Development & Governance Associate/Manager (Dga/M)

Organization Overview

Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.

At Excel, we believe that every student-regardless of race, zip code, or economic status-deserves access to a free, high quality holistic education. During their middle school journey with us, students grow at a pace faster than most peers in their state. This is possible through a combination of high expectations, rigorous instruction, and individualized support. At our nationally ranked high school, students achieve at the highest level and are poised for success in their chosen college or career path.

About our Team

Everyday, our team members choose to be positive, drive their own growth, uplift one another, and hold the highest possible beliefs for what students can achieve.

About the Role

The Development & Governance Associate/Manager (DGA/DGM) will report to the Director of Development & Governance and will be a member of the Office of the CEO which also includes a Director of Communications. Excel Academy is engaged in a 10-year growth plan, expanding from a single-state high performing charter network serving 1,400 students to a multi-state network serving 3,600. We currently operate five campuses and expect to run up to eight over the next 10 years, an aspiration which will require tremendous growth in talent, systems, and financial capital. The DGA/DGM will play a key role in improving fundraising and governance systems and building capacity for the Office of the CEO.

This role is expected to operate in a hybrid manner, roughly 2 or 3 days/week in person in our Chelsea, MA or Providence, RI office and 2 or 3 days/week remotely. Our team has found that this mix of deliberate in-person and remote work reinforces a strong and collaborative team culture as well as time for focused work offsite.

The ideal candidate would start in the Fall of 2025.

Starting Salary: 60-80k, commensurate with experience; Title will also be commensurate with experience

Your Impact

• Development

• Create materials and coordinate logistics for Excel's

• $20M Rhode Island Growth Campaign, and

• $500k+ annual fundraising in Massachusetts

• Organize donor and prospect outreach

• Track development results, including grant contracts and deliverables

• Conduct thorough and creative prospect research

• Manage grant applications and donor reporting

• Pursue new funding opportunities and other partnerships

• Prepare materials for in-person meetings and site visits

• Execute gift processing and acknowledgement tasks

• Board Management

• Coordinate meeting dates, agendas and materials for Excel's three boards: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and the Foundation

• Ensure adherence to open meeting laws and support other Board-related compliance tasks (e.g., annual disclosure requirements)

• Plan events for Board members and donors

• Advocacy

• Create or develop tools (such as Murmuration) to track engagement with both internal stakeholders and external contacts

• Coordinate logistics and materials for advocacy events and parent trainings

• Write advocacy outreach content as needed including elected correspondence, community calls to action, etc.

• Other

• Manage the campus visitor program for Board members, donors, prospective supporters, elected officials, and community partners

• Track and report on campus visits, conference participation, meetings and other activities to share best practices with peer schools

• Support volunteer engagement efforts as needed

• Contribute to critical Network Team duties over the course of the school year

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree

• 2-5 years of professional experience preferred

• A commitment to and belief in all students and the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel's values and educational model

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Ability to speak Spanish preferred, but not required

• Organizational/project management skills

• Comfort working with data

• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Google Drive Suite

• Experience in non-profit fundraising and/or the Little Greenlight database is a plus

• Knowledge of Massachusetts or Rhode Island political environment is a plus