Head of Development

Regina Dominican High School; Wilmette (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, IL seeks a Head of Development to lead a three-person team and design a comprehensive fundraising program aligned with the school's Catholic girls' education mission.

The role partners with the President and Board, oversees annual giving, major gifts, and capital campaigns, and builds donor relationships with alumnae, families, and community partners to advance strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive development experience, preferably in independent schools, nonprofits, or educational settings.
• Proven track record in major gift fundraising and campaign leadership.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to lead a small, high-performing team with vision, empathy, and accountability.
• Strong analytical skills, data literacy, and comfort with donor management software.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic thought partner to the president on growth strategies for the school.
• Develop and execute a multi-year development strategy aligned with the school’s mission and capital campaign goals.
• Provide leadership for fundraising initiatives including annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns, and institutional partnerships.
• Oversee creation and execution of the annual fund strategy with broad community participation.
• Strengthen alumnae networks and engage in community partnerships.

Skills

Major gifts

Donor relations

Strategic leadership

Campaign management

Budgeting & reporting

Team leadership

Job description

Reports to: President

Supervises: VP Legacy Gifts, Director of Development, and Development Office Manager

Position Overview:

The Head of Development at Regina Dominican High School is a key member of the school’s senior leadership team and is responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive development program in support of the mission of Regina Dominican. Leading a department of three, the Head of Development provides strategic direction for all fundraising that strengthens the culture of philanthropy across the school community.

This leader champions the value of Catholic girls’ education, collaborates across departments and builds meaningful relationships with donors, trustees, alumnae, families and community partners.

Strategic Leadership and Planning

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the president on growth strategies for the school.
• Develop and execute a multi-year development strategy aligned with the school’s mission, strategic plan and capital campaign goals.
• Provide visionary leadership for fundraising initiatives including annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns, planned giving and institutional partnerships.
• Serve as a thought partner to the President and Board of Trustees on development opportunities, revenue goals and donor engagement strategies.
• Prepare and manage the development budget, revenue forecasts and regular reports to the Board.
• Collaborate with the President to develop and lead a 5 year strategic plan for institutional development.
• Meet and/or exceed annual fundraising goals.
• Collaborate with the marketing and enrollment teams to ensure consistent messaging themes and language to all constituencies.

Team Management & Department Operations

• Provide mentorship, oversight and professional development to a three-person development team.
• Establish clear goals, work plans, timelines and performance metrics for all development staff.
• Provide professional development and training for staff. Revise current job descriptions and roles for better use of staff.
• Maximize use of accurate and efficient donor databases, gift processing systems, financial reporting for President and Board review.
• Work with other departments to develop meaningful event calendar management and utilize best resources of staff, skills and time management.

Fundraising & Donor Relations

• Oversee the creation and execution of the annual fund strategy, ensuring strong parent, alumnae, alumnae parent and community participation.
• Guide the development of campaign materials, case statements, and donor communications.
• Ensure a robust stewardship program that communicates impact and deepens donor commitment.
• Maintain and grow a personal portfolio of major gift prospects and donors; conduct cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities.
• Collaborate with President on her portfolio of key donors - provide support needed to ensure consistent stewardship and cultivation.
• Expand giving opportunities for foundations, corporations, sponsorships, and legacy gifts.

Community & Alumnae Engagement

• Strengthen alumnae networks and programming with a focus on affinity, mentorship, lifelong connection to the school, and philanthropic giving.
• Build collaborative partnerships across academic, enrollment, and communications teams to support events, messaging, and community engagement.
• Represent Regina at internal and external events.

Communications & Collaboration

• Create a comprehensive strategy for donor communications. Revise the giving circles and donor recognition to highlight major gifts.
• Work closely with the Communications/Marketing team to coordinate messaging, branding, and development-related content.
• Support the President with donor briefings, speeches, and cultivation strategies.
• Partner with senior leadership to highlight mission-driven stories that demonstrate the impact of girls’ education with Catholic, specifically Dominican, values.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive development experience, preferably in independent schools, nonprofits, or educational settings.
• Proven track record in major gift fundraising and campaign leadership.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to lead a small, high-performing team with vision, empathy, and accountability.
• Strong analytical skills, data literacy, and comfort with donor management software.
• Passion for and commitment to the mission of Catholic all-girls education.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with strong execution skills.
• Enthusiastic ambassador for the school’s mission and values.
• Willing to roll up their sleeves and do all levels of work.
• Collaborative and collegial leadership style with a willingness to coach and develop others.
• Creative, flexible, and able to thrive in a demanding environment with a small team.

Link to job posting: https://www.applitrack.com/rdpanthers/onlineapp/