Catholic Schools Development Officer

Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix is seeking a Development Officer for Catholic Schools to lead fundraising across diocesan schools, focusing on major gifts and corporate partnerships while traveling to campuses and donor sites.

Collaborating with the Catholic Schools Office, pastors, donors, and the Office of Mission Advancement, you will expand engagement, steward donors, and build capacity for on-site fundraising initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of fundraising or nonprofit development.
• Experience cultivating major gifts and managing donor portfolios.
• Familiarity with Catholic school environments preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead strategic direction of Catholic Schools fundraising.
• Build portfolio of major donors and secure gifts.
• Create partnerships with corporations for gifts and sponsorships.
• Lead a direct report and help grow the team.
• Support schools with fundraising infrastructure and capacity.
• Identify and pursue grant opportunities with the Grants Manager.
• Promote diocesan campaigns with the Office of Mission Advancement.
• Visit school sites to engage donors on campus.
• Maintain donor data and contribute to reporting and analysis.
• Represent the Diocese at events and meetings.

Skills

Fundraising

Major gifts

Corporate partnerships

Donor stewardship

Communication

Relationship building

Travel willingness

Bilingual

Education

Bachelor's degree

CFRE preferred

Tools

Donor management systems

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Purpose and Scope

To support the Diocese of Phoenix in its mission to Encounter the Living Christ, the Development Officer for Catholic Schools is a mission-driven development professional who will lead fundraising efforts in support of Catholic schools across the Diocese alongside a team. This position is responsible for building and managing a portfolio of individual, corporate, and foundation donors in alignment with overall fundraising goals, and will serve as the lead strategist for engagement with partners interested in supporting Catholic education. Working in close collaboration with the Catholic Schools Office, school leaders, pastors, donors, and the Office of Mission Advancement (OMA), this position will spend a significant amount of time (60-65%) on school campuses and meeting with donors.

Essential Job Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Develop and lead strategic direction of the Catholic Schools fundraising, accountable to specific goals under the fundraising sustainability initiative.
• Develop, lead, and manage a portfolio of major individual, corporate, and foundation donors supporting Catholic education, with a focus on underserved communities.
• Build strategic partnerships with corporations to secure philanthropic gifts, sponsorships, and in‑kind support that align with the mission of Catholic schools.
• Lead a direct report, with potential for team growth in the future, in alignment with cultural standards.
• Serves as a development resource and advisor to school leadership, providing hands‑on support to schools with limited fundraising infrastructure.
• Partners with the diocesan Grants Manager to identify and pursue grant opportunities that align with the mission and priorities of Catholic schools.
• Collaborates with the Office of Mission Advancement team to promote diocesan campaigns and initiatives.
• Visits school sites regularly to build trust, assess needs, and support on‑site fundraising initiatives and community events.
• Maintains accurate and timely donor and sponsor data in database and contribute to impact reporting and analysis.
• Represents the Diocese of Phoenix and the Office of Mission Advancement at public events, meetings, and parish or corporate gatherings as needed.

Requirements Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Deep understanding of and commitment to the Catholic faith and the mission of Catholic education.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising strategies, including major gifts, corporate partnerships, endowment‑building, and planned giving.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clergy, school leaders, colleagues, donors, and corporate partners.
• Strategic thinker with strong relationship‑building and stewardship abilities.
• Proficient in donor management systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Willingness to travel throughout the Diocese and maintain a flexible work schedule including some evenings and weekends.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; CFRE preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in fundraising, corporate partnerships, or nonprofit development.
• Proven experience cultivating major gifts and managing a diverse donor portfolio.
• Familiarity with Catholic school environments, culture, and mission preferred.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Work Environment

• This position involves a hybrid work environment split between the Diocesan Pastoral Center and Catholic school campuses and requires the ability to travel regularly throughout the Diocese of Phoenix.
• Regular use of office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers.
• Occasional lifting of up to 35 lbs. for event or material support.
• Must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license.
• Standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

• This is largely a sedentary role; it requires frequent use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, and photocopiers and the ability to walk across school campuses, climb stairs, and set up/take down event spaces as needed.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.