The Ivymount Organization is a nonprofit that provides trusted educational, therapeutic, and professional services and resources that invest in the abilities of neurodiverse children and young adults.
The Ivymount Organization operates two schools. The renowned Ivymount School, serving over 8,000 students since its founding, is a nonpublic Special Education Day school for students with autism and related disabilities, Kindergarten through age 21. The Maddux School is a private school with a distinctive social learning curriculum for pre-kindergarten through second grade. Ivymount also brings the success of its schools to the community through therapeutic and recreation programs and services, and professional consultation and products delivered by the Ivymount Endeavors Program, Ivymount Community Outreach & Services, and the Ivymount Professional Collaborative.
For over 60 years, our mission has driven the growth of Ivymount from two classrooms in the basement of a church to become the broad collection of programs and partnerships that we are today. Through innovative services, dynamic new programs, community partnerships, and comprehensive training, Ivymount has evolved into a nationally recognized organization focused on positive outcomes for individuals with special needs.
The Opportunity:
The Director of Advancement oversees an extensive Community Engagement and Development program that aligns with and supports the mission and initiatives of the Ivymount Organization. This role involves building and maintaining relationships with donors, overseeing advancement activities, including project management of the leadership agenda, and leading a small advancement team. Additionally, this position serves as the primary liaison with the CEO between the board of directors and the organization. Please review the position overview linked above for additional details on the responsibilities for this role.
The Candidate:
The successful candidate will have an authentic approach that combines an outstanding ability to listen to prospective donors, gauge their interest and determine the right moment to make the “ask.” Preparation, organization and a passion for the mission are a must. The fundraising goal is between $700K and $1M annually with particular emphasis on individuals and an expanded effort to recruit corporate entities beyond the biennial gala. Prospective candidates should excel in a small team setting, possess the ability to develop, execute, and successfully accomplish strategic initiatives with a proven track record of achieving results in a similar environment.
Key Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., nonprofit management, business administration, communications)
- Proven track record of successful major gift solicitation and donor stewardship.
- Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial setting with aggressive deadlines; management of multiple priorities and projects while balancing long-term goals.
- Exceptional and persuasive written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills with the ability to effectively interface with staff, community leaders, and senior-level executives.
- A sharp mind, top-notch critical thinking, and organizational capabilities, adept at quickly absorbing information from various angles, always keeping an eye on the big picture while maintaining superior attention to detail.
- High level of integrity, trust, and accountability along with excellent judgment, intuition, and common sense, as well as the right blend of professional confidence with a keen sense of diplomacy.
- Collaborative, team-oriented work style with self-motivation and drive to get the job done.
- Adept at using Razor’s Edge or similar, Microsoft Suite, Google Docs, and Teams.
- Proposal writing experience; some event planning experience is a plus.
- Prior experience in planning and executing large-scale fundraising events
- Knowledge of government funding, including local, state, and federal
Location: Hybrid – Rockville, MD
DRiWaterstone is proud to lead this search on behalf of the Ivymount Organization.
