Director of Donor Engagement

Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram•Duluth, GA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The primary mission of this position is to communicate Christian ethos of Living on the Edge (to help Christians live like Christians) and demonstrate a quality of spiritual life that is an example to others. The Director of Donor Engagement is responsible for developing meaningful, long-term relationships with major donors and prospects, helping them discover opportunities to partner with Living on the Edge in advancing the ministry’s mission. This position provides strategic leadership for the major-donor function, manages a portfolio of high-capacity and high-potential donors, and works collaboratively across the development and ministry teams to cultivate, solicit, steward, and grow philanthropic partnerships.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and relevant nonprofit professional experience.
Must have a minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in major gifts, individual giving, development, or philanthropy.
Alignment with Living on the Edge’s Statement of Faith.
Exemplary ability to manage relationships, people, and expectations.
Highly Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, Slack.
Familiarity with Dropbox and Google Workspace is helpful.
Experience using a CRM or donor management system.
Ability to occasionally work non-standard hours (evenings or Saturdays) to accommodate donor schedules.
Approximately 50% travel required, with flexibility for additional travel based on donor needs, events, and strategic opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience working in a ministry or faith-based setting highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute individualized strategies for a portfolio of major donors and qualified prospects, moving relationships through qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, renewal, and upgrade.
Meet or exceed annual major-gift revenue goals through strategic portfolio management, relationship development, and personal solicitation.
Maintain a healthy portfolio mix of qualified prospects, donors in cultivation, active solicitations, and donors requiring stewardship and renewal.
Establish and implement strategic contact plans for top-tier donors using the donor’s preferred method of personalized interaction.
Identify major-gift opportunities among existing donors, prospects, event participants, referrals, and other sources, including donors with potential for planned or complex gifts.
Maintain accurate, timely, and strategic records of donor interactions, next steps, interests, commitments, and opportunities in LOTE’s donor management system.
Build authentic, long-term relationships with donors through personal interaction, with an emphasis on face-to-face engagement when appropriate and other personalized communication based on donor preference.
Learn donors’ interests, passions, philanthropic priorities, and capacity, and connect those interests with relevant Living on the Edge programs, initiatives, and ministry opportunities.
Develop and execute individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies, including preparing for and personally making major-gift requests.
Provide compelling information, proposals, impact stories, and reporting that demonstrate the difference donors are making.
Provide thoughtful, timely, and personalized stewardship that deepens donor connection to the mission and encourages continued partnership.
Engage donors appropriately in ministry opportunities, events, and experiences that strengthen their relationship with Living on the Edge.
Partner with other development team members to identify opportunities, share intelligence, coordinate donor strategies, and ensure a seamless donor experience.
Recognize opportunities for complex giving options, including planned giving, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), appreciated assets such as stock, and connect the donor with people and resources to pursue those types of giving.
Collaborate with ministry leaders and other LOTE colleagues to translate ministry priorities into compelling opportunities for donor partnership.
Help plan, oversee, and/or facilitate donor events and donor-related activities as needed.
Consistently achieve established goals for major-gift revenue, donor retention, upgrades, qualified prospects, solicitations, engagement, events, campaigns, and assigned projects.
Use donor data, portfolio analytics, and performance reporting to inform decisions and improve results.
Seek and participate in approved professional development opportunities related to major gifts, donor engagement, philanthropy, and ministry fundraising.
Perform other duties as assigned.