing, and other special initiatives, as well as through gifts to the endowment. In addition, ASSIST depends on the tremendous energy and generosity of a large cadre of volunteers, including host families, interviewers, and country coordinators. Thanks to the philanthropic support of the Board, alumni, and other friends, as well as the time and talent of ASSIST’s many volunteers, ASSIST has maintained its commendable track record of delivering on promises and living its mission for 48 years. The development office tries to operate as leanly and efficiently as possible, making each budget dollar count.
member SChoolS
From the beginning, the ASSIST family of member schools has been the foundation of the program. Each school offers at least one full scholarship to an ASSIST Scholar, and many schools also offer partial scholarships to help multiple Scholars. The generosity of each receiving school is matched by the disproportionate impact of each ASSIST Scholar.
ASSIST welcomes independent day and boarding schools that are full members of NAIS to apply for membership. Their close relationships with member schools is a hallmark of the program.
ASSIST member schools welcome future leaders from around the world into their school communities, and they join the network of ASSIST member schools across the nation. This includes such institutions as Albuquerque Academy, Andover, Catlin Gabel, Deerfield, Exeter, Hill, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Mercersburg, Sidwell Friends, St. Andrew’s, St. Paul’s, and Woodberry Forest.
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opporTunITIeS And ChAllengeS
The next Director of Development for ASSIST must step in and immediately play a strategic and tactical role aimed at garnering additional philanthropic support for ASSIST. Key to the successful candidate’s performance will be his or her ability to mesh seamlessly with a small U.S.-based staff of nine whose collective belief in the mission and reliance on teamwork drive the enterprise. Interactions with colleagues and volunteers in 20+ countries overseas also form a foundation of success. There are no school buildings, teachers or students to observe as part of the daily flow of work; rather, a true conviction in the value of international student exchange and an appreciation and understanding of independent schools will provide inspiration for the successful candidate.
The successful candidate will be a true self-starter – essentially a sole practitioner – charged with enhancing a growing Annual Fund, establishing program goals and metrics, coordinating alumni outreach, and continuing to build a major gift program in anticipation of the organization’s 50th anniversary comprehensive campaign, still in its quiet phase. Thus, the successful candidate is likely a development generalist, with a bent towards major gifts and a firm understanding of an Annual Fund, who has the confidence and experience to work effectively with a highly engaged Board of Directors and a long-tenured President and to direct their fundraising efforts.
In sum, the practical experience is implicit, and the “fit” is crucial. ASSIST is like a small family business where people work hard, chip in when and where needed, and embrace good humor. For the development professional looking for a chance to lead a program and advance his or her career, this position is an opportunity to make one’s mark on behalf of a program that serves many of the finest independent schools in the country.
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reSponSIbIlITIeS And QuAlITIeS of The nexT dIreCTor of developmenT
The position reports to the President, Bob Stanley, and is located in Suffield, Connecticut. The DOD works closely with the President, and will also have the opportunity to work with the Vice President in their joint capacity as members of the office leadership team. The successful candidate will supervise the Data Input Administrator, who assists with gift entry and acknowledgements, and depending on the project, will have the chance to work with all the members of the office staff. The DOD will lead and coordinate the efforts of the President, the Board of Directors, other key volunteer leaders and staff in expanding a maturing fundraising program. This includes overseeing ASSIST’s annual giving, through the Annual Fund, student sponsorships, and other restricted gifts. The FY17 Annual Fund closed at $305K; overall, the total fundraising portfolio closed just shy of $700K.
A primary focus of the DOD’s portfolio are gifts from US-based constituents. The DOD also cultivates, solicits and stewards international constituents, exempting those living in Germany. Those constituents are overseen by a complementary Director of Development, currently based in Berlin. The success of ASSIST’s annual giving efforts rests on the partnership between the two Directors of Development, who liaise with and support one another in their work.
The DOD will also manage a comprehensive anniversary campaign, which is in the early stages of discussion about the case for support and purposes for the dollars raised. Of course, much of the ongoing stewardship and cultivation work will benefit the campaign in significant ways.
In addition to his or her fundraising responsibilities, the DOD will oversee projects relating to the Board of Directors, the upcoming 50th Anniversary year (2018-19), and alumni relations. S/he will work closely with the President on the development budget, and attend Finance Committee meetings
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as necessary. S/he will also participate in the annual Orientation program every August and provide support as needed for the student application process.
The ideal candidate will have the following experience and qualities:
• Significant development experience, especially in annual support and major gifts• Exposure to, if not experience at, independent schools• Familiarity with prospect research, alumni relations, donor stewardship and planned giving• Familiarity with fundraising software; experience with Raiser’s Edge a plus• Belief in the mission of ASSIST• Cultural understanding in all of its forms• Ability to initiate and complete projects/tasks independently; self-motivated• Exposure to working with sophisticated volunteers• Desire and ability to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally• Collaborative and team-oriented• Hardworking and detail-oriented; high energy• Superb communications skills• Warm, caring individual with a good sense of humor
To Apply
To apply, submit electronically and as separate documents (preferably as PDFs) the following materials:
• Cover letter expressing interest in the Director of Development position• Current résumé • List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each to:
John ClarkSenior Consultant
Carney, Sandoe & Associates200 High Street, Suite 610, Boston, MA 02110
Skype: providence51
