Assistant Director of Advancement

Job Title: Assistant Director of Advancement

Department: Office of Institutional Advancement

Reports to: Vice President of Advancement and International Programs

Classification: On-Site, Full-Time

 

About La Salle College Preparatory

Founded in 1956 and rooted in the Lasallian tradition, La Salle College Preparatory is an independent, co-educational, Catholic high school serving 670 students in grades nine through twelve on a spacious campus in Pasadena, just northeast of Los Angeles. With a student-teacher ratio of approximately 14 to 1, La Salle is known for its rigorous college-preparatory academics, inclusive community, and commitment to service and faith-based education. The student body represents a diverse range of backgrounds, with over 30 percent receiving financial assistance and more than 50 percent identifying as students of color. In recent years, graduates have matriculated to top-tier colleges and universities across the U.S. and abroad, supported by a curriculum that includes 22 AP courses and over 100 UC-approved offerings. La Salle is accredited by both the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

 

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Advancement is a key member of La Salle College Preparatory's Advancement Team. Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement and International Programs, this position has a primary focus on Annual Giving and Advancement events, while supporting other departmental priorities as outlined under Key Responsibilities.

The Assistant Director will communicate regularly with parents, donors, sponsors, and other members of the La Salle community by phone, email, and in person. The role requires strong relationship-building, organization, independent judgment, follow-through, and discretion, as well as the ability to balance donor outreach with event and project responsibilities.

 

Salary & Benefits

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Benefits Include:

• Comprehensive health benefits
• Generous PTO and school holidays
• Deferred compensation (403b) and defined pension plan (vesting required)
• Life insurance
• Tuition discount for an employee's child
• Free, secure on-campus parking

 

Key Responsibilities

 

Event Planning & Execution

• Serve as the event organizer for assigned Advancement events and share planning responsibilities for larger department events.
• Collaborate and develop event timelines, budgets, task lists, registration plans, guest communications, and run-of-show documents for assigned events.
• Coordinate venues, vendors, contracts, supplies, volunteers, and other event logistics in accordance with school procedures.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, school leadership, faculty, volunteers, and event committees to support larger events.
• Provide organized on-site leadership and complete timely post-event follow-up and evaluation.
• Constituent Relations & Stewardship
• Build and strengthen relationships with parents, alumni, grandparents, sponsors, and friends of La Salle through responsive and thoughtful communication.
• Respond promptly and professionally to questions regarding giving, pledges, sponsorships, and Advancement events.
• Represent the Advancement Office at school and community events and help connect families and supporters with appropriate opportunities to participate.

 

Annual Giving & Parent Engagement

• Support the strategy and execution of the Parent Pledge Program(Annual Fund), Lancer Giving Day, and other annual giving initiatives.
• Contact current and prospective families by phone, email, and in person to explain La Salle's philanthropic priorities and invite their participation.
• Follow up on outstanding Parent Pledge commitments, annual giving renewals, and other assigned outreach to increase participation and support.
• Build positive relationships with parents and identify families who may be interested in deeper engagement with La Salle.
• Coordinate with the Vice President on personalized follow-up and next steps for families with significant philanthropic interest or capacity.
• Support Registration Day, parent education sessions, and other opportunities to introduce families to annual giving at La Salle.

 

Marketing & Communications

• Partner with Marketing and Communications on invitations, webpages, email communications, signage, and promotional materials for campaigns and events.
• Draft clear and engaging outreach, event communications, and follow-up messages for review and distribution.

 

Board of Regents, Grants & Operational Support

• Provide administrative and project support to the Vice President for annual giving, donor outreach, and event priorities.
• Serve as the staff liaison to the Board of Regents, La Salle's fundraising and community-engagement board.
• Coordinate Board of Regents meeting schedules (five times per year), agendas, materials, communications, meeting logistics, and follow-up in collaboration with the Board Chair, President, and Vice President.
• Support Regents in their fundraising, annual giving, donor outreach, and community-engagement responsibilities.
• Explore grant opportunities aligned with La Salle's priorities and assist with applications, supporting materials, deadlines, and required follow-up.
• Prepare correspondence, briefing materials, meeting notes, event documents, and other materials that support Advancement priorities.

 

Role-Specific Competencies

• Warm, confident, and persuasive communication skills across phone, email, and in-person interactions
• Strong relationship-building skills and comfort meeting individually with parents and donors
• Demonstrated event planning and project-management ability
• Excellent written communication, presentation, and follow-up skills
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage overlapping deadlines
• Sound judgment, discretion, and respect for donor confidentiality
• Self-directed work style with a willingness to take ownership and collaborate across departments
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and event or project-management platforms

 

Core Competencies

• Relational, mission-aligned, and emotionally intelligent
• Committed to Lasallian values and culturally responsive engagement
• Professional, persuasive, and comfortable representing La Salle with diverse constituencies
• Strategic and persistent without being transactional
• Collaborative with colleagues, volunteers, and school leadership
• Able to manage competing priorities and sustain attention to long-term relationships
• Ethical, discreet, and accurate in donor communications and follow-up
• Curious, adaptable, and committed to professional growth

 

An Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Bachelor's degree required
• Three or more years of experience in advancement, annual giving, donor relations, event management, or a related field
• Demonstrated success communicating with donors, parents, clients, or community members by phone and in person
• Experience in planning and executing fundraising, donor, school, or community events
• Experience working toward measurable participation, revenue, sponsorship, or event goals
• Experience in an independent school, higher education, or another relationship-based nonprofit environment preferred
• Familiarity with Raiser’s Edge, Boost My School, Double the Donation, or similar fundraising platforms is a plus
• Familiarity with Catholic or Lasallian school environments is a plus
• Strong organizational, project-management, and written communication skills
• Ability to travel locally and work occasional evenings and weekends for donor meetings and school events

 

Timeline

This position is a rolling recruitment. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the posting will remain open until the position is filled. Early applications are strongly encouraged.

 

How to Apply

Interested candidates should send one PDF file including the following to [email protected]. In the subject line, please include your full name and the position you are applying for:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Three (3) references with full contact information*

*References will only be contacted if an applicant advances to the final round.