Job Openings >> Major Gifts Officer
Major Gifts Officer
Summary
Title:Major Gifts Officer
ID:1102
Organization:The Salvation Army - USA Central Territory, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division
Location:Milwaukee, WI
Description
The Salvation Army – USA Central Territory, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division
THE SALVATION ARMY 

WISCONSIN AND UPPER MICHIGAN DIVISION 

POSITION OPENINGS: 3
Madison
Milwaukee

Waukesha

 
OPPORTUNITY GUIDE

Donor Relations Director (aka: Major Gifts Officer) 
 
JOIN THE ARMY’S GROWING FUNDRAISING TEAM IN THE CENTRAL TERRITORY and become part of an exciting new major gifts program making a profound impact!
 
Note: There are three (3) roles open in the Madison, Milwaukee and Waukesha areas respectively.
 
Today, nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. Eighty-two cents of every dollar the Army spends is used to support these services in 5,000 communities nationwide. As a branch of the Christian church, founded by William Booth and his wife Catherine in 1865 to serve London’s worst poverty-stricken streets, the ultimate goal of all programs is the spiritual regeneration of all people.
 
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 love for God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.
The Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division (based in Wauwatosa, WI) is one of ten divisions in the Central USA Territory, one of the Salvation Army’s four U.S. geographic service areas.  The Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division serves the entire state of Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  The division operates 26 corps (program sites), as well as an active Service Extension program where groups of volunteers disperse Salvation Army assistance.  The annual operating budget of the division is approximately $15 million.  Funding sources include gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations, as well as government grants and contracts.
 
The Salvation Army Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division offers a varying complement of programs to meet the needs of each community it serves.  Services provided include homeless shelters, transitional housing, after school programs, back-to-school programs, rent and utility assistance, summer camp, and disaster services.  In 2014, over 614,000 people received services in the division.
 
“The Salvation Army is by far the most effective organization in the U.S. No one even comes close to it with respect to the clarity of mission, ability to innovate, measurable results, dedication, and putting money to maximum use.”
The late Dr. Peter Drucker, renowned management expert
 
The Opportunity: Donor Relations Director (DRD), aka: Major Gifts Officer (MGO)
 
In response to a strategic cultural shift designed to invigorate philanthropy, The Salvation Army is investing in the expansion of its Major Gift program. As a result, The Army will be hiring several Donor Relations Directors (aka: Major Gifts Officers) across the Central Territory. The plan to invest in major gifts includes a 300%+ growth over the next five years.
 
The Salvation Army has made a commitment to invest in and amplify the Major Gifts program with a goal of securing additional (new or renewed) leadership gifts. The collective portfolios in the 10 Divisions are comprised of more than 800,000 active donors, but less than 5% are giving at a Major Gift level. Leadership sees this as an enormous opportunity to grow philanthropy, both in volume and gift level. The Central Territory desires to provide guidance to each of its Divisions in identifying, retaining and cultivating these donors to minimize attrition and maximize giving.
 
The Donor Relations Director/Major Gift Officer (DRD/MGO) will play a key role in the success of the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division fund development efforts, specifically leading the major gift strategies in the Madison, Milwaukee, and Waukesha areas. The newly minted DRD/MGO role will be a key role in the strategic focus on major gifts. Over the next five years, the Central Territory anticipates raising over $200M in major gifts. Each DRD/MGO’s role in this goal will be to reach a caseload value of at least $1M per year. The Army’s commitment to growing its major giving programs is reflected in plans to steward current donors to make greater investments in the Army, reach out to donors in a prescribed way, create individual cultivation plans, and establish two-way communication with donors.

The DRD/MGO is responsible for ongoing and proactive relationship management, strategic communications plans, gift cultivation and solicitation activity with an assigned caseload of qualified and potential major donors. In this role, the DRD/MGO will identify, qualify, be assigned, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors and prospects, acting as the primary contact between the Army and the assigned caseload. The emphasis will be on securing gifts of $5,000 and much higher in their respective portfolio. The projected average goal for the territory in Year 1 for the DRD/MGO is $396,000, with a projected average goal of $1 million by Year 5.
 
Primary Performance Objectives
 
Planning
  • 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 $5000 and higher.
  • Works with prospect research manager at THQ and local staff who are trained to do research to develop donor profiles to inform “moves management” strategies and planning conversations.
  • Meets regularly with supervisory and territorial major gifts management (by phone) to discuss and refine caseload plans and donor strategies, track progress, receive coaching, and keep open lines of communication.
  • 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 in regard to major donor communications as well as overall department initiatives.
  • Supports and contributes to, as requested, overall territorial policies, business practices and strategies to continually increase major gifts revenue and program growth.
 
Leadership and Fundraising Management
  • Leads in one-to-one solicitation, gift acknowledgement and stewardship communication, traveling as necessary, establishing and maintaining excellent donor relations, providing written proposals to major gift prospects as needed, and including Army and/or volunteer leadership as appropriate.
  • Works in collaboration with program, finance, development, graphic design / communications, and administrative support staff to develop a portfolio of giving opportunities (cases for support) that documents funding needs in terms of real program costs, how dollars impact people, outcomes that are and could be achieved, shortfalls, and exciting mission advancement opportunities. Presents these opportunities to donors to effectively match donor interests with Army service delivery advancement needs.
  • Keeps management apprised of all significant interactions, inputting contact reports to the donor database system as required, sharing a continually updated itinerary, fulfilling all monthly and other reporting requirements, and consulting with leadership when needed to understand organizational priorities, develop strategies that benefit both donor and the Army, and troubleshoot challenging situations.
  • Stays driven toward goals and focused on caseload, but makes effective use of volunteerism opportunities, events and other initiatives to engage with assigned donors, bring them closer to the Army, and 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. Works with other staff and leadership (including leadership volunteers) to develop new major donor / prospect cultivation events (private receptions, dinners in homes, seminars, etc.) targeted toward those with high philanthropic capacity.
 
Donor and Volunteer Relations
  • Manages a caseload of 150 assigned and qualified major donors, and maintains and seeks to engage with a small additional prospective donor “watch list” as assigned, following the prescribed communications plan that is specific to each donor and prospect and working, as appropriate, with donor leadership volunteers to secure visits with those in their peer networks who are assigned.
  • 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 (even if elsewhere) and attentive to fiduciary responsibilities (donor intent with gifts).
  • Makes it a priority to take donors on site visits to tour Army programs and facilitate face-to-face briefings of donors by Army leaders.
  • Manages all office systems related to DRD/MGO duties, including maintaining updated donor files, tracking spreadsheets, correspondence and gift acknowledgments in keeping with department policies and procedures. Documents all donor interactions through system 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.
  • Works diligently to meet agreed upon monthly and annual activity and income production goals, and is purposeful about every visit, communication, and desired outcome for each “touch.”
  • Participates in recommended professional trainings as budget allows, conference calls with other major gifts staff, conference kindred sessions and other professional development opportunities.
 
The Qualified Candidate
The Salvation Army seeks compassionate, dynamic and entrepreneurial fundraising professionals with a minimum of five years of 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 specific to this search for the Donor Relations Director/Major Gifts Officer (DRD/MGO) in the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division, possess a strong working knowledge of the Madison, Milwaukee, and/or Waukesha philanthropic community. It is imperative that the person who assumes this important role fully embrace, support and reflect well on The Salvation Army’s mission and values through one’s professional responsibilities and behavior at all times. The DRD/MGO will be creative, energetic and determined, with a talent for identifying and developing opportunities for donors and The Salvation Army to come together.
 
Specific Requirements Include:
  • Passion for The Salvation Army’s mission coupled with a strong commitment to know and understand the Army’s history, mission and structure, as well as its services, policies and procedures.
  • Bachelor’s Degree; advanced degree and/or CFRE credential preferred.
  • Minimum of five years of experience in a nonprofit fundraising role, with a proven track record of major gifts success and a strong working knowledge of strategy development and moves management systems in the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship processes.
  • Highly effective interpersonal, conversational and presentational skills, demonstrating an emotional intelligence and situational awareness in tandem with excellent writing abilities and strong case development and sales pitch skills.
  • Demonstrated expertise in developing and maintaining positive relationships with diverse individuals, including executives, high-level volunteers, wealthy donors, and internal stakeholders and leadership.
  • Prowess in problem-solving, strategic and creative thinking, and taking initiative with consistent and good follow-through.
  • Great comfort level with direct donor interaction is a must, including discussions of personal and family finances and asking for major financial commitments.
  • Team player, able to check ego at the door, with a capacity to collaborate effectively with officers, staff and volunteers for successful achievement of position and department goals.
  • Communications and management style that exhibits the principles and culture of the Army, as well as fosters team relationships and effectively communicates information.
  • Willingness and ability to travel on a regular basis. Valid Driver’s License required. Area residence is important.
  • Ability to work remotely – on the road, from home and/or at various Army locations. It is anticipated that 80% of the donors are local to a position or within a 50-mile radius, but some travel related to donor management and/or organizational training is required.
  • Experience in working independently in a fast-paced environment without extensive administrative support, and exceptional organizational abilities with fluency in managing multiple projects and competing priorities with professionalism and grace.
  • Drive to make a difference, goal-oriented with a proven ability to achieve or exceed goals and meet deadlines.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, hands-on experience with donor management software, and savvy in the maintenance of current contact and activity tracking reports, with adherence to the Army’s database protocols.
 
This position offers a competitive benefits package. The finalist for this role will be required to submit to a full background and reference check.
The Salvation Army is committed to offering equal employment opportunity to all applicants and to all employees without regard to race, color, gender, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, genetic predisposition and/or any other lawfully protected classification or occupationally irrelevant criteria. Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V.
 
To Apply
 
Candidates can apply by clicking the APPLY NOW button below.  To assure confidential tracking of all applicants, no applications will be accepted via email.  ALL INQUIRIES WILL BE HELD IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.
 
This search is being managed by Sue Bultman, Consultant of Kistner Eddy Executive Services (KEES), in counsel with Heather Eddy, President and CEO. Questions may be addressed to sbultman@kees2success.com.  
 
KEES is a retained search firm that builds transformative teams and leaders in the nonprofit and public sectors. For more information, visit www.kees2success.com.
 
More about the Army’s Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division
The Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Division, under the direction of Divisional Commander Major Dan Jennings, employs over 700 people and has over 21,000 volunteers throughout the communities that operate Corps Community Centers.  The division has a significant number of donors who invest in its work each year.  Currently, there are six capital fundraising projects in various stages across the division. 
 
The Salvation Army – Central USA Territory
Comprised of 10 Divisions and serving communities in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Territorial Headquarters (THQ) is situated in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, 35 miles west of Chicago. Under the leadership of Territorial Commander, Commissioner Paul Seiler, J. Douglas McDaniel is the Territorial Executive Director of Development and Robert Dalton is the Territorial Director of Major Giving Programs.
This opening is closed and is no longer accepting applications
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