Founded by the Order of St. Benedict in Portsmouth, Rhode Island with Father Hugh Diman as its first Headmaster and originally called Portsmouth Priory, the school officially opened with 18 students in September of 1926.

Today, Portsmouth Abbey School continues to flourish as the nation's leading coeducational Catholic Benedictine boarding school for 350 students in grades 9 through 12. Unique in its English Benedictine tradition, the school offers a challenging academic curriculum rich in mathematics and science and built upon a signature humanities program.

There are 27 buildings on the 525-acre campus. Additional features include 43 athletic teams, diverse community service programs, many off-campus enrichment opportunities, a state-of-the-art squash and fitness center, a multi-sport synthetic turf field and world-class golf, sailing and equestrian facilities. Given the school's small size, students can become leaders and active members of the community.

Portsmouth Abbey seeks an experienced development professional for the role of Director of the Annual Fund at an exciting institutional time. As a critical member of the development team, he/she will be expected to enhance a high-performing culture, while modeling Benedictine values, supporting the Abbey’s mission and traditions, and leading the way as the school celebrates it’s 100^th year in 2026.

As a strong, highly respected college preparatory school with over 4,000 alumni, Portsmouth Abbey is blessed with exceptional and expansive facilities, enthusiastic parents, talented faculty, staff, and engaged alumni – all eager to play a growing philanthropic role in support of the school. Collaborating with the Head of School and the school’s development team, the Director of the Annual Fund will ensure that advancement priorities align with Portsmouth Abbey’s mission and strategic plan. The next Director of the Annual Fund will be expected to bring leadership, data-driven strategic planning, and proven capacity to engage trustees, alumni, parents, parents of alumni, and friends in support of implementing the Abbey’s vision.

To learn more about this distinguished independent, Catholic school in the tradition of the English Benedictines, visit the school’s website here.

It is possible that prospective candidates could have attained this experience through a variety of different career paths, including secondary or higher education; non-profit leadership; or comparable work in the corporate or public sector. Regardless of career path, the next Director of the Annual Fund must have demonstrated proficiency and capacity in building and maintaining relationships that will ensure the Abbey’s continued accessibility, success, and sustainability through the effective stewardship of its parent, alumni, and other philanthropic constituencies.

Additional information and our application procedures regarding this exciting leadership opportunity can be found in our detailed search prospectus here:

VIEW THE SEARCH PROSPECTUS

The search committee is on a fast-track to identify and secure its next Director of the Annual Fund. Interested candidates can begin exploring this exciting Catholic school leadership opportunity by immediately contacting our team. All inquiries and applications will be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality and with the greatest respect.

This search is moving at a swift pace. Connect with us today!

CONTACT

Larry Furey, Founder
lfurey@partnersinmission.com
Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions, LLC
(781) 710-0242
www.partnersinmissionslss.com

About Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions

Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions is the retained search division of Partners in Mission, the nation’s leading full-service consulting firm focused exclusively on developing excellence in Catholic school advancement and leadership. As partners among ourselves and with our clients’ missions, we value, understand, and embrace the importance of Catholic education in our personal and professional lives — and remain committed to ensuring its strength and vitality for years to come. Engaged by school communities, pastors, religious communities, boards and dioceses, our team of dedicated search consultants have identified and secured mission-driven professionals to serve in a myriad of diverse Catholic school and diocesan leadership positions from Maine to Hawaii.

Connections working at Partners in Mission School Leadership Search Solutions