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 worlds 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 that share the gospel with more than 2000 unreached people groups.
Position Overview
Christian Aid Mission seeks a dynamic mission-driven Director of Development to lead and expand our fundraising program. This senior leader will design and execute comprehensive strategies to secure the resources necessary for advancing our mission with a particular emphasis on major gifts. A key responsibility will be collaborating closely with the Major Relations Team to identify cultivate and solicit new major donors ensuring sustainable growth and deepened donor engagement.
This position reports to the Vice President of Advancement and is a member of the Advancement Team.
This is a Full-Time Exempt position working on site in our Charlottesville VA office.
Salary Range: $85000 - $90000 based on experience.
Essential Responsibilities
Strategic Fundraising Leadership
- Develop implement and evaluate a comprehensive fundraising plan encompassing major gifts annual fund planned giving corporate and foundation support and special events.
- Set ambitious but achievable revenue goals in alignment with organizational priorities and growth targets.
Major Gifts Program
- Lead the major gifts strategy working directly with Major Relations Team to identify research and qualify new major donor prospects.
- Personally cultivate solicit and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospects focusing on gifts of $30000 and above.
- Oversee the development and execution of customized cultivation and solicitation plans for each major donor prospect.
- Provide coaching support and accountability for Major Relations Team to ensure best practices in prospecting relationship-building and solicitation.
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
- Foster and maintain long-term relationships with donors through regular communication personalized stewardship and meaningful recognition.
- Collaborate with board members executive leadership and program staff to engage donors and connect their philanthropic interests with Christian Aid Missions impact.
- Team Leadership & Collaboration
- Supervise and mentor the development team including Major Gift Officers and Mid-level Donor Team fostering a collaborative high-performance culture.
- Work cross-functionally with marketing and programs to ensure integration of fundraising efforts and organizational messaging.
Fundraising Events & Campaigns
- Oversee the planning and execution of major fundraising campaigns and events ensuring they advance major donor relationships and organizational visibility.
- Support the design and implementation of targeted donor cultivation events to expand the major gifts pipeline.
Data Management & Reporting
- Ensure accurate and timely tracking of donor interactions proposals and outcomes in the donor management system.
- Analyze fundraising data and prepare regular reports for the VP of Advancement as well as President/CEO and Board of Directors recommending adjustments to strategies as needed.
Qualifications
- Demonstrated success in identifying cultivating soliciting and stewarding major donors with a proven track record of securing five- and six-figure gifts.
- Strong leadership and team management skills with experience coaching and developing fundraising professionals.
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to inspire engage and build trust with diverse stakeholders.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans and measurable results.
- Commitment to Christian Aid Missions values and ability to articulate the organizations mission with passion and integrity.
Experience
Minimum 7 years of progressive fundraising experience with at least 3 years in major gifts or equivalent leadership roles in nonprofit development.
Education
Bachelors degree required; advanced degree or CFRE certification preferred.
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience and industry benchmarks.
- Comprehensive benefits including health coverage and retirement plan.
When a new employee joins the organization they are asked to sign a statement of can review it here: Experience:
Director