Purpose and Scope

The Donor Relations Advisor serves Gideon member and non-member donors by assisting them to financially support the mission of The Gideons International. This is accomplished by building meaningful relationships and discovering alignment between the individual’s values and the ministry’s financial needs. The Donor Relations Advisor is responsible for managing a portfolio of potential mid-level, major, and legacy donors, supporting ministry leaders, and representing The Gideons at events. Success for this position is found in faithfully collaborating with other staff and Gideon leaders, building relationships, and inviting others to invest through giving opportunities.

Essential Job Functions

Donor Portfolio Management

Maintain a portfolio of potential mid-level, major, and legacy giving member and non-member donors by collaborating with Donor Relations Associate Manager to add and remove portfolio members while consistently evaluating overall portfolio capacity.
Develop appropriate strategies for all portfolio members with the Donor Relations Associate Manager.
Plan next actions for all portfolio members and record those planned actions in the database.
Fulfill relationship activities through phone calls, electronic communications, in-person visits. Distance activities will typically relate to early-stage activities, and in-person activities will generally align with later-stage activities, but Donor Relations Officers have discretion to plan activities according to their best judgement.
Record details of all meaningful interactions with portfolio members and other stewardship activities in the database.

Identification Activities

Contact donors who made recent gifts as assigned by the Donor Relations Coordinator and determine if an interest in future giving is indicated which would warrant Discovery actions.
Maintain contact with an assigned portfolio of Gideon State Leaders offering support of State Conventions, Area Meetings, or Camp Meetings. Support includes attendance at conventions or meetings, providing relevant resources, following up with individuals who expressed interest in giving opportunities, and receiving referrals for those who could be a match for giving opportunities.
Develop Stewardship presentations, in collaboration with other staff, which can give insight into giving opportunities that align with donors’ passions, interests, values and ministry needs.

Discovery Activities

Complete relationship building activities to determine if portfolio members would like assistance in exploring giving options. For Members, primary focus is in assisting with more complex giving options than what is available from the camp. If Members can be well served by their camp, encourage camp‐level giving. For Non‐Members, assist with both simple and complex giving options.

Cultivation Activities

Deepen relationships through activities with portfolio members who want to actively explore how they can invest in the ministry and would like assistance in determining what they want to support, how much they want to give, when they want to give, and/or how they want to give.

Solicitation Activities

Present specific giving opportunities to portfolio members once a giving option is determined that aligns with their interests, values, and circumstances.
Follow up with solicited portfolio members as they are considering presented giving opportunities.

Stewardship Activities

Expressing gratitude to portfolio members who have made a gift or giving commitment.
Reporting to portfolio members the impact of their gifts or giving commitments while determining if there are interests in future giving.
Maintaining relationships between donors and the ministry if ongoing contact would be helpful either due to nature of relationships or if revocable commitments have been made and ongoing communications would be helpful.

Membership Activity

Engage regularly as a member of a local camp with regular ministry activity.
Maintain a broad and current understanding of The Gideons International programs, testimonies of ministry activities, and history of the organization.

International Convention

Attend the annual International Convention in July and assist with registration, booths, and events.

Staff Devotions

Participate in daily morning staff devotions; on a rotating basis serve by praying and reading Scripture in support of devotion leader.

Working Relationships

Reports To:     Director, Stewardship
Management Responsibility:   None
Works Closely With:    Senior Manager, Donor Relations; Manager, Donor Legacy Planning; Associate Manager, Donor Relations; Senior Manager, Stewardship Operations; Coordinator, Donor Appreciation

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Training & Development
Non-physical

Solid relationship-building skills and integrity and a track record of ability to develop and maintain relationships with individuals of diverse backgrounds and cultures; includes ability to professionally interact with executives and high-net-worth individuals and to understand the needs and interests of major donors to develop relationships between them and the ministry.
Proven critical thinking ability and discernment skills of the donor’s needs and alignment with stewardship opportunities.
Solid understanding of business giving opportunities.
Broad knowledge of the portfolio management process (identification, discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship).
Proven drive & ability to present partnership opportunities to donors.
Professional behavior and ability to effectively represent The Gideons International with integrity and poise, interpersonal and presentation skills, discernment, and professional appearance
Proven ability to plan, prioritize and perform multiple projects of complex work in a fast-paced work environment.
Working knowledge of gift planning as an integral part of charitable giving and giving options.
Spiritual maturity and understanding of biblical stewardship to assist donors in discerning their giving priorities.
Being donor-centric; a heart for praying with and for donors.
Proven, focused, and self-motivated starter; able to work independently.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent administrative, reporting, analysis, and time management skills.
Strong PC skills including proficiency in widely used software applications, especially Microsoft Office applications and customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Ability to capture salient notes from donor/prospect interactions that accurately reflect/recap donor background and interests for inclusion within CRM system.
Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.

                        Physical

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, talk, and hear. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision.
Regular travel by automobile and air.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
Successful experience in fundraising or comparable business activities.
Active member in good standing of The Gideons International or willingness to join the association
Successful completion of a drug and background screening.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a professional fundraising environment that demonstrates “best practices.”
Advanced knowledge of legal or personal financial planning.
Demonstrated leadership in The Gideons International
CFRE, CFP, or comparable certification.

This Job Description is for general purposes and guidelines only and should not be considered all-inclusive.  Neither does the receipt of this job description constitute an employment contract.  Furthermore, it should be known that this list of job requirements is subject to change without written notice.