Founded in 1906, Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is one of the South’s premier independent schools for girls, serving approximately 500 students in grades 6–12 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Guided by its mission to inspire each girl to lead a life of integrity and purpose, GPS provides a rigorous college preparatory education within a learner-centered environment that emphasizes confidence, leadership, belonging, and the holistic development of every student. Faculty and staff are united by a commitment to excellence and to preparing young women to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Under the leadership of Head of School Megan Cover, GPS is investing in its future through strategic planning, expanded student support programs, strengthened community engagement, and an ambitious vision for philanthropy. The school has launched its first comprehensive campaign in more than two decades while continuing to deepen relationships with alumnae, parents, grandparents, and friends. This momentum creates an exceptional opportunity for a fundraising leader to help shape the school’s philanthropic future while advancing the transformative mission of girls’ education.
The Opportunity
The Director of Annual Giving joins GPS at an exciting point in the school’s history. As the comprehensive campaign enters its third year and pursues the largest fundraising goal in the institution’s history, this leader will oversee and elevate the annual giving program that serves as the foundation of long-term philanthropic success.
Working closely with the Director of Development, the Director will lead strategy for unrestricted giving while strengthening donor participation, retention, stewardship, and engagement across multiple constituent groups.
This role offers significant opportunity to build upon an already successful annual fund while introducing new strategies for donor communications, volunteer engagement, Giving Day, leadership annual giving, and multimedia fundraising campaigns. The Director will manage a portfolio of annual giving donors, identify future major gift prospects, collaborate across development and marketing, and create compelling experiences that deepen lifelong relationships with the school.
For a strategic, relationship-centered fundraiser who enjoys combining creativity with disciplined execution, this position offers the opportunity to leave a lasting mark on one of the nation’s leading independent schools for girls while helping ensure that future generations of students benefit from the life-changing education GPS provides.
