Development and Events Associate

Germantown Friends School seeks a Development and Events Associate (DEA) to serve as the project lead for a diverse range of internal and external events, ensuring seamless execution across all of the school’s operational and academic departments and divisions to foster community connection. As a key member of the Advancement department, the DEA will work with the Development team on a variety of tasks to support a robust fundraising program.

This role collaborates with colleagues to handle the complete event life cycle—including site research, logistics planning, budgeting, staffing, and on-site coordination—for focus areas such as Development and Alumni Relations, Admissions, Community Engagement, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. In close collaboration with marketing colleagues, the DEA aligns event strategies with communication plans and brand management, while providing essential support for major Advancement initiatives, such as Alumni Weekend and Giving Day.

The DEA may also provide event support for Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia.

Specific duties include:

• Responsible for the planning and execution of internal and external events, creating thoughtful, engaging opportunities for parents, students, prospective families, alumni, faculty/staff, volunteers, and friends to understand the GFS experience and develop a sense of community.
• Work closely with the Associate Director of Advancement and others to ensure timelines, roles, and responsibilities are clear for each event.
• Coordination with school Maintenance, IT, and Security & Operations teams, volunteers, internal stakeholders, and external partners.
• Collaboration with the Special Assistant to the Chief Advancement Officer and others to ensure staffing and calendar alignment across Advancement, executive, and school offices.
• Ensure all events feature an event timeline, clear project plans with assigned roles and responsibilities, technology plans, and budgets.
• Confirm that all events are successfully closed out with final budgets, and documentation of attendance, expenses, lessons learned, and follow-up coordinated across teams to maximize outcomes.
• Use database systems to develop efficient invitation forms and identify outside programs for ticketing as needed.

Specific events include, but are not limited to:

• Admissions and Enrollment Management (50%):
  Admissions Fall and Spring Open Houses, Large Admissions Yield Events for accepted families and students, Neighborhood marketing events, other events as needed
• All-School Events (20%):
  Opening and Closing of School, Graduation and Move-Up Ceremonies, DEI speakers, student and family programming (including Heritage month events and Diversity Dialogue Day/Unity Day), Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and community engagement events, Fun Day, Parents Association and affinity group event support, Retirement Party, and event support for Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia
• Other events as identified throughout the year

Qualifications:

• The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to: think strategically and creatively; operate in an organized manner and project manage complex programs; manage situations diplomatically; and handle information confidentially. Specific qualifications include:
• 2-4 years of event or project management experience.
• Experience in Development a plus.
• Volunteer recruitment and management experience.
• Ability to learn and work with various software programs, including Finalsite, Veracross, and Basecamp (training will be provided).
• Passion for education and diversity, equity, and inclusion; openness to learn and to attend professional development programs.
• This position demands flexibility and a positive attitude.
• Knowledge of the Google product suite…