Associate Director of Communications and Donor Relations

At Greens Farms Academy (GFA), students are empowered to do the hard, thrilling, essential work of shaping their own world, of building their own future. More than 700 PreK -12 students come from 23 towns in Fairfield and Westchester counties and form a joyful community that aspires to live by the school’s motto, “Each for All.” Founded in 1925, GFA is situated on a former Vanderbilt estate in a scenic 44-acre campus located in Westport, CT. The school’s highly regarded academic program is built around small class sizes (average 15), mentoring partnership with faculty (8:1 student to teacher ratio), and innovative programs designed to support students’ pursuit of questions that matter to them. The faculty is characterized by its growth mindset – embracing innovation, exploring a range of student-centered approaches, and constantly seeking to better serve its students.

A stunning waterfront campus in Westport, CT, comprises three ecosystems – a salt marsh, Audubon woodlands, and the Long Island Sound – and architecture ranging from a modernized Vanderbilt estate to a state-of-the-art center for arts and global studies. GFA has graduated thousands of compassionate, enterprising, broad-minded women and men – people with the courage and vision to build a better world. The GFA mission plays an essential role in school life: GFA engages students as partners in an innovative, inclusive, and globally-minded community to prepare them for lives of purpose. Faculty and staff have committed that language to memory, along with our core values – passion, integrity, empathy, curiosity, excellence – so as to better live out the spirit of those words.

GFA is a suburban school close to major transportation and a five-minute walk from the Greens Farms Metro-North train station. The campus sits on the Long Island Sound, a half-hour south of New Haven and an hour north of New York City by car or commuter train.

The Position

Greens Farms Academy is seeking an experienced and creative communications professional to partner with the Chief Communications Officer and Director of Institutional Advancement to enhance GFA’s brand identity and further the school’s mission. The preferred candidate will be a highly motivated, collaborative, and results-driven individual who will assist in executing a comprehensive school-wide communications strategy and donor relations program. This individual will be a lead writer and copy editor, overseeing the development of engaging and creative communication content across all GFA platforms.

Major Functions and Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, this position is responsible for serving as a lead writer and copy editor for GFA communications, including: website and social media content, the GFA Magazine, the Report of Giving, correspondence for the Head of School, parent and divisional publications, fundraising proposals, donor stewardship reports, and other materials as needed;
• Manage and enhance website and social media platforms; ensures that content is up to date while sharing important and timely news and events with the GFA community;
• Project manager for the end-to-end execution of the bi-annual GFA Magazine, the annual Report of Giving, and other periodic school publications;
• Working closely with the Advancement Office, creates and manages fundraising proposals, annual stewardship reports, and other donor relations materials as needed;
• Facilitate and support advertising and marketing initiatives with the Enrollment Department;
• Partners with division and department heads to provide specific communications support and training to their team members.

Bob Whelan, Head of School

Before joining Greens Farms Academy in 2018, Bob Whelan was Head of School for five years at Lake Forest Country Day School, a PreK-8 school serving more than 400 students in the suburbs of Chicago. Before his headship in Lake Forest, Bob was the Associate Head of School Rippowam Cisqua School in Bedford, New York, where he ran the Advancement Office, taught ethics and writing, and coached basketball. Bob began his career in education at Brown University, where he served as the Director of the Parents Leadership Program after transitioning to education from several years as a touring singer/songwriter recording for Atlantic Records and EMI publishing. Bob earned his B.A. from Brown University as a double major in American Civilization and Philosophy, and his M.Ed. in Education, Policy, and Management from Harvard University.

Philosophy

Partners: Our students collaborate with teachers to develop their voices to effect change, to become lifelong learners who take ownership of their education, and to have an instinct for self-reflection that builds character and drives improvement.

Innovative: Building on a demanding curriculum, our faculty seeks innovative and effective methods to help students cultivate the skills and habits of mind necessary to excel.

Inclusive: GFA strives to create a diverse community that values the identities, perspectives, and experiences of all its members.

Globally Minded: We empower our students to discover their place in the world and help them to become globally competent citizens engaged in building a sustainable future.

A Culture of Philanthropy

Throughout GFA’s history, the support of parents, alumni, and friends has been a powerful and often a determinative force. It has propelled the school’s progress. At critical junctures, school leaders have persuaded benefactors to invest in the realization of dreams. This fusion of intellect, will, and resources can be seen again and again.

Guided by its Strategic Direction: Lives of Purpose as it prepares for its centennial in 2025, the school is on the cusp of another important and critical juncture – a comprehensive campaign that will help position the school for its second century. As a school with an endowment of $53 million – and ambitious plans for the future – GFA depends on the generosity of the school community to move forward. Aspirations do not become achievements because we wish them so. The bridge between aspiration and achievement is spanned by funding. Philanthropy provides the pathway between what is and what can be.

The forthcoming campaign will build on GFA’s strengths and will provide both the resources and momentum to move forward on the school’s strategic initiatives. As we teach the value of purposeful and lifelong service to our students, GFA seeks to pursue its mission at an even higher level and to establish itself as one of the truly outstanding independent schools in the nation.

Benefits

Greens Farms Academy offers a dynamic and supportive work environment, competitive salaries, and a generous benefits package including a retirement plan with employer-matching, a full array of insurance plans, and generous support for professional growth. Greens Farms Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer and seeks candidates who will add to the diversity of the school community.

Application Process

Interested candidates can apply by sending a resume and cover letter to Tara Hulme, Director of Major Gifts, at [email protected].

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics

Strong candidates will possess and exhibit the following experience and qualifications:

• Minimum of three years of experience in a communications-related position;
• Evidence of exceptional writing and editing skills;
• Strong digital experience in website and social media management;
• Photography and video production/editing experience preferred;
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), MS Office suite, and Google products preferred;
• Excellent organizational, project management, and attention to detail skills;
• Analytical skills and ability to effectively lead a metrics-driven approach to evaluating efforts;
• Ability to take initiative, work independently and collaboratively;
• Strong interpersonal skills, work ethic, as well as a sense of humor and perspective;
• Desire and motivation to embrace and promote GFA’s culture of belonging and diversity in an environment of inclusivity and program excellence;
• Prior experience in an educational environment (university, college, or independent school) or non-profit preferred;
• Availability for occasional weekend and evening events;
• Bachelor’s degree required.