Philanthropy Advisor – Major Gifts
Title: Philanthropy Advisor – Major Gifts
Department: Development
Sub-Department: Major Gifts
Reports to: Senior Director, Philanthropy - Major Gifts
FLSA Status: Exempt
Job Summary:
American Bible Society is an historic organization and an engaging place to work. We are looking for talented, ambitious, and collaborative people to come alongside us as we share the life-changing message of the Bible for everyone – no matter who they are or where they live.
The Philanthropy Advisor – Major Gifts for American Bible Society (ABS) is responsible for inviting and cultivating high-value donor relationships in a manner that leads to near-term and long-term revenue growth for mission impact. This work will include all donor types (Individuals, businesses, Churches, and Foundations) but is focused primarily on relationship development with individuals. The caseload will include approximately 100 relationships with up to 33% new or qualifying prospects. These prospects should have the capacity for a one-time major gift of $10,000/annual or more. Serving as a representative of ABS to their donors, s/he will be responsible for delivering on team's annual and planned revenue goals that fuel our mission, and for growing donor relationships that lead to a robust major donor giving base for American Bible Society.
This position reports to the Senior Director, Philanthropy - Major Gifts, and will work collaboratively in a team environment.
Minimum Spiritual and Personal Commitment:
- Demonstrate a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
- Identify with and participate in a Christian church and proactively seek to grow in their Christian faith.
- Actively participate in organizational prayer, devotional times, and organization-wide events.
- Maintain an exemplary standard of Christian ethics, behavior, and conduct within ABS and in their public and private life outside of ABS and always seek to uphold ABS’s Standards of Conduct and Affirmation of Biblical Community.
- Demonstrate Christian maturity in all interactions as displayed by good judgment based on biblical values and principles.
- Actively incorporate their Christian faith in all aspects of their daily work.
- Demonstrate desire and ability to support organizational, biblical, and kingdom goals and participate in regular work-related spiritual activities without reservation.
- Have a personal passion for and belief in the Word of God, its ability to transform lives, and the mission of American Bible Society.
- Demonstrate alignment with the vision, mission, and values of American Bible Society.
Key Responsibilities:
- Caseload Development & Stewardship: Build and develop a caseload of new and existing partnerships that can be cultivated for gifts greater than $10k. Guide and steward these partnerships in a way that furthers the relationship and honors the donors. Engage one-on-one with donors on the caseload through virtual and face-to-face qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings, and written strategies; ensure that each major donor and prospect has a clear strategy and timeline for qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. Possess an entrepreneurial mindset and pursue creative ways to drive impactful connections resulting in generous relationships.
- Revenue Generation: Meet or exceed individual revenue goals, which will be set on the basis of caseload maturity, organization needs, and individual experience on the job.
- Lead Development: Engage networks, personal and professional; mine for connections between donors or partners; and cultivate opportunities to bring new partnerships to the organization. Working together with prospect development and research, identify and cultivate partners from the mass and mid-level market file and apply higher levels of relational fundraising to the relationship to grow giving inclination and capacity.
- Mine for Planned, Blended, and Asset-Based Giving Opportunities: Take advantage of existing resources, including collaboration with planned giving experts, to identify, cultivate, and solicit planned, blended, and asset-based gifts to deepen partner relationships and drive additional revenue to the organization. Take the initiative to understand the benefits of planned, blended, and non-cash gifts for donors and ABS, and how to recognize those opportunities, and the basics of how those gifts work.
Performance Standards
- Maintain donor records and opportunities
- Document relevant donor communication and interactions in the CRM within one week of contact.
- Ensure that opportunities are updated regularly for the purposes of accurate forecasting.
- Meet or exceed a set of core lead indicators, potentially including but not limited to:
- 10-12 Face-to-Face donor visits per month
- 10 qualification attempts per newly identified prospect
- 1 relational touch per donor, per month
- 1 relational move per donor/quarter
- Meeting breakdown mix
- 25-30% Qualification Meetings
- 40-45% Solicitation Meetings
- 30-35% Cultivation/Stewardship Meetings
- Meet or exceed the annual fundraising goal.
Qualifications:
- Education: degree from an accredited college or university highly preferredfrom an accredited college or university.
- Experience: A minimum of 5+ years in relationship fundraising or sales with a clear record of achievement in a complex, mission-driven organization.
- Knowledge of basic planned giving vehicles, non-cash gifts, tax, financial, and estate planning concepts.
- Technical Skills: Experience using a donor CRM (Salesforce preferred) and Microsoft Office applications
- A valid driver’s license is required.
Key Competencies
All ABS staff must demonstrate the following skills:
- Demonstrate desire and ability to support organizational biblical and religious goals and participate in regular work-related spiritual activities without reservation.
- Have a personal passion for and belief in the Word of God, its ability to transform lives, and the mission of American Bible Society.
- Demonstrate alignment with the vision, mission, and values of American Bible Society.
All staff must demonstrate the following skills at a level fitting their role:
- Complex Communication: Proficient in communicating complex ideas to various stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
- Teamwork and Collaboration:
- Collaborative Effort: Works well with others, shares information, and contributes to team goals.
- Cultural Competence and Inclusion:
- Cultural Awareness: Respects and values diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Service Solutions: Understands service recipients’ needs, develops solutions to meet those needs, and builds relationships.
- Adaptability and Flexibility:
- Responsive Adjustment: Adjusts strategies based on new information, remains flexible in dynamic environments.
- Time Management and Organization:
- Efficient Coordination: Prioritizes tasks, manages multiple projects, and ensures team deadlines are met.
- Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:
- Analytical Problem Solving: Analyzes complex problems, develops solutions, and makes decisions independently.
- Leadership and Initiative:
- Initiative: Takes proactive steps to complete tasks, solve problems, and take on new challenges.
Physical Demands/Work Environment
Physical demands:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Occasional standing, walking, or reaching with hands and arms.
- Ability to lift up to 10 pounds occasionally (e.g., carrying a laptop, briefcase, or documents).
- Ability to travel occasionally to attend off-site meetings or conferences.
- Visual acuity to read and produce reports and other written communication.
- Verbal communication is required frequently in meetings, presentations, and via phone or video conferencing.
American Bible Society is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities and ensuring a workplace free from discrimination. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to participate in the application process and perform the essential functions of their job.
Office Location: Remote: While not a requirement, preference will be given to candidates near a major airport and in the following states / regions:
- Southern California
- Illinois
- Texas
- Florida
- Georgia
Remote Core Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (EST)
Travel Required: Several trips to HQ per year. Ability to travel for events, partner meetings, conferences, etc., primarily in the continental U.S. but occasionally internationally, will also be a regular component of this job. Expected field meetings and/or travel: 40-60%.
Additional Information:
- Background Check: Candidates must pass a background check as a condition of employment. This may include criminal history, credit check, and verification of employment and education history.
- Reference Checks: Employment is contingent upon satisfactory reference checks.
- Eligibility to Work: Candidates must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
- Affirmation of Biblical Community: Candidates must sign and agree to uphold the ABS Affirmation of Biblical Community as a condition of employment.
American Bible Society is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. We believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, created in the image of God, and strive to reflect Christ’s love and justice in our employment practices.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected status. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is rooted in our Christian faith and values, which call us to love and respect all people.
As a faith-based organization, we require employees to affirm and uphold our Christian beliefs as a condition of employment. This requirement is consistent with our mission and ensures that our work environment aligns with our core values and deeply held religious principles.