Director of Development

Join our vibrant Montessori community where your passion for teaching is truly valued!

Title

Director of Development

Start Date

July 1, 2026

Reports to

Head of School

Employee Classification

Schedule

8 am - 4:30 pm Mondays - Fridays; hybrid in‑person/remote

Founded in 1965, Montessori Center School of Santa Barbara (MCS) is an independent school and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The school boasts sixty years rich in a history of nurturing a lifelong love for learning among children ages 18 months through 6th grade – grounded in the Montessori method. An American Montessori Society Member School, MCS fosters independent, self‑motivated, confident, life‑long learners, who will become positive forces to care for and transform our world“五?

The school is located on a beautiful garden campus in Goleta, California.

The Director of Development is the strategic and operational leader of the school’s advancement and fundraising initiatives. This role oversees all aspects of annual giving, major gifts, special events, stewardship, donor communications, and the school’s long‑term philanthropic strategy. The Director of Development is a member of the senior school leadership team, collaborates closely with the Head of School and Board of Trustees, and leads efforts to cultivate a deeply engaged, generous, and mission‑aligned community of supporters.

• Develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive annual development plan aligned with the school’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Lead all aspects of annual giving, including parent, alumni, grandparent, faculty/staff, and board campaigns, ensuring strong participation and year‑over‑year growth.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift prospects; build a sustainable pipeline of donors capable of making leadership and transformational gifts.
• Work closely with the Head of School to support donor strategy, portfolio management, and high‑level stewardship.

• Create and implement a donor stewardship program that recognizes contributions meaningfully and inspires continued investment.
• Build strong relationships with parents, alumni, trustees, and community partners through one‑on‑one engagement, events, and strategic communications.
• Oversee donor research, prospect tracking, and moves management systems.

• Serve as executive lead for major school fundraising events ensuring exceptional execution, high donor engagement, and strong ROI. Support and guide volunteer Eduardo committees and parent leaders involved in fundraising and community engagement.
  
  Oversee cultivation and stewardship events, including donor thank‑you gatherings, grandparent events, and community‑building programs.

• Oversee all development‑related communications, including appeals, stewardship letters, impact reports, and fundraising collateral.
• Manage development data and reporting, ensuring integrity, accuracy, and confidentiality in the school’s CRM.
• Prepare fundraising dashboards, reports, and analytics for the Head of School, Board of Trustees, and Development Committee.
• Serve as a member of the school’s leadership team; contribute to strategic planning and institutional priorities.
• Partner with the Head of School, MPO Co‑Chairs, board trustees, Director of Admissions, Director of Communications, and Director of School Operations to ensure aligned messaging and coordinated outreach.
• Support Board‑level committees (Development, Governance, Strategic Planning), acting as staff liaison and advisor on philanthropy.
• Embody MCS’s core values in your daily interactions with children, families and staff.
• Seek out and embrace opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across the school.
• Model lifelong learning:
  Seek out opportunities for learning and development, including opportunities to learn from peer feedback from your colleagues.
• Complete all required and requested administrative responsibilities in a timely manner and within the timeline given.

Successful candidates for this role will evidence the following…