Development Officer

Development Officer

Schedule
Monday–Friday | 7:30 a.m.–4:15 p.m.

Salary
$68,000–$92,000 + annual performance-based bonus for funds raised above goal

What Is the Opportunity?

This is a senior management position for a bold, strategic, and results-driven professional who understands how to shape and sell a mission-rooted story, one that inspires deep investment in equity, justice, and transformative change. At Foundation Academies, we believe education is not just a pathway, but an act of activism, a radical declaration that every child deserves dignity, opportunity, and liberation. That belief is at the heart of everything we do and your work will reflect it. As the Development Officer, you’ll serve as the Chief Advancement Officer’s right hand and a driving force behind our growth. You’ll:

• Have the boldness to open new doors with institutional and corporate partners, helping them see how their investment in our mission creates mutual value for our scholars and their stakeholders.
• Be fluent in connecting our mission to institutional priorities, stewarding both Fortune 500 and community-based partnerships, and leading campaigns that raise six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Expertly navigate donor relationships, moving individuals through the giving pipeline and inspiring lasting legacy investments.
• Bring a deep understanding of the donor mindset, enabling authentic 1:1 conversations about giving priorities, family philanthropy, and values-driven impact.

Whether you’re cultivating new relationships, leading board engagement, or developing cross-functional strategies, you’re equally at home networking in a crowded room, connecting with a donor over lunch, or putting in focused hours aligning plans with metrics for success. If you’re ready to lead with purpose, raise with intention, and deliver bold, measurable outcomes for a mission that matters — come grow with us!

Why Join Us?

• Competitive, merit-based compensation and annual raises
• Performance-based bonus for funds raised above goal
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with 25% employer match
• Financial wellness advising
• Optional short- and long-term disability insurance
• 10 sick days and 3 personal days (roll over annually)
• 20 paid holidays
• Smartphone and paid T-Mobile plan
• Windows laptop provided
• Regular team-building activities and professional development
• A career that directly transforms the lives of young people

What Will You Be Doing?
Strategic Leadership

• Partner closely with the Chief Advancement Officer to design and execute a multi-year fundraising strategy that drives growth across corporate, foundation, and individual giving.
• Serve as a key thought partner to senior leadership and the Board of Directors, aligning fundraising goals to organizational priorities.
• Lead and inform Board fundraising efforts, working directly with members and co-driving the Board Prospecting Committee to expand and activate their networks.
• Provide strategic insights on untapped funding opportunities and philanthropic trends that advance our mission.
• Fundraising & Relationship Management
• In Year 1, identify and cultivate a portfolio of five new institutional partners (private foundations and corporate partners) with gifts of $25,000+ each.
• Secure $250,000 in new corporate and foundation support annually.
• Secure $150,000 in new individual and family support annually through new donors and gift increases.
• Renew an existing donor portfolio with an average 15% year-over-year increase.
• Develop and own a personal portfolio of institutional and individual donors under the direct leadership and mentorship of the Chief Advancement Officer.
• Create compelling, customized proposals and sponsorship materials that align donor priorities with Foundation Academies’ impact.
• Leverage internal relationships and networks for warm introductions and partnership growth.

Grants & Reporting

• Oversee the full grant lifecycle, from research and proposal development to compliance and reporting.
• Manage consultant and junior staff support to ensure deliverables are met on time and at high quality.
• Maintain a robust prospect pipeline and master calendar of deadlines, driving proactive cultivation and renewals.
• Track all activity in the CRM with accurate forecasting and impact reporting.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Work with Marketing to produce donor communications, impact reports, and storytelling collateral.
• Partner with Finance, Operations, and Academic teams to align funding needs, capture scholar impact statistics, and drive initiatives that make Foundation Academies more competitive for funding.
• Serve as a connector between the Advancement Office and the broader organization to ensure our external narrative authentically reflects our scholars’ success.

What You Bring?

• A high-capacity fundraiser and strategist with 7+ years of progressive development experience, including managing diverse revenue streams and major donor relationships.
• A skilled relationship-builder who connects naturally with executives, philanthropists, and community leaders.
• A compelling communicator who crafts narratives that inspire action and investment.
• A self-starter and strategic thinker who thrives in entrepreneurial environments and takes initiative.
• Deep alignment with our mission and values, with a demonstrated commitment to equity, access, and anti-racism.
• Familiarity with CSR, ESG, and philanthropic trends.
• Experience using CRM systems (Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or similar).
• Experience in education or urban/under-resourced communities is strongly preferred.

What We Require?

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred in Communications, Marketing, Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• Experience in education or nonprofit sectors strongly preferred.
• Successful completion of background checks, fingerprinting, TB/Mantoux screening, and official transcript submission.

Ready to Lead and Fundraise at Scale?

If you’re a results-driven, strategic fundraiser with a passion for storytelling and relationship-building — and you’re ready to partner with visionary leadership to accelerate impact — we’d love to hear from you.

Who We Are?

Foundation Academies is Trenton, New Jersey’s largest and highest-ranking K–12 free public charter school, serving more than 1,000 scholars across three schools on two campuses. Our mission is to ensure that all of our students secure the academic knowledge and skills to prepare them for the nation’s finest colleges — and to instill in them the core values of caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty. We admit students by lottery, irrespective of gender, race, household income, or academic ability. Our team of mission-driven educators holds high expectations for ourselves, our students, and our city because that’s what our families deserve. We are conveniently located a quick car ride to downtown Princeton, a 45-minute SEPTA ride to Philadelphia’s Center City, and an NJ Transit Express away from New York City.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Foundation Academies is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions based on merit and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.