Ignite Campaign Engagement Specialist, Bishop Blanchet HS Seattle

Ignite Campaign Engagement Specialist (Part time 4 days per week, 1-year engagement)

Bishop Blanchet High School, Seattle WA 

Reports to Director of Development

Expected start date: July 1, 2026

Expected end date: June 30, 2027

Bishop Blanchet High School is located in Seattle, one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Our city has a vibrant culture, a rich history and is close to many attractive destinations. We offer a fun, supportive work environment and ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. At Bishop Blanchet High School we strive to embody the example of Jesus Christ and live out Catholic Social Teaching by employing empathy, finding dignity in all people, and fostering a true sense of community. We believe it is important to provide a safe space for courageous conversations, exchange of ideas and problem solving while welcoming our differences and respecting our unique life experiences.

Mission Statement: 

Bishop Blanchet is a Catholic, college preparatory high school established by the Archbishop of Seattle. Rooted in Gospel Values, we educate students within a challenging, positive and diverse learning environment. We inspire students to transform the world around them through a lifelong commitment to faith, scholarship and service.

Position Summary

This is a one-year, temporary position responsible for advancing the school's IGNITE Campaign philanthropic priorities through direct donor engagement and the successful completion of the final "Community Phase" of the current campaign. They will manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, cultivate and solicit donors, and collaborate with the Development Director, President and campaign consultant to develop strategic outreach, collateral, and volunteer engagement for the campaign's concluding efforts.

This role requires a strategic thinker and strong relationship-builder who can balance frontline fundraising with collaborative planning and execution of campaign-wide initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

1. Major Gift Donor Engagement and Solicitation

• Manage a defined portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospects, including current parents, alumni, past parents, and friends of the school.
• Conduct the full donor cycle: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Set intentional goals for donor contacts, meetings, and proposals.
• Schedule and conduct in-person and virtual donor meetings; make individualized asks based on donor capacity and interests.
• Maintain timely and accurate donor records, contact reports, and follow-up actions in the system.

2. Community Phase Management

• Partner with the Development team and President to design the final Community phase of the campaign (August 2026-July 2027), focused on broad community engagement and participation.
• Develop a cohesive strategy for messaging, outreach, and momentum-building across key constituencies.
• Identify target audiences, including current parents, alumni by decade, faculty/staff, and grandparents, and develop appropriate engagement and segmented approaches for each.
• Coordinate with the Marking and Development departments to create compelling print and digital collateral that clearly communicates the campaign's goals, impact, and urgency.
• Recruit, train, and support volunteer "captains" for each segment to extend campaign reach and enthusiasm.
• Support messaging for volunteer captains and assist in preparing toolkits, talking points, and outreach templates.
• Create timelines, milestones, and metrics to monitor progress throughout the community phase.

3. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the Director of Development, President and campaign co-chairs to align donor strategies with campaign objectives.
• Coordinate with the Annual Fund, Alumni Relations, Marketing/Communications, and Events teams to support integrated engagement efforts.
• Attend in-person Campaign Steering Committee (CSC) meetings (Sept. Jan. April) and related events as a representative of the Development team.
• Attend in-person monthly strategy meetings with the President, Development Director and campaign consultant.
• Attend weekly check-in meetings with the Development Director (and President as needed).

Evening and weekend work will be required for donor meetings and/or events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or CFRE preferred.
• 3�5 years of fundraising, development, or related professional experience, ideally in major gifts or campaign work.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing philanthropic gifts.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to design messaging and collateral in collaboration with marketing partners.
• Experience working with volunteers or managing ambassador networks is a plus.
• High level of initiative, professionalism, discretion, and organizational skill.

This position will be scheduled to work 4 days per week (.8 fte) throughout the entire 12-month assignment. This role may work in-office full time or in a hybrid in-office / remote capacity.

Compensation and Summary of Benefits: 

• Competitive salary based on experience and education. Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data, applicant's skills and prior relevant experience, degrees, and certifications.
• Salary Range: $80,170 - $93,425 (this is an exempt, salaried position and is not eligible for overtime)
• Vacation, sick, personal days and holidays
• Medical, dental, life insurance
• Access to 403(b) retirement match program
• Access to HSA program
• Access to fitness center
• School funded professional development opportunities
• Continuing education and/or in-building child tuition support
• Opportunities to help with our robust co-curricular programs, including our competitive athletic programs, clubs, and performing arts
• Incredibly supportive, professional, and committed faculty and staff that value community
• 9-acre campus two blocks from Greenlake that boasts an outdoor athletic stadium, a fitness center, sports medicine training room, three gymnasiums, three performing arts spaces including a black box theatre, and a recently renovated student commons.

Bishop Blanchet High School is a 9-12 grade Catholic school located in Seattle, WA committed to attracting and retaining outstanding individuals to better reflect the racial, cultural, and gender diversity of our student population. We actively seek candidates of different backgrounds who are devoted to engaging and inspiring a high-achieving and well-rounded student population to be leaders, in and out of the classroom.

Application Process: 

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested and qualified applicants must complete an application in Frontline through the Archdiocese of Seattle. Direct any questions about this position, and email a cover letter and resume to Mary Beard, the Director of Development, at: [email protected].