St. Thomas’s Day School
Director of Institutional Advancement
An Executive Search by The Angeletti Group, LLC
The Opportunity
The Angeletti Group invites nominations and applications for the position of Director of Institutional Advancement at St. Thomas’s Day School, a vibrant and welcoming independent school community in New Haven, Connecticut, serving students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. With approximately 120 students and a highly engaged community of families, alumni, faculty, and staff, St. Thomas’s offers a meaningful opportunity for an advancement leader to shape how the school connects with the people who care about it most.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced fundraiser to build a comprehensive advancement program in close partnership with the Head of School. The Director will lead the school’s fundraising, alumni relations, and constituent engagement, guiding the annual fund, major gifts, signature events, and donor stewardship that together sustain the school’s mission and long-term health.
As a member of the Administrative Team, the Director will work alongside school leadership, the Board of Trustees, faculty, and volunteers to cultivate lasting relationships and inspire investment in St. Thomas’s. The successful candidate will bring a proven record in major gifts and donor stewardship, strong organizational skills, and a genuine commitment to the families and community the school serves.
About St. Thomas’s Day School
Founded in 1956, St. Thomas’s Day School is a coeducational independent Episcopal day school serving students in Kindergarten through Grade 6. The school educates children from diverse backgrounds and prepares them to become independent thinkers who appreciate, understand, and serve the world.
The school’s intentionally small size allows for a highly personalized educational experience. With one class per grade, students benefit from individualized instruction, close relationships with teachers, and a strong sense of belonging within the school community.
St. Thomas’s blends academic rigor with joy in learning. Its interdisciplinary curriculum integrates literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and Spanish, alongside enrichment programs in art, drama, music, innovation lab, physical education, and religious studies. Character education, leadership, and service learning are central to the St. Thomas’s experience. Through daily Morning Gathering and classroom life, students develop empathy, confidence, and a commitment to improving the world around them.The school’s close-knit community fosters meaningful relationships among students, families, and faculty, creating a warm and supportive environment where every child is known, valued, and encouraged to grow.
By the Numbers
- Coeducational day school
- Approximately 120 students
- One class per grade
- Approximately 20 to 22 students per class
- 5.5:1 student to teacher ratio
- 52% students of color
- 22% bilingual students
- Students from more than 20 communities
- 70% of faculty and staff hold advanced degrees
The Director of Institutional Advancement
The Director of Institutional Advancement leads and advances the school’s fundraising, alumni relations, and constituent engagement. Reporting to the Head of School and serving on the Administrative Team, the Director builds and stewards a comprehensive and diverse advancement program that supports the mission and long-term sustainability of St. Thomas’s.
This is a hands-on leadership role. The Director serves as a major gifts officer while also guiding the Head of School, staff, and key volunteers toward the school’s highest cultivation and fundraising priorities. The Director sets the pace for dynamic fundraising and long-term donor stewardship and serves as a key spokesperson and advocate for St. Thomas’s on campus and throughout the wider community.
Because St. Thomas’s is a close-knit school, the ideal candidate will bring a warm, relationship-centered approach and will engage easily with families, alumni, trustees, and colleagues across the community.
Strategic Context for the Role
The next Director of Institutional Advancement will help shape the school’s advancement program for the years ahead. Key areas of focus will include:
- Building a written, coordinated advancement plan with clear objectives, timelines, and responsibilities
- Strengthening the annual fund and the school’s signature fundraising events
- Cultivating major gifts and a culture of philanthropy across the school community
- Deepening engagement with alumni, parents, and the broader community
- Establishing sound systems for constituent cultivation and database management
- Serving as a strategic partner to the Head of School, Administrative Team, and Board of Trustees
A Transformational Opportunity
St. Thomas’s Day School is in the midst of Securing Our Legacy: Inspiring Future Leaders, The Campaign for St. Thomas’s Day School, a historic effort to strengthen the school's future and enhance its newly acquired permanent campus. The Director of Institutional Advancement will play a critical role in completing the campaign, partnering with school leadership, trustees, volunteers, and donors to secure the remaining philanthropic support needed to achieve the campaign's goals and advance the school's long-term vision.
Campaign Leadership Responsibilities
- Partner with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, and Campaign Steering Committee to successfully complete Securing Our Legacy: Inspiring Future Leaders, The Campaign for St. Thomas’s Day School.
- Manage and advance a portfolio of campaign prospects through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Coordinate campaign activities, donor meetings, volunteer engagement, and follow-up to maintain fundraising momentum.
- Support the campaign's public phase through donor outreach, communications, events, and recognition activities.
- Track campaign progress and provide regular reports on fundraising performance, prospect activity, and campaign goals.
- Engage parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of the school in campaign and advancement initiatives that build a lasting culture of philanthropy.
- Help ensure a successful transition from campaign fundraising to sustained annual giving, major gifts, and donor stewardship efforts.
Key ResponsibilitiesAdvancement Strategy and Planning
- Create and maintain a written, diversified, and coordinated institutional advancement plan with clearly defined objectives, timelines, and assigned responsibilities, spanning constituent cultivation, database management, alumni and parent relations, events, and fundraising.
- Oversee and evaluate the processes, programs, and events that support constituent cultivation, database management, and fundraising, refining them over time in coordination with the Business Office.
- Serve as a key spokesperson and advocate for the school, both on campus and in the wider community.
Fundraising and Major Gifts
- Serve as a major gifts officer, personally cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors.
- Set the example for dynamic fundraising and long-term donor stewardship.
- Guide the effective involvement of the Head of School, staff, and key volunteers in fundraising and cultivation priorities.
- Lead the annual fund, special fundraising events, the annual gala, and additional campaigns or goals set with the Head of School and administration.
Community and Constituent Engagement
- Partner with the Head of School, Administrative Team, Board of Trustees, and volunteers to plan and carry out strategies that strengthen community engagement.
- Plan, coordinate, and evaluate alumni and parent events in collaboration with the Business Office.
- Cultivate meaningful, lasting relationships with alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends of the school.
Signature Events
Plan and coordinate the school’s signature community and advancement events throughout the year, including:
- Welcome Back Picnic
- Photo Day
- Day of Giving
- Grandparents and Special Friends Day
- Santa’s Visit
- Christmas Chapel
- Young Alumni Night
- Spring Gathering
- Graduation
Partnership and Collaboration
- Serve as an active member of the Head of School’s Administrative Team.
- Work closely with the Board of Trustees, Administrative Team, and faculty to advance the school’s mission.
Qualifications and Preferences
The successful candidate will bring strong fundraising and relationship-building experience along with an appreciation for the collaborative, mission-driven culture that defines St. Thomas’s Day School.
- A proven record in major gifts, donor stewardship, and strategic fundraising.
- Experience building or leading a comprehensive advancement program, including annual giving, events, and constituent engagement.
- Skill in cultivating and stewarding relationships with donors, alumni, parents, and volunteers.
- Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple programs, events, and timelines at once.
- Experience planning and executing fundraising and community events.
- Familiarity with constituent database management and advancement systems.
- Experience working closely with senior leadership, boards, and volunteer leaders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with comfort serving as a public spokesperson for the school.
- A warm, service-oriented leadership style and the ability to work effectively as part of a close-knit administrative team.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with families, alumni, faculty, staff, and trustees.
- A commitment to the school’s mission and values and to creating an environment of respect and belonging for every member of the community.
- Comfort working in a small school environment where flexibility, initiative, and teamwork are essential.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or professional certification preferred.
Application Procedure
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but candidates are encouraged to apply early. To be considered, candidates should submit a statement of interest and CV to:
Gina Panza, Head of School
[email protected]
Pay: $90,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- Fundraising: 1 year (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- New Haven, CT 06511 (Required)
Work Location: In person
