What are the responsibilities and job description for the Major Gifts Officer position at Maȟpíya Lúta Red Cloud?
Department: Advancement
Supervisor: President
Status: Full-time
Full-Time Classification: Exempt
Vision:
Maȟpíya Lúta (formerly Red Cloud Indian School) fosters leaders in a vibrant Lakȟota and Jesuit
Catholic community.
Mission:
Maȟpíya Lúta embraces Lakȟota and Jesuit Catholic values and teachings to grow as a
community through education, spiritual formation, Lakȟota language, art, and culture.
Background:
Maȟpíya Lúta traces its roots back over 135 years to Chief Red Cloud’s visionary efforts.
Recognizing the irrevocable economic and cultural challenges facing the Oglala Lakȟóta people,
Chief Red Cloud advocated for the establishment of “a school house – a large one” that would
not only “teach us how to write and read, and instruct us how to do it” but also preserve and
sustain Lakȟóta identity amidst a rapidly changing environment. After a decade-long lobbying
effort in Washington, D.C., Chief Red Cloud succeeded, and in 1888, German Jesuits, partnering
with Franciscan sisters also from Germany, built a school on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Today, Maȟpíya Lúta is powered by Lakȟóta people and the Jesuits and is composed of (1) four
schools serving roughly 450 students, (2) The Heritage Center—a cultural arts hub engaging
with over 300 Native artists annually, and (3) a Catholic parish serving the spiritual needs of its
families and offering outreach services to communities across the Reservation. Beyond its
educational, spiritual, and cultural endeavors, Maȟpíya Lúta hosts transformative programs
such as Truth and Healing, Lakȟóta Language Center, Food Sovereignty, Alumni and Graduate
Support, and a Volunteer/AmeriCorps Program, all of which reflect a commitment to holistic
community development rooted in the intersection of tradition and progress.
Position Overview:
The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will play a critical role in the ongoing development of Maȟpíya
Lúta’s fundraising efforts, focusing on building and nurturing long-term relationships with high
net-worth individual donors. This person will manage a portfolio of donors typically giving in the
range of $10,000–$1,000,000 and will work collaboratively with other members of the
Advancement team to raise funds that support our mission. The MGO will be responsible for
cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts while maintaining a high level of cultural sensitivity,
particularly within the Lakȟóta context.
Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate strong alignment with Maȟpíya Lúta’s unique mission and history and a
- Serve as a passionate and informed advocate for Maȟpíya Lúta, able to communicate its
ensure that the work and impact of the organization is known by those who help or
potentially will help fund the mission;
- Work closely with senior leadership and other team members to design and execute
mission;
- Develop and maintain confidential relationships with existing donors and cultivate new
- Actively solicit major gifts–both solo and in collaboration with Advancement colleagues,
contact to long-term involvement;
- Organize and assist in the planning and execution of fundraising events that cultivate
- Assist with the preparation and editing of materials–print and visual–used in soliciting
- Travel up to 50% of the time to visit and steward donors spread out across the nation,
schools network and as well as the broader philanthropic community, and participate in
professional development opportunities;
- Utilize Raiser’s Edge to record all interactions with donors and prospects and conduct
and propensity;
- Perform other, miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Has earned a Bachelor’s degree or higher;
- Appreciates Lakȟota culture and history, Maȟpíya Lúta’s unique mission and the role it
- Has experience–preferably at least 3 years–in successfully cultivating, soliciting, and
stewarding major gifts for a non-profit organization, or has a strong track record of
success in sales;
- Demonstrates a proven ability to work collaboratively with others as well as
Red Cloud Indian School, Inc.
- Is open-minded, entrepreneurial, organized, creative, engaging, discreet, optimistic, and
- Possesses strong strategic, analytical, and project management skills with a proven
them in a timely manner with limited supervision;
- Displays excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to
support persuasively;
- Is conversant with Microsoft Office and Google products
- Lives near a major airport, for ease of travel, or in southwest South Dakota, for proximity
- Understands the benefits and risks of AI and is able to use it where appropriate;
Benefits:
Salary range of $70,000-$100,000 that is commensurate with experience; comprehensive
benefits package, which includes health insurance, retirement savings plan, and paid time off;
and meaningful work that contributes to the success of an impactful organization.
To apply:
Send completed application and resume to:
Brenda Bad Heart Bull, VP of HR
brendabhb@mahpiyaluta.org
Red Cloud Indian School, Inc.
Salary : $70,000 - $100,000
