Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy (NDPMA) invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice President for Institutional Advancement. NDPMA seeks an experienced advancement professional who has a passion for private Catholic primary and secondary education, experience leading a successful fundraising program, and strong knowledge of the strategies and tactics of admission, enrollment, constituent relations, and marketing. The position is part of a recent re-structuring to align admissions, constituent relations, development, and marketing all within the same division and reporting through the same member of senior management: The Vice President for Institutional Advancement. The position will be an important addition to the NDPMA leadership team, reporting directly to the Head of School and working closely with the Board of Trustees.

The Vice President for Institutional Advancement will be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of a comprehensive advancement program, with primary focus to:

  1. Build fundraising capacity through the establishment of a comprehensive development program,
  2. Achieve prescribed enrollment outcomes and guiding the overall success of admissions in all aspects relating to recruitment and enrollment of students, and
  3. Guide the success of marketing and communication efforts through the implementation of a comprehensive strategic marketing and communications plan that supports both the enrollment management and fundraising needs of the school.

This is an opportunity for an experienced advancement professional to shape a newly-aligned division and provide a transformational impact on the mission of NDPMA and the students who benefit from the school’s college preparatory experience.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND MARIST ACADEMY

Notre Dame Preparatory and Marist Academy is a private, Independent, Catholic, junior kindergarten through twelfth grade day school located in Pontiac, Michigan. Founded by Marist Fathers and Brothers in 1994, NDPMA is a co-educational, college-preparatory school of approximately 1,100 students which puts emphasis on faith-based character education and leadership development. The school’s upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation’s best 50 Catholic high schools by Acton Institute four times since 2005 and the top Catholic school in Michigan by Niche two out of the last three years. Notre Dame’s middle and lower divisions enroll students in junior kindergarten through eighth grade. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate “World Schools,” having the distinction of being the first Catholic International Baccalaureate school for junior kindergarten through 12th grade in the United States. NDPMA is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

Guided by its mission, NDPMA strives to provide its diverse student body a Catholic and internationally recognized college-preparatory experience of lasting value. Inspired by the Marist mission to “Work with God to form Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars,” this mission forms the philosophical foundation that shapes the college-preparatory experience at NDPMA. These values inform strategic planning and are emphasized in more detail as follows:

  1. Christian People: NDPMA recognizes that the principles of the Gospel and the teaching of the Church are the educational norms upon which the Catholic school rests, and that the religious dimension of a young person’s growth must be addressed in the context of this Catholic Tradition. Thus, NDPMA assumes the responsibility of aiding in the development of a Christian conscience through an understanding and appreciation of Catholic doctrine, traditions, and practices. Catholic education views the student as a person redeemed by Christ and having a supernatural destiny. Therefore, NDPMA strives to create an atmosphere where the student’s faith can grow and attempts to provide means and opportunities for participation in faith experiences.
  2. Upright Citizens: NDPMA believes it is important for students to understand the great gift and great responsibility we have as citizens of the United States. We believe we are increasingly part of a global society. It is important to grow in knowledge of and concern for all people and all of God’s creation. Because of these beliefs, opportunities are offered to help students understand the responsibility of leadership in a democratic society, to exercise the rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, and to respect the dignity of all individuals regardless of race, creed, sex, national or ethnic origin.
  3. Academic Scholars: As a college-preparatory school, NDPMA strives to help students maximize their educational abilities and achieve the full potential of their intellectual talents. Critical to achieving this aspiration, NDPMA is staffed by an excellent and committed faculty – teachers who help and challenge students to achieve their academic potential. The ultimate goal of students attending a college-preparatory school is to rigorously commit to the pursuit of becoming an academic scholar. NDPMA supports this pursuit through a challenging academic curriculum taught by a supportive and nurturing faculty.

Woven throughout these values is the school’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Guided by the spirit and teachings of the Catholic Church and Society of Mary, NDPMA actively seeks students, families, faculty, staff, and trustees of diverse backgrounds who are committed to the formation of a community of inclusion that respects the dignity of every individual. NDMPA strives to be a community that works to eliminate prejudice and be a voice for those pushed to the fringes of society on the local, national, and global level. In aspiring to achieve this ideal, the school regularly challenges its constituents to battle discrimination of any kind against any person or group.

LEADERSHIP

A committed leader who is passionate about Catholic education and the role it plays in the common good, Andrew J. Guest became Head of School for NDPMA in February 2017. In this position, Andrew oversees the day-to-day operations of the school, including all academic, arts, and athletic programs.

Andrew first came to NDPMA in 2005 as director of advancement, charged with overseeing the school’s alumni relations, marketing, and fundraising efforts. Since then, the school has experienced extensive growth in both its annual giving and number of donors.

In 2013, Andrew was named executive vice president. And in 2017, he was named Head of School. During his tenure at Notre Dame, he has been a member of the strategic planning, building, finance, advancement, legal, and education committees, and the committee on trustees, and has helped raise nearly $25 million for the school.

Andrew is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a 1984 alumnus of Notre Dame High School. Prior to NDPMA, he served in a successful career in positions of increasing responsibility in the consumer-packaged goods, sports entertainment, internet, and retail industries.

LOCATION

NDPMA has two beautiful classroom facilities located in Pontiac, Michigan at 1300 Giddings Road, housing the upper (9-12) and middle (6-8) divisions; and at 1425 Giddings Road, housing the lower

(JK-5) division. The school is located in the heart of Oakland County and draws students from more than 40 zip codes, including Rochester, Rochester Hills, Birmingham, Oakland, Clarkston, Oxford, Shelby Township, Macomb Township, Waterford, Troy, Pontiac and Bloomfield Hills.

As a northern suburb in the Detroit metropolitan area, residents of Oakland County enjoy the benefits of living in a smaller communities with the amenities of a thriving metropolis just minutes away. Residents have convenient access to first-class arts, professional sports, entertainment, and a wide variety of cultural experiences that Detroit has to offer.

The upper-Midwest region provides residents the beauty of seasonal changes and relatively mild spring, summer, and fall seasons. The region offers a variety of getaways within a few hours’ drive. You can enjoy a day trip to take in the history of Lansing, the art and creativity of Ann Arbor, the beauty and splendor of the Great Lakes, the “foodie” culture of Kalamazoo, or the outdoor magnificence of Canada – with all of these destinations located no more than a two-hour’s drive from Detroit.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Reporting to the Head of School, the Vice President for Institutional Advancement serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for the school and has responsibility for NDPMA’s fundraising program and campaign strategy, admissions and enrollment management, constituent relations, and marketing.

Successful candidates will have a commitment to a Catholic-centered education, believe in the mission and purpose of NDPMA, and be able to effectively communicate the school’s mission and values to a broad audience. As a member of the Head of School’s leadership team, successful candidates will possess comfort and proven experience interacting with high-level contacts, including individuals at Board-member levels, and have experience being an effective relationship-builder. Further, successful candidates will have strong written communication skills.

A Bachelor’s degree is required, along with five or more years of relevant and progressive experience in fundraising and a working knowledge of admissions and marketing principles and operations. Other skill sets that successful candidates will possess include being an effective communicator who has exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills and having excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with proven experience working with donor management software systems and reporting. Fundraising experience in education is preferred with experience in the faith-based education sector strongly preferred. Proven experience in a capital campaign is also strongly preferred.

For more information about this position and to read the full position description, download this Vice President for Institutional Advancement Position Description.

COMPENSATION

Compensation will be based upon the individual’s qualifications and educational background and how well she/he meets the requirements of the position.

NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

Nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to: Kent Huyser, c/o Gonser Gerber LLP, 1776 Legacy Circle, Suite 100, Naperville, IL 60563; khuyser@gonsergerber.com.

To apply, please submit a cover letter, résumé, and three professional references. References will not be contacted until later in the search process.

For more information about Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, please visit its web site at http://www.ndpma.org.

Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is committed to attracting, encouraging and retaining a highly qualified workforce to support its mission of forming Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars. Renowned especially for its academics, Notre Dame’s success is the result of a diverse faculty and staff coming together to help shape the lives of young men and women. Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.