Major Gifts Officer

About St. Mary's Ryken

St. Mary’s Ryken is a premier, coeducational, Catholic, college preparatory high school in Southern Maryland, serving approximately 700 students annually. As a Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School, SMR provides a rigorous academic environment grounded in faith, service, leadership, and character. With a strong alumni base, growing philanthropic support and a recently completed 10-year strategic plan, St. Mary’s Ryken is entering an exciting new phase of alumni engagement and fundraising through its upcoming capital campaign.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a passionate, relationship-driven Major Gifts Officer – Alumni Engagement to join our Advancement team. This new, full-time position will play a pivotal role in building deeper alumni connections and growing philanthropic support through major gifts. Reporting to the Director of Development, the officer will manage a portfolio of alumni prospects, coordinate strategic alumni events in collaboration with the Events Manager, and travel regionally to visit alumni donors.

Key Responsibilities

Major Gift Fundraising (60%)

• Manage a portfolio of 80–150 alumni major gift prospects.
• Develop and implement personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Conduct one-on-one meetings (in-person and virtual) with alumni to build relationships and secure gifts of $5,000 annually.
• Work closely with the Director of Advancement to set and achieve fundraising goals.
• Document all contact reports, strategies, and next steps in the donor CRM system.

Alumni Engagement & Events (30%)

• Partner with the Events Manager to coordinate and support:
• On-campus alumni events such as Homecoming, reunions, and donor recognition events.
• Regional and off-campus alumni gatherings aligned with major gift cultivation goals.
• Identify and recruit alumni hosts, speakers, or ambassadors to support events and outreach.
• Develop and grow an Alumni Association for graduates of St. Mary’s Academy, Ryken High School and St. Mary’s Ryken including social media presence.

Travel & External Relations (10%)

• Travel to visit out-of-state alumni donors and prospects 4–6 times per year.
• Represent the school at regional alumni events, receptions, and affinity group gatherings.

Who Should Apply

This is an ideal opportunity for a mission-driven advancement professional who:

• Has experience in major gift fundraising and/or alumni relations and alumni events.
• Enjoys building lasting relationships and connecting people to meaningful causes.
• Is excited to travel and meet alumni where they are.
• Works well on a small team and values collaboration, creativity, and initiative.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 3–5 years of successful experience in development, alumni relations, or related field required; experience with major gifts preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust with alumni across generations.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a small team.
• Comfort with donor database systems (e.g., Raiser’s Edge, DonorPerfect, or similar).
• Willingness to travel regionally and occasionally work evenings or weekends for events.

Qualifications

Preferred Attributes

• Passion for education and mission-driven work.
• Familiarity with independent or Catholic school advancement.
• Ability to represent the school with professionalism, warmth, and integrity.

Compensation

• Salary Range: $75,000-$85,000 commensurate with experience. Additional compensation possible for very highly qualified candidates. Special consideration will be given to candidates with an exceptional track record of securing and stewarding major gifts.

Additional Benefits

• Travel and professional development support provided.
• Generous 403 B retirement plan
• Term Life Insurance (100% employer paid)
• Long Term Disability (100% employer paid)
• Medical and Dental Insurance (50% employer paid)
• SMR tuition assistance for dependents of full-time employees starting year 1
• Tuition remission for 50% of graduate coursework.