Associate Development Director Jobs in Connecticut

Reporting to the Director of Development, the Associate Director of Individual Giving is a key member of a growing and ambitious Development team, advancing philanthropic support for St. Luke’s School’s priorities, including annual, capital, endowment, and planned giving.

This frontline fundraising role is responsible for managing a portfolio of current and prospective donors and guiding them through the full lifecycle of giving - identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. The Associate Director develops and executes donor-centric strategies for alumni, parents, parents of alumni, grandparents, and friends of the School, with a focus on securing leadership annual gifts, major gifts, multi-year commitments, and planned gifts where appropriate.

This role requires periodic travel for donor visits and occasional evening or weekend participation in cultivation and stewardship events.

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 125–175 donors and prospects capable of making leadership annual and major gifts (typically $25,000+).
• Partner with the Director of Development to set and achieve annual goals for visits, solicitations, revenue, and pipeline growth.
• Conduct regular outreach (in-person, virtual, and phone) to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors.
• Secure leadership annual gifts, multi-year commitments, major gifts, and planned gift intentions aligned with School priorities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on strategy for top prospects, including solicitation planning, proposal development, and stewardship.
• Prepare high-quality donor materials, including briefings, proposals, correspondence, and contact reports.
• Partner across the Development team to align strategies for shared prospects across annual, capital, endowment, and planned giving.
• Engage School leaders, faculty, and volunteers to deepen donor relationships and support fundraising strategies.
• Plan and support small-group cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in the CRM, including contact reports, next steps, proposals, and outcomes.
• Develop and communicate a compelling understanding of the School’s priorities and case for support.
• Apply best practices in portfolio and moves management, informed by established fundraising frameworks.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 5+ years of experience in development, advancement, sales, or relationship management; independent school or nonprofit fundraising experience preferred.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing leadership annual and/or major gifts.
• Experience managing a donor portfolio and advancing prospects through a moves-management process.
• Ability to incorporate planned giving into donor conversations and advance legacy commitments.
• Campaign experience preferred.
• Strong relationship-building skills and ability to engage effectively with donors, volunteers, and institutional leaders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present funding opportunities persuasively.
• Strategic, results-oriented, and highly organized, with strong judgment and follow-through.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to assess performance and adjust strategy.
• Collaborative, team-oriented, and committed to a high-accountability culture.
• Professional presence, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge/NXT) and Google Workspace.

Located in New Canaan, Connecticut, St. Luke’s attracts families from 25 towns throughout Connecticut and New York. A combination of challenging academics and truly exceptional community support distinguishes St. Luke’s and encourages our students to go above and beyond their own expectations. The school offers an inclusive environment where differences in race, culture, and personal beliefs are embraced as assets that enhance education. St. Luke’s prides itself on being a forward-thinking school where students hone their own distinct leadership skills - developing a strong moral compass, the commitment to serve, and the confidence to lead.

St. Luke’s School is an equal opportunity employer. St. Luke’s School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by law with regard to hiring, terms and conditions of employment or educational programs. We strive to provide a welcoming educational environment where the value and dignity of every member is respected.