What are the responsibilities and job description for the Major Gifts Officer position at Mount Vernon School?
Description
Established in 1972, Mount Vernon School serves over 1,250 students in Preschool through Grade 12 on our 40-acre Atlanta campus. Grounded in Christian values, Mount Vernon prepares all students to be college-ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders. Mount Vernon School anchors the Mount Vernon Organization as a destination of inquiry, innovation, and impact. Through MVSO, the online division of our Upper School, and MV Ventures, our research and educational consultancy, our organization is living its mission to design a better world by providing unique and differentiated value for all community members now and into the future.
The Team
Community Giving and Impact Team focuses on fostering a culture of philanthropy and service by engaging parents, grandparents, and alumni through volunteerism and giving, as well as expanding partnerships through corporate and foundation investments. We provide opportunities for the gifts of time, talent, treasure, and trust. As a team, we are committed to building strong, trusting relationships, operating with high emotional intelligence, exemplifying professionalism and nimbleness, providing excellent customer service, and achieving results through disciplined and sound processes.
The Role
Mount Vernon School is seeking a dynamic Major Gifts Officer to join our team and help drive transformational philanthropy. This role focuses on building meaningful relationships with leadership donors to support the School’s mission, annual giving objectives, capital priorities, and innovative programming. The ideal candidate is a strategic relationship-builder with a passion for education, a track record of securing significant gifts, and a talent for inspiring others to invest in bold ideas. Join us in designing a better world—one generous partnership at a time.
Responsibilities
- Manage a portfolio of approximately 100-150 major gift prospects, guiding them through the full donor lifecycle from identification to stewardship
- Be an ambassador and strategic partner for annual and capital campaigns including the Let’s Do This campaign
- Partner with the Chief Philanthropy Officer to execute thoughtful, personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies
- Design and implement creative engagement plans based on prospect research, analytics, and donor interests
- Conduct at least 12-15 monthly prospect visits targeting 150 visits annually; including other Mount Vernon representatives as appropriate
- Upgrade existing donors through intentional stewardship and data-informed outreach
- Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to articulate funding priorities and create inspiring donor experiences
- Maintain accurate and timely records of donor activity, proposals, and communications using the School’s CRM system
- Represent Mount Vernon at key events and in the community with professionalism, warmth, and integrity
Core Competencies
- Understands & contributes to the School culture, mission/purpose
- Ability to cultivate respectful and affirming environments
- Builds relationships & culture through effective communication
- Demonstrates quality, accuracy, and professionalism
- Aligns resources & processes with organizational priorities
- Familiarity with CRM and learning new platforms
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in related field
- 2 years of experience in a philanthropic setting
- Experience in administrative management, advancement, fundraising, constituent engagement, a non-profit, or education preferred
- Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends for school events
Start Date | June 2026
This job description is intended to describe the basic elements of the job and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job. This job description does not constitute a contract. It may be modified or amended at any time as determined in the School’s discretion.
The faculty and staff of The Mount Vernon School believe the fair and equitable treatment of employees is critical to fulfilling its mission and purpose. It is the policy of The Mount Vernon School to conduct business and provide equal employment opportunity to all persons without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.