Donor Relations Director (Central Indiana )

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.

Salary Range Starting at: $70,000.00 annually

Job Objective

The purpose of the position is to play an integral role in the success of the Indiana Division's fund development efforts, through ongoing and proactive relationship management, strategic communications, written plans, gift cultivation, and solicitation activity with an assigned portfolio of qualified major gift donors. Incumbent is responsible for identifying, qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major gift donors with an emphasis on securing gifts of $5,000 and higher. Incumbent will serve as the primary contact between The Salvation Army (TSA) and an assigned portfolio to increase major gifts while retaining existing giving. Incumbent will work directly with other fundraisers, senior staff and volunteer leadership. Candidates must be comfortable representing a faith-based organization and engaging donors whose philanthropic motivations may be closely connected to Christian mission and values.

Essential Functions

Helps assure the Indiana Division Philanthropy team achieves its fundraising goals in collaboration with others in the Development Department and interdepartmentally.

• Manages a portfolio of 125-150 qualified major donors and additional prospects as assigned to establish and maintain excellent donor relations.
• Establishes, manages and executes a portfolio communications plan that includes individual fundraising goals and personalized strategies to steward, educate, cultivate, solicit, and secure gifts from major donors each fiscal year with an emphasis on contributions of $5,000 or higher.
• Follows a communication plan that is specific to each donor and prospect. Develop relationships with assigned donors and prospects through cultivation calls, letters and handwritten notes, emphasizing face-to-face meetings.
• Leads in one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement, and stewardship communications with donors and prospects as assigned, traveling as necessary, to meet agreed upon monthly/annual activity and income production goals.
• Accountable for portfolio performance, including donor retention, growth, and progress toward annual major gifts revenue expectations.
• Works with donor volunteer leadership, as appropriate, to secure volunteer opportunities for and with major donors.
• Follows best practices in one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement, and stewardship communications to establish and maintain excellent donor relations.
• Prepares and provides written proposals to major gift prospects as needed.
• Inputs into Salesforce donor related cultivation activities, solicitations, and stewardship activities and donor related biographical or donor preference information.
• Uses special events (e.g. Donut Day, Lunches with Officers, etc.), TSA site tours, face-to-face briefings by TSA leaders, and other initiatives to engage assigned donors to deepen their awareness of the impact of TSA's work—especially in areas of interest to the donor. Participates in such opportunities with donors.
• Meets regularly with immediate supervisor and territorial major gifts management, by phone or in person, to discuss and refine portfolio plans, donor strategies organizational priorities, troubleshoot challenging situations, track progress, receive coaching, and maintain open lines of communications.
• Participate in recommended professional development activities, including training, conferences, and conference calls with other major gifts staff.
• Work with the Sr. Director of Donor Relations, Sr. Director of Gift and Estate Planning, Executive Development Director, and Salvation Army Officers as part of a team of fundraisers for the Indiana Division, including joint strategy sessions and other matters important for an effective development effort.
• Assist in the organization of occasional events and small donor meetings for cultivation and stewardship purposes.
• Supports the mission of The Salvation Army by treating every client, stakeholder, and colleague with individual respect and dignity. Maintains positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a manner that fosters good relationships with co-workers and supervisors.
• Manage other tasks as assigned by leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in non-profit management, marketing, business administration or related fields or any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the requisite knowledge and abilities to successfully engage in fundraising activities.
• Advanced degree and/or CFRE credentials preferred.
• Preferred five years' experience in non-profit fundraising with a proven track record of success in personal solicitation for major gifts.
• A strong working knowledge of strategy development and moves management systems relevant to the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship process.
• Experience working with high-level volunteers, donors, and program staff on collaborative activities.
• Experience, familiarity and/or ability to work in a complex non-profit organization with many departments, programs, and fundraising priorities.

Background Checks: Position requires a background check to be completed and reviewed.

Certifications: Fundraising certification is a plus, such as CFRE, CFP or CAP designation. Must have a valid driver's license; must complete Safe from Harm training within the first 90 days of employment.

Skills/Abilities

• Goal-oriented, self-directed and proactive; ability to take initiative and work independently without direction or extensive administrative support to meet/exceed expectations.
• Ability to work well with a variety of people in a dynamic environment; high energy; focus; collaborative spirit.
• Ability to be influential and persuasive in dealing with donors and other members of the community and colleagues at The Salvation Army.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to use emotional intelligence, situational awareness, tact, and diplomacy when interacting directly with others, including donors.
• Strong communication and presentation skills including the ability to convey clear, concise, and compelling messages when writing, conversing with others, and making formal presentations.
• Minimum of intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office Word and Excel, Proficient with MS Office Suite and fundraising databases (e.g. Salesforce), Teams and other fundraising software.
• Highly effective at building and maintaining relationships with diverse individuals (e.g. executives, wealthy donors, leadership volunteers, internal stakeholders, and TSA leadership).
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on quality and accuracy.
• Highly service-oriented and driven to deliver exceptional customer service and follow through when dealing with donors and TSA colleagues.
• Mature judgment and effective reasoning skills; ability to process and interpret complex information and make independent and effective decisions without close supervision. Able to maintain confidentiality and follow ethical best practices.

Supervisory Responsibility: Does not manage staff

Travel: Incumbent will be required to travel regularly by organization vehicle as necessary to support the mission of The Salvation Army. Overnight travel is minimal.

A moderate amount of time must be spent outside the office to complete essential work requirements. The position requires some travel, primarily using agency vehicle to visit donors, prospective donors and other relevant contacts within a predetermined territory of responsibility.

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.

This job description should not be interpreted as all inclusive. It is intended to identify the essential functions and requirements of the position. Other job-related responsibilities and tasks may be assigned. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Why Work with Us?

If you're ready for a career doing meaningful work with a discernable impact, keep reading. The Salvation Army's brand promise is to Do the Most Good® - and it's our employees that help us get there. At every level and in every discipline, you can have a real impact on your community through the work done inside our walls every day. If you work for us, you will be the hands and feet that enable us to help others.

We are as impassioned about our employees as we are about our mission to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and help anyone in need in His name without discrimination. Our work culture reflects this quality, which makes our offices seriously great places to work. Just walk inside our doors and you'll quickly see that our employees are proud to support programs that make a difference.

In addition to traditional Health, Wellness, RX and PTO benefits, see what our employees told us they most liked about working for the Indiana Division of TSA by responding to our most recent 2023 survey…

• 91% are proud of their work to help meet the