Dir of Annual Fund

Executive Search

Director of Annual & Leadership Giving

Aliso Viejo, CA

St. Mary’s School (https://www.smaa.org/) has retained Sterling Search, Inc. to conduct a search for its new Director of Annual & Leadership Giving. This position will report to the Executive Director of Advancement and will partner with her on frontline fundraising as well strategic planning for growing annual philanthropic revenue. Located on 6.25 acres in the foothills of Aliso Viejo, St. Mary’s School has a rich history and a strong family community. It is the first and only private early education through middle school in Orange County to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program.

St. Mary's enrolls 720 students (ages 2 through 8th grade) annually in its three divisions: Early Education, Lower, and Middle School and encourages critical thinking while focusing on developing skills to meet the challenges of the ever-changing world. Nearly 1,800 students have graduated from St. Mary’s and are in the world making a positive impact every day. At the heart of the St. Mary’s experience is a values-driven atmosphere that helps children to become caring, compassionate individuals who are not just critical thinkers, but young people who take ownership for improving the world.

Mission

"World-Sized Hearts. World-Class Minds."

St. Mary’s world-class faculty and staff are dedicated to their students and its mission. They create an engaging, meaningful learning environment daily. St. Mary’s parents are supportive and believe in the school’s purpose. They wholeheartedly engage with the school community and partner with the staff and faculty throughout their child’s journey at St. Mary’s.

Vision

Preparing and inspiring children of today to become courageous, caring, global citizens and enlightened leaders of tomorrow.

The Opportunity

St. Mary’s School fosters an environment that values innovation and discovery, cultivating a strong sense of community among its students, families and staff. The culture is supportive, and collaborative as demonstrated by a very low turnover among teachers and other staff. The school is uniquely centered around students and this mission-driven culture rooted in the success and well-being of students makes it a profoundly rewarding place to work.

For more than 30 years, St. Mary’s has benefitted from the generosity of its community. For the past 5+ years, the advancement team has raised over $1.5M annually including $850,000 for the St. Mary’s Fund this year alone. The new Director of Annual & Leadership Giving will join a team of seasoned Development professionals and will be charged with building a robust annual fund and individual giving program. The capital campaign has uncovered a robust pipeline of new and potential new donors for the Director to capitalize on and further engage with the school which includes grandparents, alumni and corporate donors.

The school will conclude its $23M capital campaign project, Design The Future, this fall and will open its new building in September of 2025. The first floor will house the state-of-the-art Thompson Family Early Education Center, and second floor will house the Design Center which will host state-of-the-art science, technology, and fine arts labs for all students to foster collaboration, hands-on learning, and creative problem-solving. Six specialized labs will surround a Gallery Space. The specialized labs are for research, collaboration and prototyping. Outdoor Community Spaces will complete the campus master plan. This project truly blends St. Mary’s strategic goals of ensuring an innovative 21st century campus with providing a transformational learning experience.

This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned fundraising professional with a passion for education, experience with (or a sincere interest in) Design Thinking and the skills and vision to implement a successful philanthropic program focused on securing individual and corporate gifts in the $5,000 to $25,000 range. The successful candidate will be someone who understands the other areas of fund development, but one who enjoys a focus on identifying, engaging, and soliciting gifts and who has experience strategically building a pipeline and elevating philanthropic gifts.

Position Overview

The Director of Annual and Leadership Giving is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive annual giving strategy to raise $1.5 million per year across all facets of annual giving to support St. Mary’s mission and programs. This role oversees the St. Mary’s Annual Fund and key fundraising initiatives such as the annual Gala, Golf Tournament, Parking Program, Scholar Program, and other special giving opportunities. A key focus of the role is cultivating and stewarding leadership-level donors in the $5,000–$25,000 range, strengthening relationships and deepening engagement across the St. Mary’s community. The Director will also manage and collaborate with volunteer committees and use Veracross, its Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) database, to track and manage prospects.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Lead Annual Giving and Event Fundraising

• Develop and implement annual giving strategies and tactics to grow participation and revenue across all constituents (parents, grandparents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty/staff, friends).
• Lead all aspects of annual giving fundraising (St. Mary’s Fund, Parking and Scholar Program), including planning, messaging, segmentation, appeals, events, volunteers, and donor recognition and stewardship.
• Work closely with the Parent Engagement and Events Manager to help drive overall event and fundraising strategy, ensuring alignment between event planning and fundraising objectives across the Gala, Fund-a-Need, and the Golf Tournament.
• Direct the creation and management of a formalized Corporate Engagement program to engage corporate and individual sponsors, establishing clear tiers, benefits, and long-term partnerships.
• Collaborate with parent volunteers, event committees, and school leadership ensuring development initiatives meet fundraising goals and align with donor interests.

Leadership Gifts Strategy

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors in the $5,000–$25,000 range, creating personalized engagement plans.
• Maintain a portfolio of current and prospective leadership donors, ensuring meaningful touchpoints throughout the year.
• Coordinate with the Executive Director of Advancement and Head of School to engage and solicit key leadership gift prospects.

  Reporting & Analytics

• Track and analyze annual giving metrics, produce regular reports, and use data to drive decisions and strategy.
• Manage and update donor records, track giving history, and segment constituents for targeted outreach.
• Working with the Development Associate, ensure timely gift acknowledgment and donor stewardship across all giving levels, interacting with the database regularly to ensure accurate records and reporting.
• Lead key reporting and stewardship materials, including the Report on Philanthropy and the Guide to Engagement and Philanthropy, to ensure effective communication of the school’s philanthropic story and to engage donors.

  Collaboration & Community Engagement

• Partner with advancement and administrative teams to align fundraising initiatives with school-wide priorities.
• Support broader advancement initiatives, including campaign planning and major gifts, as needed.
• Serve as a visible and engaged member of the school community, building relationships and trust with families, faculty, and staff.

  Other

• Support the school and its leadership.
• Other duties as required by the Executive Director of Advancement and Head of School.

  Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited college or university required.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in fundraising, preferably in an independent K-12 school or educational setting.
• Proven success managing annual giving programs and cultivating leadership donors.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with a strong customer service focus, both internal and external.
• Strategic thinker and self-starter with the ability to successfully prioritize and multi-task in an atmosphere in which sensitive deadlines are the norm, as are interruptions.
• Highly organized with a strong attention to detail.
• Strong computer skills and proficiency in MS office suite. Familiarity with Veracross or similar donor database.
• Enthusiasm for the mission of St. Mary’s and a genuine love for education and community-building.

Compensation:
$90,000 - $120,000, depending on experience. Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, tuition remission, 8 weeks PTO, and professional development opportunities.