Director of Major Gifts

Job Description

POSITION TITLE: DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIFTS

DEPARTMENT: DEVELOPMENT

FLSA STATUS: EXEMPT

REPORTS TO: DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY:

St. Joseph's Preparatory School is a Catholic, Jesuit, independent four-year college preparatory school located on the northern edge of center city Philadelphia. Founded in 1851, this highly-selective, all-male school serves over 900 young men in their pursuit of becoming "men for and with others." Students come from diverse economic, geographic, racial and ethnic backgrounds from throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The Prep develops leaders of intellectual distinction, men of faith and integrity, men who are committed to social justice and community service, men open to growth, and men who are loving. At the Prep, classroom and chapel intersect with the religious formation of mind and heart.

St. Joseph's Preparatory School is committed to building a culturally diverse educational environment, with a focus on diversifying our staff. We are seeking colleagues who can work and teach in these and other areas while contributing to the diversity and excellence in our programs and courses through their research, teaching and service. As a Jesuit institution, these values are pillars of our education. We strive to establish a community more representative of the student body and city we serve

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Director of Major Gifts will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, focusing on cultivating relationships, soliciting, and stewarding gifts, with a strong emphasis on identifying and acquiring new gifts and pledges. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, with a proven record of securing philanthropic gifts, and will play a major role in achieving the goals of the development and major gifts teams. They will spend 85% of their efforts focused on cultivating high-level donor relationships and securing early commitments in support of campaign priorities. The role involves strengthening ties between the school and key stakeholders, supporting donor cultivation, and communicating with alumni, donors, and friends.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manage a portfolio of approximately 150 major gift prospects both locally and in regions as determined by the Vice President of Advancement and Director of Development.
Build and sustain donor relationships to secure gifts exceeding $50,000, achieving a personal fundraising target of $1M.
Prepare proposals for specific institutional priorities and create strategies for meaningful cultivation leading to solicitations.
Oversee and coordinate ongoing strategic communication plans with assigned prospects. Promote positive donor relations with these individuals.
Maintain a proactive leadership role in cultivating and stewarding top donors, utilizing creativity to achieve goals.
Maintain complete and timely records of contacts with prospects and volunteers through the Prep's CRM, Raiser's Edge.
Achieve a personal visit goal of 10-12 visits per month.
Create and execute a pipeline of solicitations for the fiscal year leading to the achievement of personal and team goals.
Meet regularly with the Vice President of Advancement, Director of Development and development team to discuss cultivation activity, strategy and discovery of emerging prospects.
Attend and assist with alumni, parent and community engagement events that promote The Prep as required.
Assist with donor appreciation events as needed (President's Reception, Hall of Excellence, Father- Son Communion Breakfast, reunions, dedications, introducing sponsors to students, donor recognition, etc.)
Have regular interaction with various departments at The Prep as means of gathering pertinent information to be used for gift solicitation and informative communications.
Duties as otherwise assigned and determined by the Vice President of Advancement in tandem with the Director of Development.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIRED:

Bachelor's degree
Five + years of demonstrated development or sales related experience
Experience with cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift donors
A proven track record of closing major gifts
Experience exceeding fundraising goals
Ability to maintain effective working relationships with donors, volunteers and staff
Understanding of and commitment to the mission of Jesuit and Catholic education
Demonstrated understanding of and passion for St. Joseph's Preparatory School
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
Demonstrated knowledge and proficiency with the web and all new media
Goal-oriented team player
Willingness to travel and work nights and weekends
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office required
Knowledge of Blackbaud/Raiser's Edge and Google products

DESIRED COMPETENCIES:

Strategic Thinking
Relationship Building
Persuasive Communication
Results-Oriented
Emotional Intelligence
Leadership
Adaptability
Analytical Skills
Integrity and Discretion
Mission Alignment

To be considered for an interview, please submit the following information to the Office of Human Resources at hr@sjprep.org or mail to:

Joseph Dougherty, Director, Human Resources
St. Joseph's Preparatory School
1733 West Girard Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19130

Deadline: October 3, 2025

Cover letter
Resume
List of three references (contact info only)

For information on our mission and characteristics of the school, please visit our website at www.sjprep.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

About the Employer

The mission of St. Joseph's Prep as a Catholic, Jesuit, urban, college preparatory school is to develop the minds, hearts, souls and characters of young men in their pursuit of becoming men for and with others.