Director, Leadership Giving

Carroll School seeks a collaborative and strategic fundraiser to serve as their new Director of Leadership Giving. The Director will play an integral role in connecting donors to the heart of Carroll’s mission, guiding them through a philanthropic journey that is as meaningful as the school’s impact on students. They will build and steward relationships with donors who have the capacity to make major, principal, and planned gifts, ensuring that the school has the resources to sustain and expand its work.

As a key member of the Advancement team, they will be a visible presence in the Carroll community, collaborating closely with faculty, leadership, and families to foster a culture of philanthropy that is both strategic and deeply human. This is a unique opportunity to join Carroll at a pivotal moment—on the path toward a capital campaign that will shape the future of the school. As Carroll continues to grow and innovate, the Director will help establish the foundation for the school’s next chapter, inspiring donors to invest in a vision that will benefit generations of students to come.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Advancement, Meaghan Kilian, the Director of Leadership Giving will help advance Carroll School’s philanthropic priorities, with a focus on leadership and planned gifts. They will serve as a key thought partner to the Executive Director of Advancement, playing a role in shaping donor strategies, campaign planning, and overall fundraising initiatives. As a member of the six-person Advancement team, they will collaborate with advancement colleagues, the Head of School, leadership volunteers, and colleagues across Carroll. This position may eventually manage a Leadership Gifts Officer (to be hired).

The Director will be responsible for building out a portfolio of leadership gift donors—both current and prospective—at the six- and seven-figure levels. They will lead the strategic identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of these donors, ensuring authentic engagement that inspires investment in Carroll’s mission, and effectively conveying how Carroll’s teachers and environment provide students with a transformative educational experience that extends far beyond the classroom.

In addition to frontline fundraising responsibilities, the Director will design and execute a comprehensive planned giving program, providing donors with opportunities to leave a legacy at Carroll. The Director will establish a clear and compelling identity for the planned giving program, including branding and marketing efforts to educate and inspire potential Legacy Society members. They will also build relationships with individuals who have included Carroll in their planning, ensuring their philanthropic intentions are understood and honored.

Select Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies for managing a leadership and principal gifts portfolio, with the goal of increasing the number of gifts, donors, and revenue at the $100,000+ level.
• Support the Executive Director of Advancement on:
  • strategies for securing campaign gifts from donors in portfolio
  • management of leadership volunteers, ensuring they are well-supported and equipped to strengthen Carroll’s philanthropic network, and building relationships with key private and corporate foundation donors
• Lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive Planned Giving program, including:
  • Developing and managing marketing initiatives to recruit new Legacy Society members.
  • Partnering with Director of Annual Giving and Donor Relations to develop a stewardship plan for existing Legacy Society members.
  • Establishing and hitting realistic growth goals over the next 2-4 years.
• Be a regular presence at school wide activities/events to build relationships across Carroll and act as an ambassador for the Advancement team.

Select Qualifications

• A minimum of seven (7) years of fundraising experience including at least two (2) years of major gift fundraising.
• Proven success in securing major gifts, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement six-figure gift strategies.
• Track record of success working with individual donors; exposure to corporate, foundation, and other institutional donors is helpful.
• Comfort discussing planned giving – primarily bequests and beneficiary designations – during donor conversations, with the ability to navigate complex giving discussions with sensitivity and strategic insight.
• Experience with campaign fundraising, including pipeline development, donor engagement, and campaign execution is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to engage, support, and inspire volunteer fundraisers to help expand Carroll’s network of philanthropic support.