School Advancement Director

The Director, School Advancement reports to the Chief Advancement Officer and has a dotted line to the Chancellor of Schools, and primarily is responsible for developing and executing on the strategy for a major gifts fundraising program to benefit Catholic Schools within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This includes growing and managing a portfolio of individual donor and prospective donor relationships and for managing a major gifts program for school prospects. The Director will focus on the achievement of philanthropic attainment goals, the expansion of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s donor base, particularly in major and principal gifts for schools, and by extension support donor engagement and recognition activities with an emphasis on appropriate stewardship and solicitation of all constituents. This professional will serve as a primary fundraiser for Archdiocesan -wide targeted initiatives and will work closely with the Chief Advancement Officer, the Chancellor of Schools, and other key Archdiocesan leaders to ensure the success of school fundraising strategies and activities.

The Director is a vital member of the Chief Advancement Officer’s leadership team, and works collaboratively with this leader to advance the mission and goals of schools and the Archdiocese of Baltimore. In partnership with the Chief Advancement Officer and the Chancellor of Schools, the Director will take steps to build the functions of major gifts, annual and leadership giving, planned giving and corporate and foundation giving, as well as seed a pipeline for principal gifts for Catholic Schools.

Essential Functions:

• Work with the Chief Advancement Officer to lead, execute and manage a strategic major gifts program with a specific emphasis to grow and broaden the major gifts’ pipeline and program for Catholic Schools.
• Effectively conceptualize, pilot, and implement of sustainable fundraising programs while targeting individual gift cultivation and solicitation.
• Build and manage portfolio of donor relationships, including known principal and major donors to the Archdiocese: qualify capacity, engage, solicit, and steward principal and major gift donors and prospects, as well as support and enhance the work of leadership and annual giving, planning giving and corporation and foundation giving specifically for Catholic Schools.
• Identify new prospective donors with a propensity to support Catholic schools in an effort to build a central major gifts donor portfolio targeting a total of 100-150 relationships; research and qualify prospects with capacity to contribute $50,000 or more.
• Maintain a fundraising portfolio of 35-50 constituents and manage donor-centric activity with those constituents.
• Cultivate and solicit leadership annual and major gifts for the Archdiocese of Baltimore to generate a minimum of $1M in philanthropic support for Catholic Schools through individual prospect and donor cultivation and solicitation.
• Work with the Chief Advancement Officer and the Chancellor of Schools to develop and implement comprehensive engagement and fundraising strategies and tactics that target constituency segmentation for specific and effective engagement, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of the prospect and donor pool, including developing and monitoring defined KPIs and follow up plans for all advancement activities.
• Create briefing materials to support the Chief Advancement Officer, Archbishop, and other institutional leaders in meetings with donors or potential donors.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s priorities as they relate to schools and be able to articulate the case(s) for support and effectively match donor interest with funding need(s) while building knowledge and support of these initiatives.
• Connect the values of a Catholic School education with the values of donors in inclusive and sustainable ways.
• Desire to build personal relationships on behalf of Catholic Schools with the objective of raising funds to support all school fundraising efforts.
• Other duties and special projects may be assigned to meet department’s and the organization’s needs.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit who can construct creative solutions and open doors to new donor relationships.
• Successful record of accomplishment of securing individual major gifts and of working with organizational stakeholders and leaders and a deep familiarity with comprehensive campaign design, practices and operations.
• Possess the initiative, patience, and resourcefulness in adapting to change and responding to opportunities in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to work collaboratively and collegially with immediate team members and to thrive within a diverse and inclusive working environment.
• Ability and inner drive to adhere to best practices for fundraising, donor communications, events, stewardship, and prospect management and pipeline development principles and practices.
• Demonstrate discretion and diplomacy, along with the ability to interact with high-level donors and to maintain an irreproachable degree of confidentiality in all situations.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written), including exemplary poise, tact, discretion and diplomacy when working with a wide range of constituents and diverse audiences.
• Computer proficiency, particularly in MS Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; ability to quickly learn and assimilate new systems and information.
• Proven attention to detail, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Excellent organization and follow-up / follow-through skills to ensure completion of assignments within established timeframes.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a high-functioning team.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule, including nights and/or weekends to meet demands of the position

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum of 8 years of achievement in fundraising
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Broad knowledge of fundraising principles and able to participate successfully in a dynamic, complex matrix environment.
• Experience with integration of strategy into an organization’s greater fundraising goals and ability to be flexible in working independently as well as collaboratively with organizational leaders and other staff to define and achieve goals for the greater good of the organization.
• Experience in campaign fundraising, giving societies, improving donor retention, and developing strategies to move donors and prospects through the lifecycle of giving.
• Understanding and appreciation for the mission of the Roman Catholic Church within the Archdiocese of Baltimore.
• Knowledge and expertise or Raiser’s Edge fundraising software or similar software and well-developed database, spreadsheet, and word processing computer skills.
• Understanding of prospect and donor pool development and of operating within a donor-giving lifecycle moves management system.
• Positive attitude, proven ability to work successfully with diverse populations