The Benjamin Franklin International School in Barcelona is in the midst of an exciting period of development and growth. Our flagship project – the Center for Creativity and Innovation – is currently under construction, made possible through careful management of school finances and a growing BFIS culture of community activity and long‑term philanthropy. It is in this context that we are seeking to appoint a Development Manager as the first of a new team whose responsibility it will be to bring our school community together in a shared commitment to BFIS and its advancement. The role holder will be joining a successful in‑progress campaign and will be critical to its completion, as well as the longer term embedding of philanthropy in the culture of the school.

Job Purpose To support BFIS’s fundraising efforts by managing donor relationships, implementing fundraising programs, and engaging the school’s international community of parents, alumni, and friends. The Development Manager will work closely with the Communications Department to execute fundraising strategies and build sustainable philanthropic support for the school’s mission and priorities.

Reporting Line : Head of School.

Key Responsibilities Major Gifts & Donor Relations

Conduct donor identification, qualification, cultivation, ask, and stewardship activities

Manage a portfolio of major gift prospects (5 and 6‑figure+ potential), to be met with by school leaders

Schedule face‑to‑face meetings with existing donors and new prospective supporters (calls and emails)

Prepare briefing materials, proposals, and presentations for prospective supporters and stewardship meetings

Support the Director and Head of School with major gift solicitations

Follow up on prospective supporter proposals, by phone, to answer questions and encourage decisions

Arrange and manage information and cultivation events, in conjunction with BFIS Communications team

Ensure timely communication and meaningful donor stewardship and recognition activities

Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date records in Donor Perfect, working with the Finance and Admissions teams, as needed

Develop and track fundraising performance indicators, such as donor retention, participation rates, and campaign milestones, and prepare annual summary reports for the Advancement Committee.





Post‑Campaign Activities In accordance with campaign timelines, and post campaign:

Coordinate event‑based, email, digital and other broad‑based fundraising appeals, to ensure inclusion of the entire BFIS community. Beyond the campaign, these will become part of annual fundraising for BFIS greatest needs

Work with BFIS volunteers to support peer‑to‑peer fundraising initiatives

Monitor campaign progress and provide regular progress reports to Advancement Committee

Manage and amend, as needed, gift acknowledgment processes, and donor communications

Research and prepare trust and foundation grant applications, where relevant

Engagement

Develop fundraising communications and content for internal and external communication materials and platforms

Support the implementation of alumni (students and parents) engagement strategies

Coordinate alumni events in Barcelona and elsewhere as necessary

Create opportunities for alumni involvement (mentoring, career talks, etc.)

Maintain alumni database and support data gathering efforts

Identify and qualify alumni prospects for philanthropic engagement

Administration

Assist with prospective supporter and donor visits to campus

Support development budget tracking and expense reporting

Ensure GDPR compliance in all development activities

Ensure compliance with Spanish fundraising and tax regulations related to charitable giving

Develop and maintain donor and donation databases.

Generate informational reports on donations and perform bank reconciliations for donations.

Responsible for collecting donor documentation in compliance with the Transparency Law.

Coordinate with all relevant teams on development content

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS Experience

3–5 years of experience in fundraising, development, or related fields (alumni relations, high‑level client relations, business development)

Experience with supporter cultivation and relationship management





Track record of meeting fundraising or similar targets

Experience working with volunteers and senior stakeholders

Skills & Knowledge

Excellent communication skills (written and verbal) in English

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with diverse constituents

Presentation skills for individual and group settings

Experience with CRM databases (Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar)

Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail

IT Proficiency

Understanding of fundraising best practices and donor cycle

Knowledge of GDPR and data protection requirements in Spain

Personal Qualities

Commitment to education and the BFIS mission

Culturally sensitive with ability to work effectively in international, diverse environment

Self‑motivated with strong work ethic

Team player who collaborates effectively

Professional demeanor and discretion with confidential information

Positive, enthusiastic approach to face‑to‑face donor engagement

Resilient and comfortable with fundraising rejection

Adaptable regarding evening/weekend event attendance

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Spanish language proficiency (conversational or fluent)

Demonstrated experience securing gifts from individuals ($10,000‑$100,000+ level)

Experience in international school, independent school, or higher education setting

Additional language skills (Catalan, French, German, etc.)

Knowledge of Barcelona business/expatriate community

Professional fundraising training or certification (IoF, CASE, etc.)

Experience with prospect research tools and techniques

Digital fundraising or social media experience

Understanding of Spanish/European philanthropy environment

Experience building early‑stage development programs

KEY RELATIONSHIPS Internal

Director of Development and Communications (direct supervisor in near future)

Head of School and Senior Leadership Team

Board Advancement Committee

Parent community

Faculty and staff

Students (as appropriate for alumni connections)

External

Donors and prospective supporters (predominantly individuals)

Volunteers and committee members

Alumni community (global)

Professional fundraising networks

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📌 25/02/2026 BFIS Development Manager BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Barcelona (Madrid)
🏢 Ccfundacions
📍 Madrid