Director of Partner Relations (Major Gift Officer) - Slavic Gospel Association - Dickerson Bakker

Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) has announced a search for a Director of Partner Relations (DPR). The senior leadership is highly skilled and dedicated, ensuring the continued provision of the ever-growing support required by their far-reaching and impactful ministry. Thanks to intentional and successful donor acquisition efforts, their donor base has more than doubled in recent years. This foundation of genuine care for their supporters has fostered deep, personal connections with donors and the ministry.

For over 90 years, SGA has dedicated itself to supporting partner churches across Russia, the countries of the former Soviet Union, and Israel, with their impact never more significant than it is today in the wake of the war in Ukraine. We invite all well-qualified candidates who share a deep love for SGA's mission, partner churches, and donors to apply and join them in this impactful journey. 

The ideal candidate for the Director of Partner Relations (DPR) position will possess a strong track record in major gift fundraising and a mature, personal relationship with the Lord. SGA's ministry partners and donors are unique but share a united commitment to the mission and Biblical doctrine. The DPR will have a Christ-centered passion for sharing the Gospel with those who have not heard it.

To excel in this role, the DPR must be a deeply relational and others-centered fundraising professional. This individual will manage and develop a large and growing donor file, identifying and cultivating a diverse and committed giving community. Given SGA’s conservative theological stance, the successful candidate should understand and align with this worldview, embodying it in both personal belief and professional practice. SGA seeks a fundraising professional who thrives on building meaningful relationships, is driven by a Christ-centered mission, and is aligned with theology.

Reporting to the Vice President of Partner Engagement, the Director of Partner Relations (DPR) will manage a portfolio of approximately 125 major and rising donors in the United States. This role is responsible for donor cultivation, lift, retention, and stewardship, ensuring that partners are actively invited to participate and engage in the community and work of Slavic Gospel Association. The DPR's primary geographic focus will be the central United States, spanning from the upper Midwest to the central Gulf of Mexico.

Essential Duties

• Manage relationships with approximately 125 major donors and major donor prospects and qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward these relationships through excellent planning and moves management disciplines.
• Solicit gifts from current major partners and cultivate new significant gifts from mid-level and major partner prospects.
• Steward and acknowledge partner gifts in a timely and personally appropriate manner, ensuring that partners feel appreciated and understand the significance of their gifts and partnership.
• Create opportunities for major partners and major gift prospects to be exposed to executive and program leadership in the US and abroad.
• Comply with monthly activity standards as the catalyst for deepening levels of engagement with partners.
• Execute partner events that encourage and inspire partners about the work of SGA. 
• Perform all related administrative duties including ensuring that records/contacts on the database are maintained accurately and continuously entered, and all financial and administrative reports are submitted in a timely manner.

Qualifications

• Highly energetic and relational professional with a track record of building partner relationships and closing gifts in the five- and six-figure range.
• Understanding of the Biblical call to a generous life and the ministry of fundraising.
• Experience in managing and leveraging regional events for partner cultivation.
• Experience in facilitating partner engagement with ministry executives as a cultivation tool.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse donor base.
• Knowledge and experience working with donor management systems (CRM), wealth engines, etc.
• Strong communicator-verbally and in the written word. 
• Self-starter with the ability to work successfully and productively in a remote setting while functioning as a contributing member of a team.
• Adherence to the highest ethical standards; demonstrates empathetic disposition and perseverance; reflects optimistic/positive attitude; conveys sensitivity to needs of partners.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Experience and a basic, working knowledge of planned giving concepts and vehicles.
• Ability to travel up to 30%-40% of the time, including 1-2 international trips to the field annually. 

This position will work remotely, focusing on donor engagement. Candidates from across the United States are encouraged to apply, with a preference for those in the central United States. All qualified candidates will receive full consideration. For more information please see the Opportunity Profile.

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