Annual Giving and Alum Relations Manager

McLean School (mcleanschool.org), a K-12 co-educational independent school in Potomac, Maryland, seeks applicants for an Annual Giving and Alum Relations Manager to begin immediately. This position reports directly to the Director of Development. McLean School has for 70 years been helping bright students realize their full potential by providing a comprehensive college preparatory program that emphasizes small classes and differentiated instruction. Our mission is to make education accessible, stimulating, and meaningful for a broad range of students. Through our Abilities Model®, we embrace both traditional learners and ones with mild to moderate language-based learning challenges. McLean teachers recognize and teach to individual student strengths, responding to areas of challenge but never defining students by them.

This newly available position will challenge a dynamic and driven professional to grow and sustain giving across the McLean community, expanding our donor-giving base and making an impact as a key player in an emerging culture of philanthropy at McLean. The Annual Giving and Alum Relations Manager is responsible for developing and executing strategies to increase donor engagement, retention, and philanthropic support through annual giving programs and alum outreach. This individual will raise unrestricted gifts for McLean School to meet annual fundraising dollars and participation goals. They will increase the donor base through identification, acquisition, cultivation, and stewardship, which includes donor acknowledgment. Specific responsibilities include planning, implementing, and evaluating the Annual Giving Program, including individual solicitations, managing parent volunteers, direct mail, text campaigns, social media, and other online strategies, data record keeping, and donor recognition for constituents. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with excellent communication skills, a passion for relationship-building, and experience in fundraising and stewardship.

Essential Functions 

• Develops a comprehensive multi-channel marketing and donor development program to meet Annual Fund goals, including acquisition, renewals, appeals, monthly giving, upgrades, and tribute gifts—special emphasis on audience segmentation and integration of mail, email, and website solicitation.
  

• Implements a written plan with metrics and a calendar for all phases of annual giving, including direct mailings, personal visits, and volunteer engagement.
  

• Supports overarching goals of the Development Office by coordinating solicitations, communications, and events that maximize giving and participation among current families, alums, alum parents, grandparents, trustees, faculty, staff, and friends of McLean to maximize giving and participation. 
  

• Collaborates with the Communications & Marketing Office to create all fundraising materials, including emails, brochures, letters, newsletters, case documents, and correspondence, and implements regular communications with contributors about how donor funds are being used, recognizing specific donors or groups of donors, and informing them of ongoing giving opportunities.
  
• Establishes a comprehensive acknowledgment system at various giving levels to ensure personalization and timeliness of thank you receipts and letters.
  
• Builds and manages a Parent Peer-to-Peer Volunteer Solicitation team.
• Develop and maintain relationships with alum to foster engagement and execute engagement programs, events, and reunions to strengthen connections with them.
• Collaborates with the College Transition and Success Coordinator to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward alum giving.
• Establish an alum advisory council or volunteer network to enhance outreach efforts.
• Works closely with the Database Manager to provide key reporting and leverage Raiser’s Edge for prospect identification, analysis of key constituents, and accurate reporting to track dollars raised, participation, retention, and stewardship. 

Qualifications, Experience, and Education

• Bachelor’s degree required
• At least three years of annual giving or related fundraising experience
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Familiarity with the use of social media for fundraising
• Proficient with Microsoft Office software and spreadsheets 
• CRM experience, particularly Raiser’s Edge, preferred 

Leadership Requirements

• A charismatic, experienced, detail-oriented individual who creates enthusiasm in giving.·  
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to manage and lead professional and volunteer staff, including recruiting, training, and professional development.
  

McLean School is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, family responsibilities, disability, genetic status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you need reasonable accommodation due to a disability during recruitment, please contact Director of Executive Support and Recruitment, Robin Speller.

Salary : $80,000 - $100,000