Chief Development Officer - Ursuline

Ursuline Academy of Dallas - Position Description

CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Overview

Ursuline Academy of Dallas seeks a Chief Development Officer (CDO) to start July 1, 2026. The CDO is responsible for all aspects of philanthropic engagement at Ursuline, including fundraising, community engagement, volunteer management, communications and messaging, events, and development services. The CDO ensures the entire development program is based on securing, fostering, and maintaining relationships with constituents. The CDO supervises all Development Office personnel, ensuring that activity is outcome-driven and aligned with the Academy’s mission, core values, and strategic priorities.

Founded in 1874 by the Ursuline Sisters, Ursuline Academy of Dallas is an independent Catholic, college preparatory school for young women. The mission of Ursuline Academy is the total development of the individual student through spiritual formation, intellectual growth, service to others, and building of community. Ursuline Academy educates young women for leadership in a global society.

General Authority

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) of Ursuline Academy of Dallas reports to the President who, in turn, reports to the Board of Trustees of the Academy. The CDO collaborates with the officers for the Ursuline Academy of Dallas Foundation, Inc., in their work. The CDO services on the Academy’s senior leadership Campus Administration Team.

Key Accountabilities

MISSION ALIGNED PHILANTHROPY (FUNDRAISING)

• Establishes fundraising goals and priorities in partnership with the President and Academy Board of Trustees.
• Develops and implements strategies for meeting fundraising objectives.
• Develops reporting and analysis that measures progress toward objectives and generates data-driven insights to support strategies and prioritize activity.
• Manages a portfolio of leadership and major gift prospects, overseeing all steps of the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship cycle. Prepares and positions President for donor conversations as appropriate.
• Oversees all prospect management activities by supporting fundraising team with prospect identification, portfolio assignments, and annual wealth screening process.
• Builds and implements a comprehensive stewardship program that moves donors toward deeper involvement with the organization through appropriate communications and activity that demonstrate appreciation and impact of support.

GOVERNANCE AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP

• Interacts regularly with Trustees, presenting development and campaign updates, reports, and key messages to Boards or prepares the President to do so.
• Serves as primary liaison to the Ursuline Academy of Dallas Foundation Board of Trustees and to the Development Committee of the Ursuline Academy Board of Trustees. Partners with volunteer leaders to guide Board/Committee agendas and align activity with strategic priorities. (Ursuline Academy of Dallas and the Ursuline Academy Foundation are separate and distinct 501(c)(3) organizations.)
• Supports the Trusteeship Committees for the Academy and Foundation Boards of Trustees by identifying and researching potential Board members.
• Serves on Campus Administration Team and participates in the development and implementation of campus-wide policy and procedure. Collaborates with department heads and advocates for a cross-campus culture that supports philanthropic efforts and community engagement.
• Collaborates with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure that all procedures related to gift acceptance, processing, documentation, and expenditure of funds meet Generally Acceptable Accounting Principals (GAAP) and IRS requirements.
• Work with the CFO to establish language for donor agreements outlining contribution payments and distribution criteria. Ensure that contributions comply with relevant tax requirements. Collaborate with the CFO to ensure office procedures for contributions and pledges comply with GAAP.
• Prepare and manage annual Development Office budget.

General Management – Development

• Supervises, leads, and offers outstanding mentorship, feedback, support, professional growth, and guidance to the Development Office and its personnel, aligning roles and activity with overarching goals of the Development Office.
• Cultivates a collaborative team culture built on trust, transparency, and accountability.
• Engages the Development team in a regular process of reflection, assessing activity for outcome-driven effectiveness, and setting team-wide priorities for the purpose of ensuring the team has proper staffing aligned with fundraising goals and needs of the school.
• Fosters employee professional development, through mentorship and feedback, to encourage performance that is donor-centric, major-gift focused, well-versed in best practices, and operationally efficient.
• Implements best practices in data recording and management, gift acknowledgment and reporting, donor relations, giving policies and confidentiality of information.
• Leads by example as an active user of Raiser's Edge NXT, demonstrating best practices for maintenance of constituent records and activity, gift documentation, prospect management, and reporting.
• Prepares and manages annual Development Office budget.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Develops institutional messaging as it relates to fundraising priorities, gift solicitation, community engagement, and cultivation of a culture of philanthropy.
• Partners with the Communications Team ensure that key messages are fully integrated with all constituent communications.
• Crafts effective and audience-appropriate messaging for campus events and volunteer meetings.
• Ensures that all materials and collateral produced by the Development Office meet brand standards.

CONSTITUENT ENGAGEMENT

• Builds and sustains community engagement across all constituencies (alumnae, parents, parents of alumnae, grandparents, and friends) and deepens community members' relationships with the school and the Ursuline’s mission.
• Develops purposeful programs and volunteer opportunities that strategically encourage involvement and financial contributions that directly support Ursuline in the delivery of its educational mission.
• Ensures that the Academy President meets and engages with community members throughout the school year to support donor cultivation and relationship building.

Desired Qualifications and Characteristics

Ursuline Academy seeks to employ candidates with a high degree of professionalism and emotional intelligence who are passionate about Catholic, girls’ education, forming future leaders, and have a desire to fully engage in the life of the school.

Ideal candidates will be forward-looking, intrinsically motivated, intentional yet action-oriented, student-focused, strategic, and highly relational.

They ideally have exposure to a broad array of development fundamentals (including major gifts, annual fund, gift planning, constituent relations, event-based fundraising, and campaigns).

Candidates for the role must have at least 5 years of development experience, preferably in independent school development or a related non-profit leadership role with proven success in directly soliciting and closing charitable gifts. Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.

Additionally, ideal candidates will demonstrate many of the following qualifications and characteristics:

• A deep appreciation for and commitment to the mission and values of Catholic, independent education for girls.
• Experience in partnering with and coaching school leadership and volunteers in development work
• Knowledge about best practices as they relate to development work
• Readiness to lead, mentor, and support a highly functional Development team
• Strategic thinking with strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Experience carrying a substantive portfolio of major and principal-level donor prospects
• Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts.
• Knowledge of database management software, with a preference for Raiser’s Edge familiarity.
• Familiarity with the local community
• A welcoming spirit and healthy sense of humor

 Please direct all inquiries to Employment at Ursuline.

Qualified candidates should download the Employment Application, Background Check, and Pre-Employment Affidavit forms from Careers webpage. Email the completed forms along with a resume, letters of reference, cover letter and transcripts of undergraduate or graduate work to Employment at Ursuline.

Compensation commensurate with experience. EEO