Director of Major Gifts, Fairfield College Preparatory School

Fairfield University is a co-educational, comprehensive Jesuit university with a 200-acre campus located along the scenic shoreline community of Fairfield, CT. The University is comprised of approximately 3,500 undergraduate and 1,200 graduate students pursuing degrees within 5 schools: The College of Arts and Sciences, The Charles F. Dolan School of Business, The School of Engineering, The Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies, and School of Education and Human Development. As an expression of our Jesuit, Catholic mission and identity, Fairfield embraces a liberal humanistic approach to education, encouraging critical thinking, cultivating free and open inquiry, and fostering ethical and religious values.

Job Description:

Job Title: Director of Major Gifts, Fairfield College Preparatory School (Fairfield, CT)

Position Overview: Fairfield College Preparatory School, a Jesuit, Catholic all-boys high school, seeks a dynamic and strategic Director of Major Gifts to lead our Major Gifts team. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Advancement, this pivotal role will drive the school's major gift fundraising efforts, manage and mentor two frontline gift officers, and support our ambitious campaign goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Team Management:

• Lead, support, and mentor a team of two major gifts officers, promoting a culture of collaboration, high achievement, and professional growth.
  
  
• Focus and prioritize the work of gift officers to match annual and campaign fundraising goals, establishing clear annual fundraising metrics for gift officers, including expectations for visits, proposals submitted, total dollars raised, and pledges received.
  
  
• Provide staff support to the AVP for the Board of Governors Advancement Committee, and other fundraising volunteer committees as appropriate.
  
  

Major Gift Fundraising and Campaign Support:

• Support the execution of campaign fundraising efforts, working in collaboration with the AVP for Advancement, the advancement team, and senior leadership to ensure optimal donor engagement and steady progression in meeting campaign goals.
  
  
• Strategically create and implement goals for major/principal gifts annual fundraising for current use, endowment, campaign, and special projects.
  
  
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-level donors.
  
  
• In collaboration with the AVP and Director of Annual Giving, develop and lead strategies for building out Prep’s McAuliffe Society (planned giving).
  
  
• Working closely with the AVP, support the President in his role as chief fundraiser, serving as an advisor in cultivation and solicitation strategies for donors and prospects. Ensure that the President is effectively staffed for fundraising events and donor meetings, and that his time is optimally, efficiently, and appropriately leveraged.
  
  
• Ensure effective stewardship of major donors, including regular communication, acknowledgment, and reporting on the impact of their gifts.
  
  
• Develop and implement strategies for donor recognition and appreciation to enhance long-term relationships.
  
  

Strategic Planning and Reporting:

• In concert with the directors of annual giving and alumni/family engagement, contribute to the development of the Advancement team’s strategic plan and annual goals.
  
  
• Provide regular reports and updates to the AVP for Advancement and senior leadership on progress towards fundraising targets, donor engagement, and campaign outcomes.
  
  

Requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree and 8-10 years of progressively responsible fundraising and leadership experience in advancement or related field.
  
  

• A proven track record of success in securing six, seven, and eight figure gifts.
  
  
• Prior experience working with comprehensive campaigns, ideally in a school setting.
  
  
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, organizational, problem-solving skills with attention to detail, the ability to work with ambiguity, navigate complex work environments, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
  
  
• The credibility, maturity, and sound judgement required to effectively engage and leverage senior leaders and volunteers in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of key prospects and donors.
  
  
• Highly motivated and dedicated to the goals of advancing secondary education, with a genuine appreciation for Jesuit, Catholic education and the values of Fairfield College Preparatory School.
  
  
• Flexibility and willingness to travel and participate in evening/weekend events, as needed.
  
  
• Experience working with various technologies including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Raiser’s Edge NXT; experience with GiveCampus preferred.
  
  

Category:

Prep - Admin

Performs such other duties, responsibilities, and activities as required by supervisor and as departmental/University needs indicate.

*Disclaimer

The above information indicates the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain and should not be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, activities, and/or qualifications required or expected of employees assigned to this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change and new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a satisfactory background check.

Fairfield University provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

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