Director of Fundraising
GENERAL SUMMARY: The Director of Fundraising will provide leadership and oversee all donor giving efforts of the Development Team for the cultivation and solicitation of current and deferred gifts from existing givers and new prospects. The Director operates comfortably at both the high-touch, relationship-driven major donor level and the broader, high-volume, lower-dollar donor level, while also being fluent in today’s rapidly evolving fundraising landscape.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
Leadership & Strategy
- Fundraising strategy development – aligning major, mid-level, and micro donor fundraising with ministry vision and budget needs
- Team Leadership – coaching staff, aligning development with communications, and breaking down silos
- Budget & forecasting – projecting donation revenue and tracking progress to goals
Donor Relationship Management
- High EQ & relational intelligence – reading people well, building trust, and aligning giving opportunities with donor passions
- Portfolio management discipline – organizing, tracking, and personally cultivating relationships with the top 50 donors
- Strategic stewardship – creating custom engagement plans for each major donor, with clear next steps, impact reporting, and involvement opportunities
- Confident in the ask – skilled at making direct, inspiring, and appropriately timed solicitations
Digital Donor Engagement
- Assist Marketing with segmentation & personalization – understanding how to use donor data to tailor appeals and retention strategies
- Assist Marketing with compelling storytelling – translating ministry impact into emotionally resonant narratives for email, print, social, and video
- Assist Marketing with Annual giving program development – assist with designing multi-channel campaigns that keep smaller donors engaged and moving up the giving ladder
Technical & Analytical Skills
- CRM fluency – adept at using donor databases to track constituent information & behaviors
- Data-driven decision-making – using KPIs like donor retention rate, average gift size, and donor lifetime value to guide strategy
- Integration with Marketing-understanding how SEO, social ads, and email automation support giving
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Major Donor Leadership
- Personally manage and cultivate relationships with the top 50 or so donors
- Develop individualized stewardship and solicitation plans for each major donor
- Conduct regular in-person and virtual meetings, impact tours, and tailored updates
- Oversee planning and execution of major donor fundraising event(s)
Micro & Mid-Level Donor Growth
- Assist marketing in the development and execution of giving strategies for 6,000+ micro-level donors
- Work with regional development associates to develop tailored cultivation strategies for $1,000 to $10,000 mid-level givers
- Collaborate with marketing to develop multi-channel campaigns (direct mail, email, social media, digital ads, SMS)
- Oversee compelling storytelling that reflects ministry impact
Strategic Leadership
- Develop annual fundraising plan aligned with ministry vision and budget goals
- Build and lead a high-performing development team
- Partner with communications/marketing to ensure message integration
- Engage and equip the Board to expand donor connections
Innovation & Growth
- Introduce contemporary fundraising methods, i.e. donor journey mapping, peer-to-peer campaigns, and planned giving
- Implement digital-first storytelling and hybrid donor events
- Monitor fundraising KPIs and adjust strategy based on data
Requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 8 - 10 years of experience in business management, administration or equivalent working experience. Extensive experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Any acceptable combination of training and experience. CFRE certification a plus.
About Precept:
Precept is a Christian Bible study ministry dedicated to helping people discover God’s truth for themselves through in-depth, inductive Bible study. Our mission is engaging people in relationship with God through knowing His Word.