The Head of Advancement (HoA) provides strategic vision, innovative leadership, and clear direction for all development, marketing, communications, public relations and alumni relations programs. The HoA oversees the budgets for all the advancement teams. The HoA is an enthusiastic, thoughtful, organized professional who leads by example and empowers the members of the various advancement teams. This is an important, wide-ranging position at UWC ISAK Japan. The lists below cover different but related fields. It is not expected that the successful applicant will necessarily have hands-on experience in all, but should be conversant with the range, and able to lead and manage effectively. Reporting to the Head of School and serving as a member of the School Leadership team, the HoA leads all aspects of the advancement teams and resources. This includes UWC ISAK Japan’s work in communications and community engagement, philanthropy, outreach, and alumni relations. All this grows the visibility and brand recognition of UWC ISAK Japan within Japan, and outside its borders in both the regional and global contexts. The HoA will also work closely with the UWC ISK Japan Admission Team.
The HoA possesses strong leadership and people-management skills as well as a keen understanding of best practices in fundraising (preferably in a school setting), marketing (digital and non-digital), and communications, with a proven ability to meet objectives backed by a record of accomplishment. The HoA is a professional of the highest integrity and seeks to bring out the best in the members of the team. The HoA possesses excellent communication skills and is an open, achievement- oriented professional. They have a collegial, team-building style with a track record of motivating staff to keep them engaged, energized, and focused on results. The HoA creates a professional work environment that rewards individual and collective success while building confidence in the individual team members. The HoA must be a very fine role model in all respects, particularly in the demonstration of character in a residential setting.
The HoA will work with the Advancement Team and the ‘Short Course’ Team:
● To develop and implement the School’s mission, vision, aims, and objectives – this is the ‘big picture’ purpose of the position. Specifically, this entails the following:
● To set clear direction and priorities for a team of around 7 or 8 fellow professionals and lead with enthusiasm, warmth, and expertise;
● To promote excellence through well-defined and measurable goals and inspire and motivate staff by fostering a work environment that rewards new ideas and risk taking;
● To partner with and guide where needed the President of the Board’s and the Head of School’s engagement with donors, ensuring that they are well briefed and that their time spent on this is highly productive;
● To be an ambassador for the Advancement Office to the community promoting understanding of the work of the office and working to engage the whole of the UWC ISAK community and extended family in its activities as and when appropriate;
● To assist the Director of Short Courses in strengthening the impact of UWC ISAK Japan through short courses and programs for students who do not attend the School full-time.
● To launch systematic initiatives to identify and cultivate the next generation of donors to UWC ISAK Japan while maintaining and strengthening ties to existing donors, who are predominantly Japanese;
● To help seek out with determination new philanthropic opportunities, and create a strong and consistent message about UWC ISAK Japan to its constituencies;
● To assess the fundraising potential and serve as architect and builder of a strategic, cohesive, and systematic fundraising program to broaden and strengthen development and volunteer/donor/alumni/parent relations activities;
● To work closely with the marketing and communications team and to oversee its work of promoting the school with sensitivity, humility, and pride, in both English and Japanese;
● To closely monitor the numerical targets for digital marketing including but not limited to social media reach, website PVs, and registrations of interested applicants for admission;
● To oversee the creating of publications for external and internal communication in both languages;
● To help grow the development and alumni relations office including annual, major, principal, and planned giving programs;
● To foster alumni and donor relations, advancement services, stewardship, event, and prospect research;
● To help develop and manage a comprehensive media relations policy and practice in Japan and abroad.
● With the Director of Short Courses, to extend the number and the nature of experiences and impact;
● To research the possibility of online experiences related to short course growth.
● The HoA will be a core member of the School Leadership Team, representing the interests of the general advancement of UWC ISAK Japan;
● The HoA will be a role model in leading skills for students.
The HoA must adhere to and ensure compliance with the School’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy at all times. If, in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the HoA becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the School, they must report those concerns to the Head of School or to the DSL or to one of the DDSLs immediately.
Other duties may be assigned from time to time by the Head of School or the President of the Board, in conjunction with the Head of School.
● Must be bilingual in Japanese and English, with a Bachelor’s degree in a field broadly related to this type of work, such as education – advanced degree preferred;
● Minimum of 8 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and 5 or 6 years of experience managing a team, covering many of the areas described above;
● Must possess a personal and professional confidence and have a sense of warmth and empathy toward others;
● Experience setting and implementing a strategic development plan for soliciting, securing, and stewarding major and principal gifts, and demonstrated success in portfolio management, prospect qualification, analytics, and research;
● Proven leadership, managerial, and supervisory skills with a commitment to teamwork and with an ability to motivate direct reports, colleagues, donors, and volunteers, lead by example and attract and retain outstanding talent;
● Superior communications and strategic skills, and a strong grasp of industry best practices in Marketing, Communications, and PR;
● Skilled in using performance metrics to drive both individual and team success in all aspects of Advancement;
● Must be able to travel regularly and work flexible hours, when needed, including weekends and evenings;
● Must have a demonstrated ability to think strategically and creatively, make data-informed decisions, work well under pressure, and manage details of several concurrent projects.
How To Apply
Please submit the following documents to [email protected]
UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.
At UWC ISAK Japan, we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.
We believe not only in the power of education, but also in the power of young people to become catalysts for positive change. We aim to create an environment where students learn to understand and appreciate different perspectives, challenge themselves academically and emotionally, and develop their innate potential as change-makers who can identify what is most important and needed, take action in the face of discomfort, use diversity as a strength, and support others in this practice.
Our school motto reflects our hopes for and dedication to all UWC ISAK Japan students as they journey through one of the most important and exciting times of their lives.
One Life. Realize Your Potential. Be a Catalyst for Positive Change.
At UWC ISAK Japan, we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.
We believe not only in the power of education, but also in the power of young people to become catalysts for positive change. We aim to create an environment where students learn to understand and appreciate different perspectives, challenge themselves academically and emotionally, and develop their innate potential as change-makers who can identify what is most important and needed, take action in the face of discomfort, use diversity as a strength, and support others in this practice.
A transformational leader is someone who consistently identifies what is most important and what is needed, takes action in the face of discomfort, uses diversity as a strength, and supports others in this practice. With continuous practice, a transformational leader creates positive change within self and the community at large.
A transformational leader consistently applies these foundational skills of leadership:
Leadership is not a position or status that a selective group of people earn, whether by the virtue of their economic or social position in society or their innate demeanor or personality. At UWC ISAK Japan, we believe that leadership is a practice. This practice is integrated into our curriculum, and we believe that with practice, individuals can grow and integrate the essential skills of leadership.
Founded in 1962, UWC (United World Colleges) is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. UWC is comprised of schools and colleges in 18 countries, with national committees and selection contacts in more than 155 countries. UWC fosters a lifelong commitment to social responsibility, and to date has inspired a network of 60,000 alumni who believe it is possible to work for positive change.
The majority of students attending UWCs are selected by UWC national committees. In support of the belief that education should be independent of a student’s ability to pay, 70% of national committee selected IB Diploma students receive full scholarships. The UWC movement places a high value on experiential learning, outdoor education, service and other cultural understanding, alongside the academically challenging International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
UWC ISAK Japan is Japan’s only full-boarding international high school and the newest member of the United World Colleges movement. Following the Japanese school system, UWC ISAK is a three-year high school, with all students in grades 11 and 12 following the IB Diploma Programme curriculum. The school is accredited by the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) and all graduates receive a Japanese high school diploma. Currently approximately 200 students from nearly 80 countries attend UWC ISAK Japan, with 70% of students receiving full or partial need-based scholarship support. 30% of enrolled students are Japanese, with the remaining 70% coming from homes outside of Japan.
Karuizawa is located in Nagano Prefecture, home to the 1998 Winter Olympics and fondly referred to as the “Roof of Japan.” Karuizawa has been attracting an international mix of visitors since the late nineteenth century. The mountainous climate keeps Kaurizawa cool and comfortable during Japan’s summer months, making it a popular escape from Tokyo’s heat and humidity. Karuizawa experiences four seasons with regular snow in the winter which generally lasts from early December through February. Monthly temperatures average between 21 and -5 throughout the year.
While the full-time population of Karuizawa is around 20,000, the population of the town increases dramatically during the summer tourist season. From Tokyo, it takes approximately 70 minutes to reach Karuizawa station on the Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train).
Karuizawa is a favorite destination for outdoor enthusiasts and offers year-round recreation including hiking, cycling, tennis, golf and skiing. In addition, a vibrant arts & crafts scene includes art galleries and museums, a performing arts center, a symphony hall, and a community symphony. There are also many good restaurants with wide ranging cuisines, a large upscale outlet mall with designer shops, a variety of onsen hot springs and a local volcano, Mt. Asama.
UWC ISAK Japan is located on the outskirts of Karuizawa, in a quiet residential community and the school is not within easy walking distance to a train station or a large supermarket. Schooling options for faculty children are limited to the local public schools where all instruction and communication is in Japanese. We are not able to guarantee admission to UWC ISAK for faculty children in grades 10-12 or to guarantee scholarships if faculty children are admitted.
For more information about the town of Karuizawa, please go to the following website:
http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/karuizawa-guide
At UWC ISAK Japan we empower each other to be transformational leaders who explore new frontiers and make a positive impact today and in the future.
Anchored by a unique leadership-oriented mission, our programs and community continue to thrive, drawing enduring inspiration from the example and vision set forth by our founders.
