Director of Development and Community Relations

Job Description

Job Description

Corvian Community School | Charlotte, North Carolina

Corvian Community School develops the whole child and seeks to address the cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs of each student. The ultimate goal is to help students develop happy, healthy lives well-equipped for the future. Corvian believes that every child can and will succeed in ways that reflect his or her own aptitudes, interests, and healthful lifestyle practices.

Position Summary:
The Director of Community Relations leads Corvian Community School's efforts in annual fund development, event management, marketing, social media, and website management. Working closely with the Executive Director, school leadership, faculty and staff, the Board of Directors,
and the Cardinal PAC, this individual will actively champion Corvian's mission in the greater Charlotte community and secure the philanthropic and community support needed to sustain and grow the school's whole-child programming and strategic initiatives. This is a relationship-driven, mission-forward role for a strategic, creative, and highly organized professional who is energized by storytelling, fundraising, and building authentic
connections among families, alumni, businesses, and community partners.

Key Responsibilities:
Annual Fund & Development:

• Design and execute Corvian's annual fund campaign, setting goals in collaboration with the Executive Director and Board, and achieving optimal results from every constituent group (current parents, past parents, grandparents, alumni families, faculty/staff, and community supporters).
• Write compelling cases for support, solicit gifts, recruit volunteer leadership, and implement timely stewardship and donor recognition practices, including personalized thank-you letters, website recognition, and year-end tax acknowledgments.
• Cultivate relationships with individual donors, local businesses, corporate partners, and foundations to grow recurring and major gift support.
• Research, write, and submit grant proposals to corporations and foundations aligned with Corvian's mission and strategic priorities.
• Design and maintain an accurate, current donor database that tracks constituent activity, gift history, cultivation cycles, and stewardship plans; produce regular reports on giving trends and campaign progress for the Executive Director and Board.

Event Management:

• Plan, manage, and execute Corvian's signature fundraising and community-building events, including the annual gala/auction and other whole-school events, in partnership with volunteer leadership and the PTO.
• Develop event budgets, secure sponsorships, coordinate logistics, manage vendors, and oversee day-of execution to ensure events achieve both financial and community-engagement goals.
• Recruit, train, and steward event volunteers; grow the school's volunteer base by clearly articulating need and impact to Corvian families.
• Marketing, Social Media & Website
• Serve as the custodian of the Corvian brand, ensuring consistent voice, look, and feel across all internal and external communications.
• Develop and execute a year-round marketing and communications plan that supports enrollment, retention, fundraising, and community awareness.
• Manage Corvian's social media presence across platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and others as appropriate), creating shareable content that tells the Corvian story authentically and reflects the school's whole-child philosophy.
• Maintain and regularly update Corvian's website with fresh content, news, event information, and donor recognition.
• Plan, write, edit, and source diverse content—photography, video, family spotlights,
• student stories, faculty features—for use across marketing channels and fundraising appeals.
• Produce newsletters, press releases, and other communications materials in coordination with school leadership.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and cultivate relationships with members of the Charlotte community, corporations and foundations, parents, grandparents, past parents, alumni families, and other friendsof the school.
• Regularly attend and visibly support school activities, programs, and events to develop and maintain authentic relationships with all Corvian constituencies.
• Partner with the PTO and parent volunteers to align community-building efforts with school priorities.
• Keep the Executive Director and Board informed of trends in school advancement and community engagement; provide guidance and training to support their roles in development and communications.

Operations:

• Develop and manage budgets for areas of responsibility.
• Ensure compliance with applicable charter school, North Carolina, and federal regulations governing fundraising, donor records, and communications.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, development, or a related field—or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three or more years of demonstrated experience in fundraising, development, marketing, communications, or community relations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tell a compelling story across multiple channels and audiences.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to build relationships with diverse constituencies, including families, donors, board members, business leaders, and community partners.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms, Drive) and design tools such as Canva.
• Hands-on experience managing social media platforms and updating websites (familiarity with content management systems required).
• Strong project management, organizational, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• A commitment to Corvian's mission and the whole-child philosophy, and the ability to
• model the school's values of kindness, curiosity, and respect.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in a charter, independent, or nonprofit school environment.
• Demonstrated success leading an annual fund campaign and growing year-over-year giving.
• Event planning experience, including auctions, galas, or large-scale community fundraisers.
• Experience with donor database/CRM platforms (e.g., Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, Little Green Light, Raiser's Edge).
• Grant writing experience with measurable funding outcomes.
• Working knowledge of email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact) and basic graphic design or photo/video editing.
• Familiarity with North Carolina charter school operations and the Charlotte philanthropic community.

Corvian Community Traits:
The successful candidate will embody the qualities that define the Corvian community:

• A love of children and a belief that every child can succeed.
• A commitment to Corvian's whole-child philosophy—addressing cognitive, emotional, social, and physical needs.
• A warm, welcoming, and inclusive approach to every interaction.
• Personal integrity, kindness, and a service-oriented mindset.
• The ability to be a positive ambassador for Corvian both on and off campus.

Working Conditions & Terms of Employment:

• Department Community Relations / Advancement.
• Reports To Executive Director.
• FLSA Status Full-Time, 12-Month, Salaried Exempt.
• Work Location On-site at Corvian Community School, Charlotte, NC, with regular off-campus work to meet with donors, businesses, and community partners.
• Schedule Standard school-day hours with required evening and weekend availability for events, board meetings, and community engagement.
• Benefits Full benefits package including health, retirement, and supplemental coverage.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times (event materials, supplies, auction items).
• Ability to be on-site at events for extended periods, including evenings and weekends.
• Reliable transportation for off-campus meetings and community engagement.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, résumé, and three professional references to Nicki Sinclair, Executive Director, [email protected]. Corvian Community School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or any other protected status in its employment practices or educational programs.