Ministry Overview
Christian Aid Mission seeks to establish a witness for Christ in every nation by assisting indigenous ministries who are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in some of the world’s most difficult mission fields, giving priority to ministries making disciples among unreached people groups. Today, we work with hundreds of indigenous ministries in eight regions of the world.
Position Overview
Christian Aid Mission seeks Major Gifts Officers for the Central US and for the Western US regions, who are responsible for building and managing relationships with high-capacity donors to support the mission of Christian Aid Mission. Responsibilities include identifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding a donor portfolio in the designated region. Essential to the role is inviting donors into opportunities for generosity, communicating ministry impact and stewarding significant gifts that advance the mission and strategic priorities of the organization. The Major Gifts Officer approaches the fundraising role as ministry, ensuring highly personalized relationships with donors that connect donor passions with the work the Lord is doing through Christian Aid Mission.
In addition to managing existing relationships, the Major Gifts Officer proactively identifies and qualifies new major donor prospects to grow the donor pipeline and expand support for the mission. This role communicates with high-capacity donors regularly and maintains accurate donor software (CRM) records. Critical to the role is to provide donors with funding opportunities for the indigenous ministries Christian Aid Mission (CAM) assists internationally. The Major Gifts Officer acknowledges and thanks donors for their generous donations, stewarding the relationships they manage with care and integrity.
This position is part of the Advancement Team and reports to the Director of Advancement.
The position is full-time and remote within the designated region and requires travel by air and car as needed for donor appointments and occasional travel to the Charlottesville VA headquarters. The salary range for this position is $85,000 - $95,000, depending on experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Donor Portfolio Management
- Build and manage an active portfolio of 150-300 major gift prospects and donors. Develop cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each donor.
- Schedule and conduct a high level of interaction with donors that includes face-to-face visits, virtual meetings, phone calls, emails and texts to deepen donor engagement. Articulate the vision, impact and mission of CAM to inspire partnership commitments.
- Execute the moves management process effectively, continuously identifying new prospects, qualifying their capacity and inclination to give to CAM, and moving them through the giving pipeline. This should be executed in collaboration with the Advancement team, and in coordination with the mid-level Advancement managers.
- Forecast annual portfolio income growth, monitor progress regularly and continually seek ways to grow and develop the portfolio.
- Proactively identify, research and qualify new major donor prospects to expand donor base and strengthen long term funding.
- Ministry Integration/Stewardship
- Authentically communicate about the mission, ministry impact, and the transformative outcomes of generosity with respect to each donor’s passions and desires to give as they are led.
- In collaboration with Marketing and International Ministry Team (IMT), grow engagement and stewardship by ensuring donors receive regular and compelling updates on how their gifts are advancing the mission. Ensure accurate gift acknowledgment and recognition.
- Determine funding proposal and report needs throughout the year and keep the proposal and report schedules for Marketing and IMT up to date.
- Encourage major donors to participate in scheduled ministry leader/donor Zoom and in-person events.
- Adhere to fundraising ethical standards, demonstrating perseverance, optimism, and positive attitude. Convey sensitivity to the needs of the donors with prompt responses, professional interaction and authentic presence.
- Reporting and Administration
- Develop annual income and cultivation plans for each donor in designated portfolio in line with organizational goals. This includes touchpoints to further develop relationships, proposals and verbal ‘asks’ timeline, ministry reports and fulfilling matching gift needs that will help accomplish CAM’s annual funding goals.
- Maintain accurate, up to date records of donor interactions and financial data in donor software (CRM).
- Track and report progress toward annual fundraising goals, as agreed on by the Director of Advancement.
- Keep accurate and timely travel and expense accounts and participate in preparing the Major Relations annual expense budget.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated spiritual maturity and a growing relationship with the Lord, serving as a positive example of Christian character, faith, and servant leadership.
- Significant progressive experience working with high-capacity donors and a solid understanding of fundraising best practices.
- Excellent understanding of the mission/ministry of Christian Aid Mission, a compatible theological worldview, and an appreciation and passion for indigenous missions.
- Able to establish relationships with a variety of people (individuals, business owners, church leaders, affiliated church groups, lay people), high-capacity donors and diverse demographics.
- Maintains a positive attitude and demonstrates effective working relationships with other team members and departments.
- Excellent oral, presentation, and written communications skills.
- Ability to make decisions regarding workflow efficiency, effectiveness and timetables with strong analytical, critical thinking, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills.
- Good organizational and time management skills.
- Self-starter that is highly disciplined to maintain consistent workload in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced proficiency in MS Office. Advanced proficiency in donor management software (CRM). Studio Enterprise Donor Direct experience a plus.
Experience
3+ years minimum progressive experience in fundraising, preferred experience in having worked with major donors in a non-profit sector.
Education
BA/BS degree or equivalent vocational / technical training (4 years formal education)
CFRE certification preferred but not required.
Travel
Travel as needed based on portfolio plans and in line with budget. Demonstrates resilience and adaptability in travel-intensive environments, including managing changing schedules, time zones, and extended periods away from home.