Assistant Director of Advancement Events & Operations (2026-2027) at The Key School in Annapolis, MD 21403

Job description

• Salary Range
• $61,000.00 - $64,000.00 Salary/year
• Position Type
• Full Time
• Job Shift
• Any
• Education Level
• 4 Year Degree
• Travel Percentage
• Up to 25%
• Category
• General Business
• Exempt, 12 Month Staff, Full-Time
• Key School is seeking a full-time Assistant Director of Advancement Events & Operations to play a vital role in supporting the success of Key School's Advancement program through exceptional project management, operational leadership, and event execution. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this position serves as the operational partner for the Advancement Office, coordinating major initiatives and providing the logistical support that enables frontline fundraisers to focus on cultivating relationships, securing philanthropic support, and advancing the School's mission.
• The ideal candidate is an organized, collaborative, detail-oriented professional who enjoys managing multiple projects, anticipating needs, solving problems, and ensuring every event and initiative is executed with excellence.

Responsibilities

• Department Operations
• The Assistant Director serves as the operational partner for the Advancement Office by coordinating timelines, managing operational processes, and ensuring department initiatives remain on schedule.
• Maintain the Advancement Office's master calendar, ensuring major events, solicitations, campaigns, and departmental initiatives remain coordinated throughout the year, working with various campus departments to reserve spaces and integrate logistics onto the master school calendar and other calendars as needed.
• Develop and manage timelines for Advancement events and key departmental initiatives.
• Serve as the primary content liaison to the Communications Office, managing submission of weekly Thursday Reminder and monthly Key Connection content, and ensuring timely, accurate promotion of Advancement/PA initiatives and events.
• Coordinate planning schedules, meetings, and deadlines to ensure projects move forward efficiently.
• Identify opportunities to improve department processes, organization, and operational efficiency.
• Provide operational support for department-wide initiatives and special projects as assigned.
• Advancement Event Operations
• Provide operational leadership and logistical support for Advancement events, including the Annapolis Book Festival, Annual Auction, Grandfriends Day, campaign cultivation events, donor receptions, parent engagement events, and donor recognition events.
• Coordinate with internal departments and external vendors to facilitate successful execution of Advancement initiatives. This includes such things as coordinating with vendors, catering, rentals, audiovisual needs, registrations, volunteer logistics, event materials, room setup, signage, nametags, schedules, and run-of-show documents.
• Track budgets, invoices, purchase orders, and event expenses.
• Maintain department templates, event files, operational procedures, and planning documents.
• Manage day-of event operations and oversee post-event wrap-up to ensure a seamless experience for guests and volunteers, including developing function sheets for internal departments, scheduling internal/external event debriefings within two weeks post-event to gather feedback, and partnering with Director of Advancement Services to ensure all attendance and RSVP data are entered into Raiser’s Edge within two weeks of the event.
• Partner with frontline fundraising staff, who retain responsibility for event strategy, donor engagement, volunteer leadership, sponsorships, and fundraising outcomes.
• Maintain organized event files, timelines, templates, and operational procedures.
• Coordinate the production of invitations, event programs, presentation materials, signage, nametags, schedules, and other event collateral.
• Annapolis Book Festival
• Serve as the operational lead for the Annapolis Book Festival.
• Manage the master project timeline, budgets, and coordinate planning meetings.
• Coordinate author logistics, volunteers, vendors, registrations, printed materials, and operational budgets.
• Support communications and event preparation to ensure a successful festival.
• Develop and draft fundraising and sponsorship collateral to support solicitation efforts led by the Director of Advancement and Director of Alumni & Major Gifts.
• Partner with the Director of Advancement and Director of Alumni & Major Gifts, who retain responsibility for fundraising and sponsorship strategy.
• Team Culture & Professionalism
• Maintain a customer-service mindset toward parents, donors, volunteers, and community members.
• Exercise absolute discretion and maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding donor information and Advancement strategy.
• Anticipate the needs of colleagues and provide support during peak periods to ensure departmental success.
• Maintain a high standard of responsiveness, professionalism, and follow-through.
• Foster a positive, solution-oriented work environment built on collaboration, trust, and mutual respect.
• Work selflessly across departments, sharing information, resources, and credit to advance Key School's mission.
• Take ownership of assigned projects and pursue professional development to remain current with best practices.

Requirements

• Education & Experience
• Bachelor's degree preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least three years of experience in project management, nonprofit administration, advancement, events, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects and complex events with competing deadlines.
• Skills & Competencies
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to build positive working relationships across departments and with external partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and willingness to learn Raiser’s Edge NXT and related software.
• Self-directed, resourceful, and committed to continuous improvement.
• Commitment to the mission and values of Key School.

Skills

Required

• Organized
• Collaborative
• Detail-oriented
• Customer-service mindset
• Discretion and confidentiality
• Anticipates needs
• Professionalism
• Positive, solution-oriented
• Selfless
• Ownership
• Continuous improvement
• Microsoft Office

Benefits

• Key School offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance, a generous 403(b) Plan, including 10 Vacation Days, 10 Sick Days, 3 Personal Days, and much more.
• The salary range for this position is $61,000-$64,000 and is based upon several factors that include, but not limited to the candidate’s years of work experience, education and skills.