Marian High School, a faithful and faith-filled Catholic High School of the Diocese of Fort Wayne South Bend inspired by the witness of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Perpetual Adoration, is seeking an Executive Director of Major Gifts. The selected candidate will be hired to begin employment at Marian no later than the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic/fiscal year.
The Executive Director of Major Gifts is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gift donors to support Marian’s mission and strategic priorities. This senior-level position plays a significant role in driving Marian’s fundraising efforts and building long-term, meaningful relationships with key stakeholders.
This position will report to and work with the Principal in support of our Mission Advancement team to increase philanthropic revenue for annual, capital, and planned giving programs.
The Director of Major Gifts works with the support of an established team and is responsible for providing major gift expertise to Marian. The Director will work to identify a portfolio of 150 to 200 prospective donors who have the capacity to make significant gifts to the school. The Director of Major Gifts will have goals and targets related to upcoming capital programs, the Fund for Marian, and planned giving programming.
Local, regional, and national travel is required, as much of the time will be spent outside the office visiting with donors and other members of the Marian Family.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred
- A minimum of 3 years experience in major gifts fundraising, with a proven track record of securing transformational gifts & donations, preferably in a nonprofit or educational setting is strongly preferred.
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills
- A demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic fundraising plans
- In possession of strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to inform decision-making
- Proficiency in the use of donor/customer relationship management software as well as the Google and Microsoft productivity suites.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
- Analyzing fundraising data and metrics to evaluate the success of major gifts initiatives and identifying areas for growth
- Collaborating with the leadership team, board of directors, and other key stakeholders to align major gift fundraising efforts with the organization's strategic priorities
- Overseeing the creation of compelling and tailored proposals, gift agreements, and other donor communications
- Representing Marian at donor meetings, events, and other high-level engagement opportunities
- Providing regular reports and analysis on major gifts pipeline, revenue, and donor engagement
- Overseeing the planning and execution of cultivation and stewardship events for major donors/potential major, such as donor receptions and recognition programs, in collaboration with our existing Advancement team.
- Actively cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high-level gifts and identifying potential major gift prospects
- Collaborating with the Principal, Director of Mission Advancement, and other staff for board committees and presentations
- Utilizing the CRM system (DonorPerfect) to document work with donors and prospects including contact reports
- Conducting ongoing stewardship activities to further enhance the relationship between donors and Marian
- Attending and engaging at Marian advancement events
- Attending other Marian community events such as graduation, athletics, and fine/performing arts programs
