INTERESTED CANDIDATES: Please send resume and brief statement of interest to Abby Cohen at Big Shoulders Fund, acohen@bigshouldersfund.org

Diocese of Gary

Job Title:

Chief Advancement Officer – Andrean High School, Merrillville, IN

Reports to:

Principal, Andrean High School

Supported by:

Diocese of Gary

Posting Date:

Spring 2026

The Diocese of Gary

The Diocese of Gary serves an estimated 170,000 Catholics in Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke counties through 58 parishes, two missions and one Catholic student center. The diocese has 17 parish elementary schools and three diocesan high schools serving 5,985 students. An additional 5,610 students are enrolled in parish Catholic faith formation programs. The diocese is home to two post-secondary institutions. More than two million are served by Catholic-affiliated agencies, including seven Catholic hospitals, residential and daycare facilities for adults and children, and centers
for Social Services.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Andrean High School, a college preparatory Catholic high school committed to faith, learning, leadership, and service, is seeking a visionary and experienced Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) to lead its fundraising and relationship-building efforts. The Chief Advancement Officer will be employed by the school as part of the Diocese of Gary, and report to the principal of Andrean High School. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a storied institution by developing and executing a bold, strategic advancement program that supports Andrean's mission for generations to come.

Andrean is entering a period of exciting growth and expansion. As a school of the Catholic Diocese of Gary, Andrean has just completed a 10-year strategic plan that calls for a bold redefinition of its fundraising and communications efforts and is seeking a dynamic advancement leader to help bring this vision to life.

Andrean will directly benefit from a partnership between the Diocese and Big Shoulders Fund, through which the Dean & Barbara White Family Foundation recently committed a historic gift of $150 Million to help the schools in the diocese to thrive. This transformational gift will strengthen school operations, improve facilities, enhance student support, and expand academic excellence—creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity for impact.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

The Chief Advancement Officer will:

Build and lead a high-performing advancement department, including the areas of Annual Giving, Major Gifts, Gift Processing, and Alumni Relations.
Design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes annual fund campaigns, major and planned gifts, and a successful multi-million dollar capital campaign.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects, developing long-term relationships that support Andrean's strategic priorities.
Oversee alumni engagement efforts, fostering a lifelong connection between graduates and the school.
Collaborate closely with school leaders and stakeholders to align fundraising goals with school priorities.
Utilize data-driven strategies and innovative approaches to maximize fundraising efficiency and donor impact.
Serve as a passionate advocate for Catholic education and the mission of Andrean High School in all advancement efforts.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS

· Assume additional responsibilities as assigned by the School Administration, limited to duties that are consistent with the scope of the Chief Advancement Officer role and that directly support the school's advancement strategy and development operations. This description is intended to be illustrative and does not encompass all potential duties or responsibilities.

· Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication with students, educators, and families from diverse cultural, economic, and ability backgrounds.

· Demonstrate strong responsive and courteous support, ensuring prompt replies to calls and emails.

QUALITIES OF THE CANDIDATE WE SEEK

· A minimum of 10 years of experience in advancement/development, with a strong track record in fundraising and relationship management.

· Proven experience successfully managing a multi-million dollar capital campaign from planning through execution.

· Experience working within or with Catholic schools or faith-based institutions is strongly preferred.

· Demonstrated leadership ability with experience building or transforming advancement operations into effective, mission-aligned teams.

· Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and engage diverse constituencies.

· Proficient in using Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge donor management software.

· Strategic thinker with a bold, entrepreneurial spirit, and a passion for innovation in philanthropy.

· A personal commitment to the values of Catholic education and Andrean High School's mission.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job as someone who works in a standard office and school buildings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is also required to stand, walk and manage stairs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.
This position is primarily an in-person on-site office position. However, the employee must be able to do some traveling and work remotely in order to fulfil their job responsibilities. The employee must be able to drive and provide their own transportation.

COMPETENCIES

A highly organized self-starter who is able to apply creative problem-solving, make decisions, work under pressure, coordinate project changes as needed and meet deadlines.
Demonstrates excellent writing skills, write in a clear and concise manner, exhibit effective listening, questioning and interpersonal skills.
An ability to work some nights and weekends for special events or liturgical celebrations.
Working in a Catholic faith-based professional office setting focused on building missionary discipleship across the Diocese of Gary.
Builds collaborative relationships with all constituents, works to balance competing demands, and manages time effectively.
Ability to lead, collaborate and motivate others in a respectful manner.
The position expects strict confidentiality.

Compensation

Competitive Annual Salary of $100,000+ (commensurate with experience)
Opportunities for health, dental, vision, and life insurance are available
Compensation for mileage
Compensation and benefits provided by the Diocese of Gary

For more information the Employee Handbook is available on the Diocese of Gary website.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties to meet the ongoing needs of the organization and the students/schools it serves.

Big Shoulders Fund

Big Shoulders Fund is posting this position at the request of the Catholic Diocese of Gary.

Big Shoulders Fund has a supportive relationship with the Diocese of Gary and is helping to disseminate information about this role by posting it here.

Big Shoulders Fund is an independent tax-exempt charitable organization that provides support to schools with demonstrated need which provide a quality, values-based education for children. We serve 25,000 students and 92 schools in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana regions. Each school is a vital community-based organization and an anchor to its surrounding neighborhoods.

For thirty-eight years, Big Shoulders Fund has helped Chicago’s children achieve their dreams through access to high quality education. Of the 25,000 students we serve, 83% identify as people of color and 69% reside in low-income households. We expand access and outcomes by investing more than $40 million annually in scholarship support and enrichment programming for students; operational improvements for schools; cultivation of talent pipelines for school personnel from new teachers through veteran principals; and professional development and support for educators and leaders – all with the goal of not just strengthening schools, but whole communities, while preparing students for life-long success. To that end, 80% of scholars matriculate to college and students earn a degree at two times the national average. Latino and Black scholars graduate at three-times and four-times their counterparts, respectively, and graduates go on to vote, contribute, and participate at greater rates than local and national outcomes.

In 2019, Big Shoulders Fund began an exciting new chapter in Northwest Indiana by making a long-term commitment to The Region. Since then, we have worked to bring our unique approach to building the capacity of local school communities to best serve students and families of Northwest Indiana, with special focus on areas of greatest need: Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. The long-term goals of our efforts include elevating the quality of values-based schools in Northwest Indiana through: academic investments, instructional and data coaching; marketing and outreach efforts; and enrichment and summer programs to expand opportunities for students. Big Shoulders Fund has earned a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest evaluator of nonprofits, for 18 consecutive years, a distinction held by less than one percent of nonprofit organizations nationally.

Pay: Up to $100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Big Shoulders Fund (supporting organization) jobs

Chief Advancement Officer