Major Gifts & Alumni Relations Director

Major Gifts & Alumni Relations Director

Pulaski Academy | Little Rock, Arkansas
Reports to: Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement

Position Overview

Pulaski Academy (PA) seeks a strategic and relationship-driven Major Gifts and Alumni Relations Director to join its Advancement Team. This individual will play a central role in advancing philanthropic support and strengthening alumni engagement, with a particular emphasis on the school’s upcoming Capital Campaign.

The Director will manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivate meaningful relationships with key constituents, and implement a comprehensive alumni relations program that fosters lifelong connections to the school. Candidates must demonstrate a sustained record of advancement leadership with measurable fundraising outcomes.

Key Responsibilities and Demonstrated Success Measures

• Major Gifts: Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, focusing on gifts of $100,000+
• Demonstrated success securing and stewarding major gifts of $100,000+ in an independent school or comparable mission-driven environment, with a consistent record of closing six-figure commitments. 
• Capital Campaign: Partner with senior leadership to execute strategies supporting campaign planning and implementation.
• Proven leadership in Capital Campaign execution, including partnership with senior leadership to advance campaign strategy and achieve defined fundraising goals. 
• Alumni Relations: Develop and lead programs that increase alumni engagement, participation, giving, and alumni board development.
• Proven track record of strengthening alumni engagement and philanthropy within a school community, including increasing participation, giving, and developing effective alumni leadership structures. 
• Relationship Management: Serve as an ambassador for PA through consistent outreach, visits, and engagement with alumni, parents, and donors.
• Evidence of building trusted relationships with high-net-worth donors, parents, alumni, and community leaders, resulting in measurable growth in donor pipeline, retention, and giving. 
• Development Strategy: Develop a plan to cultivate major donors and corporate sponsorships, as well as a gift management, recognition, and stewardship strategy for all key stakeholders.
• Experience designing and implementing a comprehensive advancement strategy that integrates major gifts, corporate partnerships, stewardship, and donor recognition aligned with institutional priorities. 

• Leadership: Recruit, train, and guide volunteers to play an active role in major gift fundraising and campaign initiatives.

• Demonstrated ability to recruit, train, and mobilize volunteers in support of major gifts and campaign initiatives. 
• Ambassador: Represent PA at major school, donor, and alumni events, and maintain an active presence in the Little Rock community as an ambassador for the school.
• Established credibility as an ambassador for a school or community organization, with an active presence in the Little Rock community and experience representing the institution at key events. 
• Advancement Operations: Maintain accurate donor records, track progress toward goals, and ensure best practices in stewardship and reporting.
• Proficiency in advancement operations, including donor database management, portfolio tracking, and reporting to support data-informed decision-making and goal attainment. 
• Communication strategy and public speaking: Communicate with key stakeholders about PA, our Capital Campaign, and the opportunity to shape our organization's future. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate PA’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities to diverse stakeholders. 
• Event management: Plan and host small gatherings for alumni and key stakeholders to promote the school and our Capital Campaign.
• Proven ability to plan and execute targeted, high-impact donor and alumni engagements that deepen relationships and drive philanthropic support. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in fundraising, major gifts, and advancement.
• Demonstrated success in major gifts or comparable relationship-based revenue generation.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Willingness to travel and work both locally and out of state on special events, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Must pass required background and reference checks, including fingerprinting and misconduct clearance.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary Range: Commensurate with experience
• Benefits: Comprehensive health coverage, retirement plan with employer contribution, paid time off, and professional development support

About Pulaski Academy

Founded in 1971, Pulaski Academy is Little Rock’s only non-sectarian, independent preschool-through-12th-grade college-preparatory school. Serving over 1,420 students, PA is committed to academic excellence, character development, and personal growth. Guided by core values of Excellence, Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility, the school offers small class sizes, exceptional academics, and robust programs in athletics, fine arts, and service leadership. Pulaski Academy is accredited by SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools) and ANSAA (Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association) and is a member of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools).