Director of Major Gift Giving

The Salvation Army Mission: The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

Summary/Primary Purpose: Plays a key and integral role in the success of the Capital Area Command and Division's fund development efforts, specifically through ongoing and proactive donor relationship management and major gift cultivation and solicitation activity. The Director of Major Giving will identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift donors for their assigned caseload. Emphasis is on securing gifts of $5,000 and higher.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• The Director of Major Giving establishes, manages and fulfills a caseload communications plan, including individual fund-raising goals and personalized strategies, to effectively steward, educate, cultivate, and solicit gifts from major donors and corporations each fiscal year.
• Manages a portfolio of 150 assigned and qualified major donors and corporate accounts. Will maintain and seek to engage with a more limited number of prospective donors.
• Works diligently to meet agreed-upon annual and income production goals as determined by Capital Area Commander & Divisional Secretary for Iowa Capital Command and Divisional Development Dept. and Divisional Development Department.
• Leads in one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement, and stewardship communication, traveling as necessary, establishing and maintaining excellent donor relations, providing written proposals to major gift prospects as needed, and including Army and/or volunteer leadership as appropriate.
• Works with the Divisional Development Department to develop donor profiles to inform "moves management" strategies and planning conversations.
• Meets regularly with supervisor and with divisional major gifts management to discuss and refine caseload plans, donor strategies, to track progress, to receive coaching, and to keep open lines of communication.
• Works in close collaboration with local TSA officers, program, finance and fund-raising staff to present local resource development needs that correspond to donors' interests and intent.
• Works closely with the event and fund-raising staff to coordinate efforts to achieve the directives and goals of the Command.
• Takes donors on site visits to tour programs and to facilitate face-to-face briefings of donors by leaders.
• Supports and contributes to, as requested, overall territorial and divisional policies, business practices and strategies to continually increase major gifts revenue and program growth.
• Keeps management apprised of all significant interactions, inputting contact reports to the donor database system as required, sharing a continually updated itinerary, fulfilling all monthly and other reporting requirements.
• Responsible to manage and maintain all systems related to DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIVING duties, including donor contacts, donor files, spreadsheets, correspondence and gift acknowledgments, etc., in keeping with Development department policies and procedures.
• This position may occasionally be required to travel and attend events, conferences and meetings that may take place outside of normal working hours, to include weekends and evenings.
• Help identify candidates to serve on the Advisory Board and help educate current and new members.
• Will participate as assigned and be a resource to the various Command Advisory Boards and the Des Moines Development Committee.
• Driving is an essential function of the position.
• All other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree or comparable experience, plus a minimum of five years of experience in a non-profit fundraising role with a proven track record of major gifts success. Experience in Planned Giving a plus.

Qualifications: The requirements listed below are representative of the minimal knowledge, skill, and/or ability required for this position.

• Ensures excellent customer service is provided to donors through accessibility to staff and leadership, timely responsiveness, quality in all interactions and personalized communications.
• Ability to be flexible, prioritize and work on multiple projects or tasks simultaneously.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel and Access skills, and the ability to access data systems via a web-based system.
• Administrative skills to include utilization of standard office equipment, data entry, and attention to details and filing.
• Excellent communication skills both written and spoken, and ability to maintain effective working relationships.
• Mathematical skills to include add, subtract, multiply, divide, use of common fractions and decimals.
• Demonstrated ability to handle confidential matters.
• Attention to detail and creative problem-solving skills.
• Strong independent judgement.

Other Qualifications: Must pass all applicable background checks. Must possess a valid driver's license from the state in which you reside. Must be approved through The Salvation Army Fleet Safety Program to drive either a Salvation Army or personal vehicle on Salvation Army business. Must successfully complete Safe from Harm training within 90 days of hire, as established by The Salvation Army.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations: None

Physical Requirements: 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. Physical requirements include good speaking, hearing and vision ability and excellent manual dexterity. Ability to stand, bend and reach for extended periods of time, dexterity of hands and fingers to operate office equipment. May need to climb, balance, kneel, crouch or crawl. This position will require the ability to lift and/or move more than 20 pounds occasionally.

Working Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job - an office environment and while performing the duties of this job, the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

All employees recognize that The Salvation Army is a church and agree that they will do nothing as an employee of The Salvation Army to undermine its religious mission.

The Salvation Army is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates who are back-to-work, US Veterans, people with disabilities, people who have been impacted by the justice system, and/or people without a college degree are encouraged to apply.