Lindauer Tapped to Find Alumni Relations Director for Seoul Foreign School
April 27, 2020 – Boston-based Lindauer is spearheading the search for a new director of alumni relations for the Seoul Foreign School (SFS) in South Korea, one of the leading international schools in Asia. Heading the assignment is vice president Carmel Napolitano.
“The Seoul Foreign School is seeking an adventurous and energetic alumni relations and development professional to join the external affairs team as director of alumni relations to engage and invigorate SFS’s global alumni network,” said Lindauer.
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SFS has 4,700 alumni worldwide, with a significant number in California, Chicago, New York and London.
SFS seeks to build on its legacy while forging a new and brighter future, said Lindauer. “Part of building on the legacy involves the development of a vibrant alumni association that aims to promote the welfare of the school by supporting the needs of the current student body both while at SFS and after they leave,” said the search firm.
Key Responsibilities
SFS is also looking to build on its successful capital campaign, which raised $1 million in 2016–2017. Additionally, the school’s annual fund, now in its 11th year, supports academic programs, extra-curricular programs, facility upgrades, professional development, local service training programs, and global service-learning programs. The 2019–2020 annual fund goal is USD $300,000.
The director will be responsible for establishing all strategy for alumni programming and engagement, said the search firm. He or she will report to the assistant head of school for external affairs and will collaborate with the director of advancement and the director of communications and marketing and an overall team of seven.
The alumni relations director will develop, market, implement events, including reunions, to build a close-knit network and a culture of philanthropy across the alumni network. SFS wants a people person, “possessing the skills of a sophisticated diplomat who can maneuver in a global environment,” said Lindauer
The director of alumni relations will be responsible for reunion events, signature development and recognition events, and affinity and regional chapters.
The role calls for maintaining a portfolio of individual prospects and donors and cultivating, soliciting and stewarding their philanthropic giving. The individual must also establish and build relationships with a wide range of alumni, locally and internationally; the director should maintain regular communication with alumni via direct contact, email, alumni web pages, and print publications.
Qualifications
Candidates must have: a bachelor’s degree; three to five years of experience in alumni relations, event planning, volunteer management and development, preferably in an education setting and preferably in an international setting; a sense of urgency and enthusiastic commitment to SFS’s external relations priorities; and experience working with and managing volunteers. Candidates must possess an understanding of volunteer management best practices.
SFS also wants candidates who are highly professional and have ethical standards for handling confidential information, said Lindauer. Prospects should also have demonstrated success with developing and sustaining relationships with donors and volunteers. Excellent communication, interpersonal and writing skills, with the ability to work collaboratively and courteously with colleagues, alumni, other constituents and the public is also necessary. Experience working in an international independent school would be helpful.
Established in 1912, the Seoul Foreign School serves over 1,400 children from over 50 different countries, ranging from pre-K through 12th grade and 350 faculty and staff from around the world. SFS describes itself as a Christian school for everyone, as defined through the Christ-like attitudes that guide its faculty members and students. SFS is a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, the Council of International Schools, and the Association of Christian Schools International. It is accredited by the U.K.’s Office of Standards in Education and is an IB (International Baccalaureate) approved school.
Serving Non-profits
Lindauer serves higher and secondary education, hospitals and academic research centers, think tanks, research facilities and foundations, as well as advocacy, public service, social justice and other mission-driven non-profits. It has led searches for the Boston YMCA, Center for Applied Special Technology, Healthy Minds Innovations/Center for Healthy Minds, the University of Texas at Austin and the Cockrell School of Engineering, among others.
A recognized leader in retained executive search for the non-profit sector, Ms. Napolitano brings over 15 years of search experience to Lindauer’s clients. Possessing a network that reaches from local to global, she has successfully completed leadership searches with advocacy, arts/culture, economic development, educational, environmental, global health, human services and other mission-driven organizations. Prior to entering executive search, Ms. Napolitano held a range of roles in higher education fundraising and non-profit fundraising consulting for major U.S. organizations. These included professional positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University and serving as director of research and special projects at CCS Fundraising Inc., one of the world’s leading non-profit consultancies.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
