About Francis Parker School:

Francis Parker School (Parker) is a coeducational independent day school in San Diego, California with 1,330 students in Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. Founded in 1912, the school’s mission is “to create and inspire a diverse community of independent thinkers whose academic excellence, global perspective and strength of character prepare them to make a meaningful difference in the world.” Parker has two campuses: one in Mission Hills (Lower School, Junior Kindergarten - Grade 5), and a second in Linda Vista (Middle and Upper School, Grades 6 - 12).

Job Description:

Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Advancement Events Associate’s primary role is to support the engagement, outreach, and fundraising efforts of the Advancement team to elevate the culture of philanthropy and the mission of the school. Through activities and expertly planned events, the Associate will: create, design, and execute best-in-class events that support cultivation, fundraising, donor recognition, and high-level engagement; support the cultivation and solicitation of donors and potential donors to ensure the excellence of a Parker education, and steward and recognize donors and volunteers. 

This position requires strong time-management and multi-tasking skills for completing various overlapping tasks to meet critical deadlines for events and other projects. Diplomacy is critical to this position, as it requires communication and interfacing with constituents at every professional level from vendors, volunteers, donors, and families. 

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Advancement Department’s Directors, this role will support the department in the following areas: 

• Create, design, and execute best-in-class events that support cultivation, fundraising, donor recognition, and high-level engagement in collaboration with the Advancement Directors. This includes logistical planning (run of show, event scripts, on-site set-up and execution); speaker selection; working with the communications department on invitation content; packaging and mailing invitations; food and beverage selection; technology and audio/visual oversight; space reservations; space set-up and diagramming; décor and ambiance; music and/or entertainment; vendor payment through payment system; RSVP collection and follow-up; attendee list curation and dissemination to appropriate leadership; selection and packaging of attendee gifts; attendee nametags; post-event reports; and follow-up outreach if necessary. 

• The approx. 15 events each academic year include: New Parent Dinner (1) and Coffees (3-4), 1912 Dinner (1), Brown and Gold Bash (1), Grandparent and Special Friends Days (2), Grandparent Council Meetings (3-4), Head of School Scholarship Reception (1), and Head of School Scholars Meetings (3-4).
• Collaborate with the appropriate Advancement staff and the Gala Chairs to fully support the annual Gala event ONLY during the week leading up to the event, the day-of event, and at the event. 
• Create, design, and execute best-in-class signature events that support alumni engagement with the Director of Alumni Relations. This includes logistical planning (run of show, event scripts, on-site set-up and execution); speaker selection; working with the communications department on invitation content; packaging and mailing invitations; food and beverage selection; technology and audio/visual oversight; space reservations; space set-up and diagramming; décor and ambiance; music and/or entertainment; vendor payment through payment system; RSVP collection and follow-up; attendee list curation and dissemination to appropriate leadership; selection and packaging of attendee gifts; attendee nametags; post-event reports; and follow-up outreach if necessary. 
• The approx. 1-2 events each academic year are: Hall of Fame (every two years), Alumni Awards Ceremony (1), and Homecoming (1).
• Collaborate with Director of Alumni Relations and Milestone Reunion advocates (classes celebrating their 5^th, 10^th, etc. reunions) to support all reunion events ONLY in the week(s) leading up to the event, the day-of event, and at the event.
• Procure, package, and deliver gifts of recognition for the Affinity Celebration alumni speakers and Milestone Program alumni recipients. 
• Support the cultivation and solicitation of donors and potential donors to ensure the excellence of a Parker education during annual campaigns, such as Day of Giving, Gala, end-of-calendar year, and end-of-fiscal year.
• Steward and recognize donors and volunteers with the highest level of professionalism and gratitude for their service to the school. 

• Employ Asana's (Parker’s project management software) task-list functionality to ensure deliverables and timelines are met.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university.
• At least two years of related experience in corporate or non-profit event planning; independent school experience a plus.

• Excellent event planning skills, from planning to execution, and proven track record of planning events for over 500 attendees. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellence in building and growing long-term relationships.
• Capacity to contribute to the overall strategic planning effort.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work effectively with colleagues and volunteers.
• Ability to manage competing demands with a focus on priorities and judicious use of resources. Handle delays or unexpected events and frequent change with composure and professionalism.
• Must demonstrate the ability to work in a fast-paced environment and possess high levels of customer service and professionalism, particularly in stressful situations.
• Must have a valid driver’s license to be able to drive self and supplies to/from events and other off-campus locations.
• Must be able to execute a variety of physical tasks, including carrying signage and supplies, event set-up and tear-down, and standing or walking for prolonged periods of time during events. Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs. 
• Appreciate, understand, and promote Parker’s mission.
• Bilingual Spanish skills are a plus. 

• Knowledge of CRM or fundraising database a plus. 

Salary and Benefits:

Parker is committed to attracting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff through a substantial compensation plan, including competitive salary, TIAA retirement benefits and full medical/dental coverage. Individual salary is negotiable depending on years of experience and educational background.

Pay Range: $30 - $34 per hour, based on experience.

Non-Discrimination:

Parker values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds. All employment decisions are made without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, creed, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law. 

Application Process:

If interested in the position, please fill out the electronic Francis Parker School Employment Application HERE. You will need to upload the following documents during this process: a cover letter and resume.

If you CANNOT or DO NOT wish to submit your application through the link above, a cover letter, resume, and a completed employment application should be submitted electronically to:

Shara Freeman Hoefel, Assistant Head of School for External Relations
[email protected]

Please find the PDF of our employment application here: find it here

Please indicate which position you are applying for in the subject line.

https://www.francisparker.org/about-us-/employment

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