Description
Apply in minutes by uploading a resume
About Mount Vernon School
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. The School anchors the Mount Vernon Organization (MVSO)—a destination of inquiry, innovation, and impact—alongside MVSO, our online Upper School division, and MV Ventures, our research and educational consultancy. Together, we are living our mission to design a better world.
About the Team
The Community Giving and Impact Team fosters a culture of philanthropy by engaging parents, grandparents, alumni, and institutional partners through meaningful opportunities to give time, talent, treasure, and trust. We are a high-performing, relationship-centered team committed to emotional intelligence, disciplined process, and excellent donor experience. We partner closely with academic and administrative leadership to align philanthropic priorities with the School’s boldest aspirations.
The Opportunity
Mount Vernon School seeks an experienced Major Gifts Officer to manage a dynamic portfolio and advance transformational philanthropy in support of annual, capital, and programmatic priorities. This is a front-line fundraising role for a seasoned advancement professional who thrives on building authentic donor relationships, executing sophisticated moves management strategies, and closing significant gifts. You will partner directly with the Chief Philanthropy Officer to set and achieve ambitious fundraising goals—and play a central role in shaping the culture and future of giving at Mount Vernon.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio & Pipeline Management
- Manage an active major gift portfolio, stewarding prospects across all stages of the donor lifecycle—discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
- Conduct a high volume of personal visits (in-person and virtual), ensuring consistent and meaningful engagement with assigned prospects.
- Leverage prospect research, predictive analytics, and wealth screening to prioritize outreach and inform individualized engagement strategies.
- Identify and qualify new major gift prospects from within and beyond the existing donor base, with attention to planned giving potential.
Cultivation & Solicitation
- Design and execute personalized cultivation plans that connect donor interests and values to the School’s mission and funding priorities.
- Prepare compelling, tailored proposals and gift agreements that articulate transformational impact.
- Partner with the Chief Philanthropy Officer and senior leadership to execute collaborative solicitations for leadership-level gifts.
- Serve as a strategic ambassador for annual giving, capital campaigns, and special initiatives, integrating major gift asks with broader campaign objectives.
Stewardship & Donor Experience
- Implement intentional, creative stewardship strategies that deepen donor investment and drive meaningful upgrades.
- Collaborate with academic and program leaders to create inspiring donor experiences—site visits, impact briefings, and recognition events—that reinforce giving relationships.
- Maintain timely, accurate records of all contacts, proposals, and strategies in the CRM, supporting a data-informed team culture.
Collaboration & Leadership
- Work cross-functionally with advancement colleagues in annual giving, alumni relations, and communications to ensure a seamless, donor-centered experience.
- Represent Mount Vernon at key cultivation and community events with professionalism, warmth, and mission-driven conviction.
- Contribute to a team culture grounded in trust, accountability, continuous improvement, and shared celebration of results.
Why Mount Vernon
This is a rare opportunity to join a mission-driven institution at an exciting moment of philanthropic growth—with engaged leadership, a strong donor base, and meaningful work that shapes the next generation of leaders. You will have:
- A direct partnership with a supportive Chief Philanthropy Officer and institutional leaders who champion advancement.
- Access to a highly engaged community of parents, grandparents, and alumni who are deeply connected to the mission.
- A collaborative, professional team culture that values creativity, accountability, and results.
- Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to grow with a forward-thinking organization.
Join us in designing a better world—one relationship at a time.
Requirements
Required
- 5+ years of front-line major gift fundraising experience, with demonstrated success soliciting and closing five- and six-figure gifts.
- Proven track record managing a structured major gift portfolio through full-cycle moves management.
- Strong command of donor cultivation strategy, proposal writing, and personalized stewardship.
- Experience using a CRM platform (Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, Veeva, or similar) with disciplined data hygiene practices.
- Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills; ability to build trust with diverse constituencies including high-net-worth donors, board members, and senior leadership.
- Self-directed with strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities with grace.
Preferred
- Experience in independent school, higher education, or faith-based advancement.
- Familiarity with capital campaign strategy and execution.
- CFRE certification or active pursuit.
- Comfort with planned giving conversations and basic estate gift concepts.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; advanced degree a plus.
