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Major Gifts Officer – Alumni Engagement

Major Gifts Officer – Alumni Engagement

Location: Leonardtown, Maryland | Start Date: Immediate | Status: Full-Time (40 hrs/week)

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.

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 & Support

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience.
  • 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.

More Information & Apply

Inquiries about the position may be directed to Director of Development Michele Minicozzi michele.minicozzi@smrhs.org.

Click Here to Apply

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