Vice President of Development

Application Instructions:
Submit cover letter, resume and three (3) professional references to

Job Title: Vice President of Development – (1.0 FTE)

Our Lady of Mercy is an Independent Catholic all‑girls middle and high school deeply rooted in the Mercy faith tradition. We welcome all girls in grades six through twelve — inclusive of all incomes, races, and faith affiliations who are seeking an alternative to public school or who wish to continue to pursue a faith‑based education. We have a strong history of providing quality education to young women, empowering them to excel academically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally.

Our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive community, along with a dedication to Mercy values sets us apart as a leader in Catholic education. Mercy builds life‑changing competence, confidence, and compassion that prepares and inspires young women to achieve the highest level of success in college, in career, and in the community.

In partnership with the President and CEO, the senior advancement leader provides vision, strategy, and execution oversight for all fundraising and constituent engagement efforts, with particular focus on major gifts, campaign leadership, and team performance. This role balances high‑level strategy with hands‑on leadership in a campaign environment.

• In close partnership with the President and CEO, set and lead the comprehensive fundraising strategy for Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, aligning annual, campaign, and planned giving priorities.
• Serve as the senior fundraising strategist, ensuring coherence across major gifts, annual giving, alumnae relations, corporate and foundation support, and donor engagement efforts.
• Represent Mercy externally as a senior ambassador, cultivating strategic relationships within the Rochester philanthropic, business, and community landscape.

• Serve as lead strategist and relationship manager for the school’s top 75 donor prospects, coordinating closely with the President, Campaign Consultant, and Campaign leadership.
• Personally cultivate and solicit major donors through one‑on‑one engagement, emphasizing integrated and multi‑part solicitations that align campaign, annual fund, and legacy giving opportunities.
• Maintain sustained, high‑trust relationships with major donors, ensuring they are meaningfully informed about Mercy’s mission, priorities, and investment opportunities.

• Provide strategic leadership to the Campaign Cabinet and Executive Committee, including recruitment, onboarding, and alignment of volunteer leadership with campaign goals.
• Oversee campaign infrastructure, including volunteer engagement systems, timelines, financial targets, and progress reporting, ensuring transparency and accountability.
• Offer strategic guidance on donor‑facing events and participate selectively in high‑impact engagements to advance cultivation and solicitation goals.

• Lead and strengthen Mercy’s comprehensive planned giving program, including proactive identification, cultivation, and stewardship of legacy donors through the Cornerstone Legacy Society.
• Develop and execute a long‑term strategy to grow planned giving participation and integrate legacy giving into broader donor conversations.

• Provide direct leadership and daily supervision of the development team, including the Director of Annual Giving & Corporate Partnerships, Director of Alumnae Relations, and Donor Services & Development Database Coordinator.
• Lead hiring, onboarding, performance management, and professional development, setting clear expectations and fostering a culture of accountability, growth, and collaboration.
• Coach and support senior staff in translating strategy into disciplined execution across their respective portfolios.

• Serve as the primary lead for foundation and corporate grant activity, including strategy development, proposal oversight, and relationship management.
• When appropriate, draft grant proposals directly…