Senior Donor Relations Director

The Salvation Army's Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division is located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. The division is home to 26 Worship and Community Centers (Corps), 67 service extension units, a camp, as well as multiple homeless shelters, thrift stores and food pantries. Service extension units are branches of The Salvation Army in communities where Corps are not located but service is provided by committees of volunteers. As a whole, our organization is made up of thousands of officers, soldiers, adherents, employees, volunteers and other individuals all working together to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all people, as well as working to meet the physical needs of those less fortunate. The Salvation Army Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division is the administrative unit which provides services to people in need in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. We are an organization dedicated to Doing the Most Good in your community! Apply now!

The Senior Donor Relations Director plays an integral role in the success of the Division's fund development efforts, specifically through ongoing and proactive relationship management, strategic communications, written plans, gift cultivation, and solicitation activity with an assigned caseload of qualified major donors. Will identify, qualify, be assigned, cultivate, solicit and steward major gift donors acting as the primary contact between The Salvation Army and the assigned caseload, with an emphasis on securing gifts of $10,000 and higher, increasing major gifts to The Salvation Army while retaining and strengthening existing giving. Provides excellent customer service to donors. Manages the Major Gifts team.

About the role:

• Provides day-to-day leadership to the Major Gifts team (including corporations and foundation grants), including mentoring, supervising, and evaluating staff performance. Serves as point person for all matters pertaining to major gifts.
• Promotes a spirit of collaboration among team members and with other development department staff, as well as with local corps and advisory boards/councils. Organizes and leads regular donor review meetings with staff to plan cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation strategies in coordination with the WUM Executive Director of Development and Territorial Director of Major Gifts.
• Prepares the annual revenue budget for the major gifts area and monitors actuals to align with budget.
• Establishes, manages, and fulfills a caseload communications plan, including individual fundraising goals and personalized strategies, to effectively steward, educate, cultivate, and solicit gifts from major donors each fiscal year, with an emphasis on gifts of $10,000 and higher.
• Manages a caseload of 75 qualified major donors and maintains and seeks to engage with an additional prospective donor "watch list" as assigned, following a communications plan that is specific to each donor and prospect and working, as appropriate.
• Meets agreed upon monthly and annual activity and income production goals and is purposeful about every visit and communication and the desired outcome for each such "touch."
• Leads in one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement, and stewardship communication, establishing and maintaining excellent donor relations, providing written proposals to major gift prospects as needed, and including Army staff and/or volunteer leadership as appropriate.
• Supports administrative and logistical functions of the Major Gift Team such as interaction with fundraising and community outreach events ss assigned by the Executive Director of Development.
• Works with prospect research manager at THQ or its designate and local staff who are trained to do research to develop donor profiles to inform "moves management" strategies and planning conversations.
• Meets regularly with immediate supervisor and territorial major gifts management or their designate to discuss and refine caseload plans, donor strategies, to track progress, to receive coaching, and to keep open lines of communication.
• Participates in recommended professional training, conference calls with other major gifts staff, conference kindred sessions and other professional development opportunities.
• Works in close conjunction with other fund development officers, pursuing and contributing to harmonious collaboration between direct marketing, social media, foundation, corporation, and planned giving staff for optimal integrated strategies on major donor communications as well as overall department initiatives.
• Works in close collaboration with local officers, program, finance, and fundraising staff to present local Army resource development needs that correspond to where donors and prospects reside, while always being responsive to each donor's interests and attentive to fiduciary responsibilities.
• Works in collaboration with program, finance, development and graphic design/communications, and admin support staff to develop a portfolio of giving opportunities that documents funding needs in terms of real program costs, how dollars impact people, potential/real outcomes, shortfalls, and mission advancement opportunities. Presents these opportunities to donors to effectively match donor interests with Army service delivery advancement needs.
• Makes it a priority to take donors on site visits to tour Army programs and to facilitate face-to-face briefings of donors by Army leaders.
• Supports and contributes to overall territorial policies, business practices, and strategies to continually increase major gifts revenue and program growth (as requested).
• Keeps Divisional Development Director or their designate apprised of all significant interactions, inputting contact reports to the donor database system after each "touch," sharing a continually updated itinerary, and fulfilling all reporting requirements. Consults with Divisional Development Director regarding organizational priorities, to develop strategies that benefit both donor and the Army, and to troubleshoot challenging situations.
• Makes effective use of special events and other initiatives to engage with assigned donors to bring them closer to the Army and to deepen their awareness of the impact of the Army's work, especially in areas of interest to them. Participates in such opportunities alongside caseload constituents.
• Maintains updated donor files, tracking spreadsheets, correspondence, and gift acknowledgments, in keeping with department policies and procedures. Documents all donor interactions through contact reports and according to established business practices. Carries out any office and computer-related tasks important to fulfilling the goals of the position.
• Ensures excellent customer service is provided to donors through accessibility to staff and leadership (as granted), timely responsiveness, quality in all interactions and personalized communications.

Education: Bachelor's degree, preferably in marketing, business administration, nonprofit management, or related area.

Certifications: Valid Wisconsin driver's license with clearance to drive from TSA insurance. CFRE preferred.

Experience: 8 years experience in a non-profit fundraising role (including 3 years in a supervisory role) with a proven track record of secured major gifts success of $10,000 and above with individual donors

Or - Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully fundraise.

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.