About Ralston College

Ralston College is a groundbreaking institution that seeks to revive and reinvent the university, offering a rigorous, transformative education rooted in the conviction that free inquiry, sustained friendship, and the pursuit of truth are the foundation of a flourishing future. Based in historic Savannah, Georgia, the College has grown rapidly since its founding, expanding its Master’s in the Humanities program, drawing renowned scholars through events and lectures, and building a global community devoted to its mission. Now entering an ambitious new chapter of growth, Ralston offers the rare opportunity to help build an institution that isn’t simply adapting to the future of education, but shaping it.

Position Summary

The Director of Advancement at Ralston College is a pivotal leadership role focused on fundraising and donor engagement in alignment with our mission to revive and reinvent the university and to build a culture of human flourishing for all. As a groundbreaking institution building from first principles, Ralston College is committed to transformative, rigorous education in a community that values friendship and freedom of thought. Tasked with advancing a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with the College’s strategic plan, the Director of Advancement will devise and execute effective strategies and engage with individuals, foundations, and philanthropic partners. The Director will also collaborate closely with the President and the Advancement team to execute and operationalize the College’s burgeoning fundraising operations in a very high-capacity and high-potential landscape.

The Director will report to the President. This is a full-time position ideally located in Savannah, GA that calls for approximately 30% travel. However, Ralston is open to an exceptional virtual candidate who is able to travel more to accommodate the needs of the role.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Director of Advancement is responsible for a wide range of fundraising activities including but not limited to:

  • In conjunction with the President and the Advancement team, formulating effective goals, objectives, strategies, activities, cultivation pipelines, and benchmarks for a comprehensive fundraising program aligned with the College’s strategic plan.
  • Supervising members of the Advancement team, leading hiring and onboarding efforts, and cultivating a supportive, results-oriented team environment.
  • Articulating a persuasive case for support to connect donors, new and existing, with the College’s mission, vision, values, and strategic goals.
  • Identifying, cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting individuals, foundations, and philanthropic partners.
  • Scheduling and attending donor meetings for the President as appropriate.
  • Drafting various communication materials, including proposals, letters, grant applications, appeals, reports, newsletters, event invitations, and more.
  • Collaborating with the President and CFO to create budgets and financial narratives for new programs.
  • Developing special events, including online conversations, dinners, workshops, podcasts, and travel programs to engage potential and current donors.
  • Ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of the gift acknowledgment process and distribution of gifts receipts and appropriate expressions of gratitude.
  • Managing, optimizing, and leveraging Salesforce to implement prospect identification, research, and engagement programs to ensure effective management of donor relationships and strategic outreach initiatives.
  • Overseeing and contributing to the writing of quarterly and annual reports.
  • Overseeing audience building and data integrity projects and conducting weekly and monthly QA audit reports.
  • Monitoring, tracking, and reporting on fundraising progress while establishing useful metrics for analysis.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the incumbent; they do not purport to describe all functions. The incumbent may be assigned other duties, and the essential functions may change from time to time as necessary.

Position Specifications & Requirements

  • Minimum 5 years of broad development experience with a proven track record in securing six-and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and other partners
  • Experience in building and growing pipelines of cultivation at all levels of giving
  • Determined professional with significant experience in building successful relationships and achieving established fundraising goals
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills, specifically in fundraising, including proposals, solicitations, case statements, digital campaigns, and gift acknowledgment letters
  • Strong organizational and administrative skills, with a demonstrated ability to establish effective systems fostering collaboration and improving efficiency
  • Effective interpersonal skills, keen attention to detail, and a creative and positive attitude
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple assignments with minimal supervision, meeting strict deadlines with an outcomes-oriented approach
  • Initiative to analyze, monitor, evaluate, and advance strategic fundraising plans
  • Knowledge of prospect management tools and donor database management
  • Proficiency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office Suite, and Zoom required
  • Proficiency in Salesforce or alternative CRM required
  • The candidate must possess a substantial understanding of the mission of Ralston College
  • Unimpeachable integrity, trustworthiness, and discretion
  • Ability to travel as needed, approximately 30% for Savannah-based candidates and more frequently for virtual candidates
  • Bachelor’s degree is required

EEOC Statement

It is the policy of Ralston College to provide equal employment opportunities to all without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.

To Apply:

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

  • Resume
  • Cover letter detailing your interest in the position, Ralston College’s mission, and travel availability.

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/.

Questions can be directed to Katy Gambella, Director of Outreach at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

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