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.
 
The Salvation Army (The Army) is an International, Evangelical Christian Church dedicated to providing individuals worldwide with spiritual, physical, social and emotional support.  Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.  Its message is based on the Bible and its ministry is motivated by the love of God.  William Booth, and his wife Catherine, founded The Salvation Army in 1865 to serve London’s worst poverty-stricken districts.   Today the Salvation Army focuses on mission-driven programs and service delivery designed to meet the needs of each local community.   These programs include human service programs including, homeless projects, feeding programs, pre-school and after school care programs, shelters, disaster relief, senior programs, as well as The Salvation Army ministerial activities.
 
The Empire State Division is in the Eastern Territory, one of the four U.S. geographic service areas.  The Empire State Division Headquarters (DHQ) is located in Syracuse, New York and is the administrative unit that directs 40 corps in metropolitan areas Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and Albany.   The Empire State Division provides programs and services to thousands of people annually throughout 48 Upstate New York counties, plus Sayre, Pennsylvania.  The Donor Relations Director will be based in Syracuse and will focus on donors primarily in the Central New York and Finger Lakes Regions.
 
The Empire State Division’s operating budget exceeds $55 million.  Funding sources include government contracts, grants (foundations and other), and donations from businesses, individuals and churches, as well as other fund raising efforts that contribute to the individual budgets for each area.  The Empire Division began a Major Gifts Program seven years ago and hired its first Donor Relations Director (DRD) in 2010.  Based on donor history and some electronic wealth screening, leadership is confident there is tremendous opportunity for growth in the Division, both in terms of donors and gift sizes.   
 
The Position:  Donor Relations Director (aka Major Gifts Officer)
 
The Donor Relations Director (DRD) will play an integral role in the success of the Empire State Division’s fund development efforts, specifically leading in all major gift strategies and communication in the Central New York and Finger Lakes Regions.    The DRD will report to the Divisional Director of Advancement, who is based at the Divisional Headquarters in Syracuse.  The Divisional Commander will provide oversight.
 
The Donor Relations Director will bear the sole responsibility for managing donor caseloads for Divisional fundraising in the region.  S/he will develop and manage a high-end portfolio of 100- 150 qualified major donors from the pool of existing supporters, working with previously identified major gift donors and prospects within a specified geographic area.  In this role, the DRD will qualify, cultivate, solicit, steward, and upgrade major gift prospects and donors, acting as the primary contact between The Army, its officers, and major donors.  The DRD will work with program and command staff in order to serve the complete needs of the Division’s fundraising.  The DRD will serve as an integral part of the Division’s Community Relations and Development team and will manage one team member, the Donor Relations Assistant.
 
 
The Position’s Performance Objectives
 
Planning Objectives

• Establishes and works to meet annual goals for each major donor and for the major gifts program each year.
• Works in close conjunction with other fund development officers, ensuring collaboration between direct mail, foundation, corporate, and planned giving efforts.
• Helps shape overall policies and strategies to continually increase major gifts revenue and program growth.

 
 
Leadership Objectives

• Leads in all one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement and stewardship communication, traveling as necessary.
• Develop and maintain productive and respectful relationships with Advisory and other Boards, volunteers, donors, prospects, philanthropic communities and other related constituent groups.
• Provides assistance and leadership for written proposals for major donors.
• Serve as an articulate, enthusiastic and visible spokesperson for The Salvation Army Empire State Division – locally, territorially and nationally.
• Manages the role of Donor Relations Assistant who serves as the primary administrative support for all philanthropic activities in the Division.

 
Fund Development and Communications Objectives

• Establishes and creates a strategic communications plan to qualify, educate, cultivate and solicit gifts for all major donors each fiscal year.
• Manages a qualified caseload of 100- 150 major donors, following the prescribed communications plan that is specific to each donor.
• Participate in appropriate professional associations. 

 
The Qualified Candidate
 
The Salvation Army Empire State Division seeks a dynamic, entrepreneurial and professional leader with a minimum of three years’ individual giving/ major gifts experience in a highly productive and progressive development and communications program within the nonprofit sector.   Preference is given to those who have served in a faith-based organization and possess a working knowledge of the Central New York and Finger Lakes Regions philanthropic community.  It is imperative that this individual fully embrace the mission of The Salvation Army.  The Donor Relations Director will be creative, energetic and determined, with the ability to identify and develop opportunities for donors and The Salvation Army to come together. 
 
The successful candidate will also have:

• A Bachelor’s Degree with relevant advanced training or degree desired.
• Career track record that shows stability with an organization and a demonstrated ability to develop, nurture and build relationships with diverse individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve or exceed goals and meet deadlines.
• A high level of comfort with direct donor interaction, including discussions of personal and family finances and asking for money is a must. 
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in a complex environment, managing multiple projects and conflicting priorities.
• Strong decision-maker with skillful approach that evaluates options, resources and outcomes in light of the strategic plan of the Division.
• A communications and management style that exhibits the principles and values of The Army, as well as fosters team relationships and effectively communicates information.
• Advanced understanding of resource development and communications systems and programs and the professional knowledge to achieve department objectives.
• Effective interpersonal, written and oral communications skills.
• Advanced understanding of resource development systems and the professional knowledge necessary to achieve department objectives.
• Willingness to travel regularly.  Donor and daily focus will be the Central New York/Finger Lakes area, with overall responsibility for the Central part of the State.  Administrative and management meetings will be held at the Empire State Division Headquarters in Syracuse.
• A proficiency in Word and Excel, as well as experience with donor tracking and/or database software is preferred. 
• A strong commitment to know and understand The Army’s history, mission, and structure, as well as its services, policies and procedures.

 
The Salvation Army offers a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package.
 
This search is being managed by Heather Eddy, CFRE, President and CEO of Alford Executive Search.  To apply, candidates must complete the online application at http://alfordexecutivesearch.applicantstack.com/x/openings and thereon submit their cover letter and resume.  To assure confidential tracking of all applicants, no applications will be accepted via email. Questions may be addressed to Laura Weinman at lweinman@alfordexecutivesearch.com
 
Alford Executive Search (www.alfordexecutivesearch.com) is a retained search firm dedicated to providing recruitment services of exceptional quality and strengthening the not-for-profit community through professional staffing solutions.
 
 
More about the Empire State Division
 
The Empire State Division employs 98 Officers, 621 employees and countless volunteers. The Salvation Army services range from disaster and emergency assistance, shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and youth and senior citizen programs in cities to assistance with meals, clothes, school supplies, utility bills and prescription costs.
 
This position is part of an overall Territorial Major Gifts Program, which centrally supports 12 DRD’s in the Territory.  In addition to the Officer and professional support from the Empire Division, the Donor Relations Director will receive support including training, mentoring, goal setting and reporting. The Director of Major Gift Field Operations from Territorial Headquarters will give support to this role in the form of training, goal setting and strategy for working with donors.
 
The Divisional Development department currently consists of 24 other team members and is headed by Peter Irwin, Director of Advancement.