The Opportunity

Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Advancement at a pivotal and energizing moment in the School’s history. Under the leadership of its newly appointed Head of School, SHA is experiencing a renewed spirit, clarity of vision and momentum across its community. With a deep commitment to its mission and the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria, the School is strengthening its foundation while positioning itself for long-term sustainability and growth.

The Director of Advancement will play a critical and highly visible leadership role in this next chapter while working in close partnership with the Head of School, Board of Trustees and a deeply engaged community of alumnae, parents and friends to expand and elevate a comprehensive culture of philanthropy.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a strategic and relational fundraising leader to build upon a strong base of support while significantly growing advancement efforts including leadership of key revenue streams and preparation for a future capital campaign.

About Sacred Heart Academy

Sacred Heart Academy is a Catholic independent college preparatory school for girls founded in 1865 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The School serves approximately 175 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 with the Pre-Kindergarten program welcoming both boys and girls.

The School is part of a global network of more than 150 Sacred Heart schools and is guided by the Five Goals and Criteria that unite Sacred Heart schools worldwide. SHA educates young women of faith, intellect, and compassion - forming leaders who are prepared to meet the challenges of the world with

confidence, purpose and heart.

The Position

The Director of Advancement (DOA) reports directly to the Head of School, serves on the Senior Leadership Team and leads a focused and high-impact advancement team.

The Advancement Team currently includes two direct reports:

● Advancement Operations & Data Systems Manager

● Community Engagement and Alumnae Relations Coordinator

Within this lean structure, the DOA serves as the primary frontline fundraiser, leading all major gift cultivation and solicitation efforts while setting strategy and direction for the School’s overall advancement program.

The DOA will work in close partnership with the Advancement Committee of the Board of Trustees, supporting its work while ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and best practices in governance.

The DOA will also attend Board of Trustees meetings, providing regular updates on fundraising progress, strategy and key initiatives.

The DOA oversees all aspects of the School’s fundraising and engagement efforts including the Annual Fund, major gifts, alumnae relations, events and campaign strategy.

Key Priorities for the DOA

1. Serve as the Lead Frontline Fundraiser

● Personally manage and grow a portfolio of major gift prospects

● Lead all cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies

● Partner closely with the Head of School and trustees on donor engagement

● Drive increased leadership-level giving including gifts of $25K+

2. Expand Major Gift Fundraising

● Strengthen donor pipelines and increase leadership-level and $25K+ giving

● Build long-term relationships across alumnae, parents and friends

● Develop and execute strategies to grow philanthropic revenue

3. Lead and Execute the Annual Fund

● Oversee and directly manage the strategy and execution of the Annual Fund including both print and digital solicitation efforts

● Lead planning and implementation of Day(s) of Giving

● Partner with internal and external stakeholders to ensure strong participation and consistent year-over-year growth

● Align Annual Fund efforts with broader advancement goals and donor pipeline development

4. Lead and Grow EITC/OSTC Efforts

● Drive strategy and execution of Pennsylvania tax credit programs (EITC/OSTC) - a critical revenue stream for SHA

● Engage corporate donors and community partners to increase participation and impact

● Work collaboratively with trustees and external partners (i.e. BLOCS) to maximize opportunities

5. Prepare for a Future Capital Campaign

● Partner with the Head of School and Capital Campaign Committee to advance the School’s capital campaign currently in its quiet/leadership phase

● Execute leadership gift strategies and cultivate top-tier prospects

● Support campaign messaging, donor strategy, and volunteer engagement

● Help guide the campaign toward a successful public phase and overall completion

6. Strengthen a Culture of Philanthropy

● Build on renewed community energy and engagement

● Enhance participation across constituencies

● Elevate storytelling and stewardship aligned with SHA’s mission

7. Lead and Develop the Advancement Function

● Provide strategic leadership and clear direction for a small but effective team

● Ensure strong systems, data integrity and performance tracking

● Align advancement work with broader institutional priorities

The Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced advancement leader with a passion for mission-driven education and a demonstrated ability to lead comprehensive fundraising programs.

In addition, the successful candidate will bring:

● 5–7 years of progressive fundraising experience required with increasing responsibility in advancement or development roles

● Proven success as a frontline fundraiser with the ability to personally cultivate and close major gifts of $25K+

● Experience leading and executing Annual Fund campaigns including multi-channel (print and digital) solicitations and Days of Giving

● Experience with or strong aptitude for EITC/OSTC or similar tax-advantaged giving programs

● Capital campaign experience including planning and/or execution

● Comfort working in a lean team environment where the DOA is both strategist and lead executor

● A collaborative leadership style and ability to partner effectively with a Head of School and Board of Trustees

● Strategic thinking paired with strong execution skills

● Exceptional relationship-building ability across diverse constituencies

● Experience in an independent or Catholic school setting (K–12 or secondary) with an understanding of the unique dynamics of school-based philanthropy

Why This Role Matters

The Director of Advancement role at Sacred Heart Academy is not simply a traditional advancement position - it is a mission-critical leadership role at a school poised for growth.

With new leadership, a re-energized community and clear strategic priorities, the next DOA will have the opportunity to:

● Serve as the architect and driver of fundraising strategy

● Directly impact philanthropic growth through frontline fundraising and Annual Fund leadership

● Build a sustainable and scalable advancement program

● Play a central role in a capital campaign