Job description

SUMMARY

The Church Relationship Donor Specialist enhances church partner support for Converge. The Specialist manages major gift and mid-level giving programs, cultivating relationships with Regional Presidents, staff, and church partners. The Specialist aspires to identify church donor passions that are consistent with Converge’s goals through identifying new church partners, cultivating existing ones, and managing donor relationships. The Specialist participates in appeal campaigns and promotes and refers the planned giving program, boosting donor support across Converge Regions. This position is full-time with a comprehensive benefits package, requiring just 30 hours per week. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

•  (FAITH) Maintain your personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be an effective witness for Him.
• (ORGANIZATION SUPPORT) Strong alignment and positive support of Converge’s Vision and Mission and Values to include adhering to the guiding principles of transparency, equity, and unity.
• (INTERNAL MOTIVATION) Self- Starter that takes initiative to achieve project timelines, tasks, status updates.
• (COLLABORATION) Establish strong cross-functional relationships and maintain communication among both internal and external teams. Supportive of the chain of command.
• (PROFESSIONALISM) Adheres to Gift Acceptance Policy and ethical practice for Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE).
• (GROWTH) Achieves and Maintains CFRE Certification.
• (DIVERSITY) Culturally competent, supports and embraces diversity within the Development Department.

• CORE COMPETENCY:

DONOR RELATIONS MANAGEMENT

• Acquire, cultivate, and steward relationships with Regional Presidents, staff, and church partners in a unified approach to fundraising. Cultivate existing church donor relationships, including those giving to the National Office, International Ministries, and non-Converge churches.
• Develop and maintain a personal portfolio of major gift prospects (defined as those giving a gift of $1,000+ in support of Converge), as well as those donors and prospects that have the capacity to give at the majors level or higher.
• (ACQUISTION) Serve as the primary relationship manager for this portfolio of prospects, developing and implementing a written donor strategy and relationship record (using Raisers Edge) of all interactions for donor acquisition. These relationships may include both Individual and Church Donors.
• (CULTIVATION) Communicate with portfolio through written, telephonic and face to face cultivation, solicitation and stewardship meetings, and written strategies; ensure that each major donor and prospect has a clear strategy and timeline for cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
• (SOLICITATION) Develop solicitation strategies for donors / prospects in support of the organization's funding goals, ensure strategies are in concert with all Converge Communications Strategy, Regional Relationships facilitating the creation of a culture of generosity.
• (RECOGNITION) Manage the design and implementation of donor recognition (including legacy societies) and ensure proper and timely donor recognition.
• Support the fundraising efforts of the VP, Development in securing new and renewed gifts.
• Work with the Development Administrator to screen and prepare profiles of current and prospective donors; establish and refine benchmarks for department reporting and strategy.
• Collaborate with Development Department and Communications Teams to establish donor communication calendar in order to achieve Converge goals and enhance donor experience resulting in increased revenue to the organization.
• Consistently document all donor interaction in the donor database to track and cultivate donors and prospects, including the donor database and wealth screening tools. Track and report progress using specific metrics.
• Self-report of performance progress on standardized scorecard
• Understanding of and provide cross-coverage for fundraising portfolios in the event of travel or absence of primary fundraiser.
• Other duties assigned

CULTURE OF GENEROSITY

•  Become a Facilitator in Generous Giving. Journey of Generosity (JofG)
• Conduct Journey of Generosity Workshops with Churches
• Communicate with VP, Development, Regional Presidents and Staff for any new donors and giving as a result of JoG Workshop. Add JoG donors to Donor Portfolio.

EVENTS

• Work with the Communications and Special Events Officer to strategize and help execute cultivation events for major donors and prospects.
• Be a visible presence at development department special events, such as major donor cultivation events and fundraisers.

APPEALS

• Project manage both future appeals ensuring deadlines and fundraising goals are met.

PLANNED GIVING

• Execute outreach to and referral of planned giving prospects and donors to Planned Giving Officer.

IMPACT ACCOUNTABILITY

This role has a significant impact on the well-being of Converge spiritually, missionally and relationally. Our stewardship is a trust from God, the regions, churches, pastors, congregants and global workers of Converge as well as a witness to a subject world. As a multi- faceted ministry in partnership with autonomous churches and regions, strategic implementation is benefited by broad buy-in at the international, national, regional and local church level while maintaining high confidentiality, resulting in the effective accomplishment of our mission and vision.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• Reports to the VP, Development
• Supports VP, Development, COO, Executive Management Team for church donor relations
• Close working relationships with Converge Communications, Regional Presidents, Church Pastors and staff
• Effective Team Cohesion and collaboration with members of Development Team, other Converge Departmental and Regional Presidents and Staff, and outside vendors in support of Converge
• Develop and nurture new and ongoing relationships with Individual and Church Donors

QUALIFICATIONS

•  Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic environment.
• A vibrant love for God, the Scriptures and the church, with positive experience in church-related ministry.
• A steward-leader attitude and collaborative spirit.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Management, or a related field.
• Experience in donor relations and fundraising.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

None required.

LANGUAGE SKILLS 

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex documents. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints. Ability to write talks and articles using original or innovative techniques or style. Ability to make effective, persuasive and easily understandable presentations on controversial or complex topics to top management, public groups, and/or board of directors.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS 

Ability to perform basic mathematical operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance. 

REASONING ABILITY 

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and talk and hear. The employee must occasionally life and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level of the work environment is usually moderate.

COMPENSATION

• Competitive salary of $40,000 - $45,000 and benefits package.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.