The Organization
JH Classical Academy is a Christian Classical Academy, serving students in grades K-12. By utilizing a uniquely challenging and content-rich curriculum, JH Classical Academy works to enrich students’ minds and souls, guiding them towards Christ and into the Great Conversation. With a $5 million budget and 35 full-time employees who each align with the Nicene Creed, JH Classical Academy cultivates a love of truth, beauty, and goodness.
The mission of Jackson Hole Classical Academy is to cultivate within its students the wisdom and virtue necessary to discover and fulfill their God-given potential and contribute to a flourishing and free society.
The Opportunity
JH Classical Academy is seeking a winsome and wise ambassador for classical Christian Classical education to serve as its Chief Advancement Officer. The ideal candidate is a servant leader and a humble, relational network builder who strives for excellence in everything they do.
The Chief Advancement Officer provides leadership and strategic direction for the school’s marketing and communications efforts, ensuring alignment and managing stakeholder engagement, always advancing the Academy’s mission. Ideally, this servant leader will possess a CFRE designation and five or more years of experience in the fields of fundraising, marketing, and communication. This visionary leader will have the chance to secure resources for a nationally admired school producing student-citizens capable of transmitting to the next generation the ideas and cultural foundations of Western Civilization. Relocation to the beautiful community of Jackson Hole, WY is required.
ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Founded in 2014, JH Classical Academy was born from a community desire for a school centered on classical education and Christian values.
Classical education, rooted in ancient Greek traditions and evolving through various historical periods, cultivates a pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty. With the stunning backdrop of Jackson Hole, WY, the JH Academy curriculum addresses fundamental skills in speech, numbers, and art while emphasizing grammar, logic, and rhetoric for critical thinking.
The liberal arts curriculum at JH Classical Academy is challenging and content-rich, focused on the core disciplines of mathematics, literature, history, science, and Latin to help students grapple with the natural order of the universe. Students also work through a structured physical education program to develop the body in concert with the mind and soul. Art education is integral, as chess, music, and visual art provide a refreshing reprieve for the spirit and a reminder of the beauty around them.
WHAT THEY DO
Jackson Hole Classical Academy is a Christian Classical school. Graduates of Jackson Hole Classical Academy are not merely well prepared for further studies but are well along the road to becoming citizens capable of transmitting to the next generation the ideas and cultural foundations of Western Civilization.
As a school in the classical liberal arts tradition, the Academy believes that the pursuit of truth always begins with a sense of wonder. Students can love to learn what is true, good, and beautiful through a joyful discovery of the world around them and their own expanding potential.
Academy teachers understand that education is not merely an accumulation of facts or memorization of what others have thought. Educating the heart and mind includes fostering habits of thinking, feeling, judging, choosing, and acting for a complete and virtuous life. Jackson Hole Classical Academy pursues this vision within the historic Christian tradition that calls each person to love God and man.
The mission of Jackson Hole Classical Academy is to cultivate within its students the wisdom and virtue necessary to discover and fulfill their God-given potential and contribute to a flourishing and free society.
The culture, curriculum, and Christian values of the school foster an environment where our teachers and staff can inculcate in students the wisdom and virtue necessary to discover their God-given potential.
The Three Pillars of Success
Classical curriculum
Christ-centered teachers
Focus on student formation
Teachers must love their students and love their subjects, not one more than the other. They must be growing personally and professionally to become more like Christ in their words and actions.
Students must form good habits, with 16 habits divided into age-appropriate groups K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12, from obedience in kindergarten to integrity in senior year. When those habits are broken, they reflect on what they did, what they could have done differently, and what relationship must be restored.
The classical curriculum is rigorous, teaching to the top of the class and raising the bottom through tutoring and support, and teaches students how to think, not what to think, through a specific canon and a methodology of asking a series of questions and joining what is called The Great Conversation.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Title: Chief Advancement Officer
Classification: Exempt
Reports to: The Head of School
Travel: Statewide, and occasionally nationwide
Location: Jackson Hole, WY
Direct Reports: Marketing, Communications, and Events Manager. Team expected to grow to two or more reports in the future.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Chief Advancement Officer reports to the Head of School, runs the Advancement Office, and serves on the senior leadership team, whose work is to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the school, its faculty and staff, and its mission.
Following guidance and direction from the Head of School, the Chief Advancement Officer provides leadership, strategic direction, continuous improvement, and alignment of the school’s development, stakeholder engagement, and marketing and communications efforts to help the school reach its strategic goals and advance its mission.
The Chief Advancement Officer assists the Head of the School as a thought partner to develop and execute the school’s strategic plan and to develop and lead a local and national strategy to increase brand recognition, enrollment, and gift support for the school.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Key duties and responsibilities would include:
Organizational Advancement
Assists Head of School to develop and execute the school’s multi-year strategic plan.
Oversees fundraising strategies, initiatives, and programs to build relationships with existing and potential donors and to help achieve the school’s overall mission and fundraising goals.
Researches, prospects, cultivates, and manages relationships with current and prospective individual, foundation, and corporate donors.
Maintains, tracks, and reports donor records and fundraising progress.
Organizes and maintains development materials, such as brochures and presentations.
Participates in donor meetings, presentations, and events.
Designs and implements recognition and stewardship strategies.
Prepares annual advancement budget and manages to budget.
Stakeholder Engagement
Designs and executes strategies to connect the school to prospective and current families, alumni, community partners, donors, and other local and national stakeholders.
Develops and establishes outreach, engagement, and community relation initiatives to expand the roster of the school’s stakeholders and donors.
Gathers formal feedback from parents and community members (e.g., through surveys, focus groups, and/or other means) to inform organizational strategies and initiatives.
Following guidance and direction from the Head of School, provides oversight, support, and direction to the Events Manager to design and host fundraising events, campaigns, and initiatives that cultivate networks of constitutive relationships to advance the mission.
Provides leadership, strategic direction, and continuous improvement for the school’s marketing and communications efforts, including oversight, support, and direction for the Marketing Communications Manager.
Utilizes multi-channel marketing to disseminate information, engage with the community, and ensure alignment with strategic goals and advancement of the school’s mission.
Drives brand loyalty to magnify the school’s local and national footprint.
Senior Leadership
Upholds and affirms the school’s mission in private and serves as ambassador for the school’s mission in public.
As a member of the senior leadership team, provides leadership to ensure the
long-term organizational health and sustainability of the academy, its faculty and
staff, and its mission.
Provides information to the Board, Board Committees, and other entities as requested.
Completes annual evaluation of direct reports and makes recommendations to
the Head of School on hiring and other personnel decisions in the advancement vertical.
Performs other duties and projects as assigned by Head of School.
MISSION ALIGNMENT
Jackson Hole Classical Academy operates in the historic Christian tradition. All faculty, staff, and board members annually reaffirm their commitment to the Nicene Creed. During the initial screening process, applicants are asked to affirm their agreement with the Nicene Creed, before continuing in the application process.
CHARACTER
Integrity
Discretion
Reliability
Loyalty
Mature Christian faith [Must be able to sign the Staff Faith Commitment]
Servant Leader
COMPETENCE
Strategic Planning
Impeccable Written and Verbal Communication Skills
Emotional Intelligence
Networking
Fundraising
Proficiency with MS Office Suite and Raiser’s Edge (donor management system)
Multi-Channel Marketing Expertise
CHEMISTRY WITH THE CULTURE
Energetic and highly relational
Passionate about missional classical education
Life-long Learner
A winsome statesman for virtue and wisdom able to interact with a diversity of viewpoints.
COMPENSATION PACKAGE
Salary is commensurate with experience and will be discussed in a personal interview. Full-time benefits, including healthcare, cost-of-living adjustment, and IRA matching, are available.
OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES
Opportunities
Beautifully situated in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, JH Classical Academy is a perfect place for outdoor activities and educational experiences. Alongside the natural beauty, the Academy provides a cost-of-living adjustment for employees, which makes living in Jackson more tenable. These elements make JH Classical Academy the perfect place to attract talent from anywhere in the world.
The JHCA Foundation has a strong national board with deep local connections in the Jackson, WY area. An experienced CAO will be able to partner with these significant leaders to share the vision for the school in well-resourced, highly philanthropic circles.
The JHCA Foundation has procured 40 acres of prime real estate for the school and begun construction on a $100m+ state-of-the-art educational facility at the foot of the Grand Tetons. This stunning location will provide an incredible opportunity to provide excellent, classical Christian education to families in and around Jackson, Wyoming. The new Chief Advancement Officer will have the opportunity to find partners passionate about Classical Education both locally and nationally. JH Classical Academy is poised to become a model school that people from around the world will come to see in action, and the CAO will have the opportunity to discover enthusiasm for that task in many locations.
Challenges
As a young school having just gone through significant leadership shifts, the CAO would need to build, in concert with the Head, a fundraising strategy to both meet “annual fund” needs as well as longer term capital expenditures to support the new facility. This will require wearing “many hats” as the advancement department grows with the school.
The flip side of having a strong core of supporters for a mission is that others may be more reluctant to join in the effort. The new CAO will work to build a wider coalition both locally and around the country to add to the dedicated core who have founded and nurtured the school. This effort has been interrupted on occasion because of leadership transition, but needs to be restarted with fresh vigor.
JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING
Nestled in the heart of the Teton Range, Jackson Hole embodies a unique blend of rugged wilderness and vibrant community life. Renowned for its stunning natural beauty, Jackson Hole offers outdoor activities year-round.
During the winter months, the area is a haven for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts, with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and nearby Grand Targhee Resort providing world-class slopes and breathtaking vistas. The annual Jackson Hole Rendezvous Festival draws music lovers and outdoor adventurers alike, showcasing both local talent and internationally acclaimed artists against the backdrop of the majestic Tetons.
In the summer, Jackson Hole is a playground for hikers, bikers, and wildlife enthusiasts. Grand Teton National Park and nearby Yellowstone National Park offer endless space to explore, from scenic drives and wildlife viewing to challenging hikes and serene lakeside picnics. The Snake River weaves through the valley, providing thrilling whitewater rafting adventures and tranquil float trips.
The town of Jackson exudes a quaint charm with its wooden boardwalks, art galleries, and Western-inspired architecture. The Town Square, adorned with elk antler arches, is a hub of activity where locals and visitors gather for events like the weekly Jackson Hole Farmers Market or the annual Jackson Hole Rodeo.
Jackson Hole's real estate market is known for its high prices relative to national averages, reflecting its appeal as a vacation destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The average price for a 3-bedroom house in Jackson Hole, Wyoming typically ranges from $1.5–3 million. JH Academy offers a cost-of-living adjustment to support employees living in the area.
If, after prayerfully reviewing this information, you believe this role fits you well, or if you know someone you would like to recommend, please contact:
Dr. Rich Kidd
Managing Partner
mobile :: (757) 642–0622
email :: rich@missionleadership.org
Daniel Tubbs, M. Ed.
Search Consultant
mobile :: (757) 452-1001
email :: daniel@missionleadership.org