Major Gifts Officer

Derby Academy is hiring a Major Gifts Officer to join the Advancement team as it embarks on an ambitious comprehensive campaign. With deep knowledge of best practice major gift strategies and previous campaign experience, the Major Gifts Officer will be a strategic, creative, ambitious, and dynamic externally facing fundraiser charged with deepening relationships with existing donors and developing connections to new prospects to grow philanthropic revenue.

Reporting to the Director of Advancement, this position will:

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 – 125 alumni, parents, alumni parents, volunteers, and friends.
• Secure five and six-figure major gifts, as well as annual leadership gifts, from assigned prospects.
• Develop strategies to expand the current base of philanthropic revenue sources.
• Enhance donor stewardship practice to retain and grow current donor base.
• Build a robust alumni relations program to support major gift solicitations and develop a healthy pipeline of prospective donors to ensure that long-term sustainability of Derby’s philanthropic program.
• Support the Derby Council, a group of alumni, alumni parents, former faculty and former Trustee volunteer leaders dedicated to advancing the mission of Derby Academy.
• Assist with student-facing school duties as assigned, such as lunch duty or pickup/dropoff.

Minimum Education/Prior Experience/Qualifications Required

• 5-7 years of development experience, preferably at an independent school in major giving;
• Proven track record of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors with success securing five to six figure gifts;
• Experience managing and engaging Board level volunteers;
• Ability to bring thorough, organized, strategic, and creative approach to major gifts work;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills;
• Self-motivated, entrepreneurial, and team oriented mindset;
• Availability to work occasional nights and weekends and willingness to travel occasionally;
• Proficiency in fundraising databases and Microsoft Office.

Generally Applicable School Competencies

• Ability to effectively collaborate with, and build trust among, a diverse group of fellow employees, Derby leadership, parents, and alumni.
• Resourcefulness and adaptability.
• Punctuality and dependability.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing work priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Adherence to all personnel policies, procedures, and rules contained in Derby’s Employee Handbook and otherwise.
• Maintain productive relationships with other Derby staff, working closely with the Academy’s leadership, as applicable.

Physical Requirements

• Standing/sitting for long periods of time.
• Must be capable of adapting to frequent changes in position throughout the workday.
• Hearing and speaking to exchange information in person or on the telephone.
• Use of hands and fingers for manipulation, ability to use computer keyboard, and to perform first aid and CPR.

Derby Academy is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive educational community and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, gender, color, veteran status, physical ability, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin or any other state or federally protected classifications. Derby Academy is an equal opportunity employer.

Derby Academy values inclusivity and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds or who have experience in cultural competency work to apply.

Derby Academy has engaged DovetailED to lead this search. Interested candidates should email a cover letter (addressed to the Director of Advancement, Kristin Donelan), a resume, and a list of at least three professional references consolidated as a single PDF document to Lynda Hamilton-Kirk at lynda@dovetailedsourcing.com. Please do not contact the school directly.