What are the responsibilities and job description for the Major Gift Officer position at Archdiocese of Detroit?
Notre Dame Prep is looking to fill the role of Major Gift Officer.
Interested candidates should fill out an employment application and send it, along with a cover letter and resume, to Maureen Radulski, HR Manager, at mradulski@ndpma.org
The Major Gift Officer (MGO) at Notre Dame Preparatory School is a key member of the Advancement team responsible for securing significant philanthropic support to advance the school’s mission, with God help to form Christian People, Upright Citizens, and Academic Scholars.
This role focuses on building and stewarding meaningful relationships with parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of the school. The MGO will align donor passions with institutional priorities, including tuition assistance, academic excellence, faith formation, athletics, and campus enhancements, while fostering a culture of generosity grounded in Notre Dame Preparatory School’s Catholic and Marist values.
Essential Functions:
The Major Gift Officer (MGO) at Notre Dame Preparatory School is a key member of the Advancement team responsible for securing significant philanthropic support to advance the school’s mission, with God help to form Christian People, Upright Citizens, and Academic Scholars.
This role focuses on building and stewarding meaningful relationships with parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of the school. The MGO will align donor passions with institutional priorities, including tuition assistance, academic excellence, faith formation, athletics, and campus enhancements, while fostering a culture of generosity grounded in Notre Dame Preparatory School’s Catholic and Marist values.
Essential Functions:
Portfolio Management and Donor Strategy
- Manage a portfolio of 100-150 qualified prospects (parents, alumni, grandparents, friends and community donors).
- Develop individualized engagement and solicitation strategies for top prospects.
- Segment donors by capacity, inclination, and affinity to the school’s Catholic mission. Maintain clear movement through the donor pipeline (identification qualification cultivation solicitation
- stewardship).
Donor Relationship Development
- Conduct 10–15 meaningful donor visits per month (in-person or virtual).
- Build strong, trust-based relationships with key constituencies, including current parents, alumni, grandparents, and past parents.
- Foster long-term engagement by connecting donors to the life and mission of the school.
- Engage families as partners in philanthropy and Notre Dame’s mission.
Solicitation of Major Gifts
- Personally solicit major gifts in support of school priorities, typically in the $25,000–$100,000 range.
- Collaborate with the Head of School, Advancement leadership, and key volunteers on solicitation strategies.
- Develop and present compelling proposals that align donor interests with institutional needs.
- Support leadership-level and campaign-specific solicitations.
Stewardship and Donor Experience
- Design and execute individualized stewardship plans for major donors.
- Ensure timely, personalized acknowledgment and recognition of gifts.
- Provide meaningful updates on the impact of donor support, including student success, faith formation, and program growth.
- Create opportunities for donors to engage directly with students, faculty, and campus life (e.g., liturgies, academic showcases, student testimonies).
Advancement Strategy and Institutional Alignment
- Partner with school leadership to identify and articulate funding priorities.
- Align major gift efforts with the school’s strategic vision, including:
- Expanding access through tuition assistance
- Enhancing academic and co-curricular excellence
- Strengthening Catholic identity and spiritual formation
- Supporting campus and facility improvements
- Translate these priorities into compelling cases for philanthropic support.
Pipeline Development
- Identify and qualify new major gift prospects within the Notre Dame Preparatory community and beyond.
- Collaborate with annual fund and alumni relations efforts to elevate and transition donors into major gift portfolios.
- Maintain a robust pipeline to ensure long-term sustainability of fundraising efforts.
Data Management and Accountability
- Accurately document all donor interactions and strategies in the school’s CRM system.
- Track and report on key performance metrics, including visits, proposals, and dollars raised.
- Maintain disciplined moves management practices to ensure consistent progress across the portfolio.
Collaboration and Leadership Engagement
- Partner closely with the Head of School and Advancement leadership to support high-level donor engagement.
- Prepare briefing materials, strategy memos, and follow-up communications for leadership interactions.
- Engage board members, clergy, and key volunteers in cultivation and solicitation activities when appropriate.
Mission Integration
- Clearly articulate the mission of Notre Dame Preparatory School in all donor interactions.
- Inspire giving as an expression of faith, stewardship, and commitment to Catholic education.
- Serve as a visible ambassador of the school’s values, reinforcing its identity as a Christ-centered, college preparatory community.
Campaign and Strategic Initiatives
- Play a leadership role in capital campaigns, endowment growth, and special initiatives.
- Manage top-tier prospects and leadership gifts in support of campaign goals.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree
- Minimum three years of fundraising or comparable work experience. (Internships, volunteer work, and other experience gained during the completion of degree programs may be counted towards these requirements)
- Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising or comparable revenue-generating roles preferred.
- Ability to maintain a consistent 8:00am - 4:00pm on-site schedule and provide flexible coverage for evening or weekend requirements as needed.
Skills and Competencies
- Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication abilities.
- Proven ability to solicit and close significant gifts.
- Strategic thinker with strong organizational and time management skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive donor information.
- Proficiency in CRM systems Google systems and/or Microsoft Office Suite.
Work Environment:
This is a 100% in-person position based on the Notre Dame Preparatory School campus. As the Major Gift Officer, you will work in a professional, mission-driven office environment that requires daily collaboration with colleagues, faculty, and students.
This is a 100% in-person position based on the Notre Dame Preparatory School campus. As the Major Gift Officer, you will work in a professional, mission-driven office environment that requires daily collaboration with colleagues, faculty, and students.
- Standard Schedule: The core working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
- Flexibility Requirements: Due to the nature of the Advancement cycle, this role requires frequent local travel for donor visits and a flexible schedule to accommodate evening and weekend commitments. This includes attending school events, committee meetings, and donor receptions (e.g., Homecoming, Gala, or Giving Days).
- Occasional out-of-state conference travel could be necessary.
- Physical Demands: Applicants should be comfortable navigating a campus environment and possess a valid driver’s license for off-site donor meetings.
Other Duties:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Notre Dame Prep is a Roman Catholic, Marist educational institution. All employees and staff are obligated to provide a Catholic role model for students, and may not engage in, nor endorse publicly, any actions or beliefs contrary to the teachings, standards, and doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church. Hiring and employment practices are based on job-related criteria including, but not limited to, one’s fidelity to the Catholic faith, comporting oneself in a manner that is not detrimental to the Catholic Church or inconsistent with its teachings or principles, individual merit, ability, experience, performance, education, and training. These standards apply to all aspects of employment including hiring, selection, advancement, compensation, reasonable accommodation, promotion, training, retention, and termination.
Salary : $25,000 - $100,000