California Regional Gift Officer - 2025842

Job description

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor? If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you. At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering. If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today. **ORGANIZATION SUMMARY** World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish. Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy. **POSITION SUMMARY:** World Relief seeks a California Regional Gift Officer to play a lead role in managing and cultivating relationships with partners contributing gifts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, while identifying donors with the potential to grow into major giving. The primary focus is building lasting relationships, increasing donor engagement and retention, and achieving established financial revenue goals in support of World Relief’s mission. ### ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES: **Partner Engagement:** - Cultivate and steward relationships with World Relief California mid-level partners through personalized communication, and specific engagement strategies. - Develop a comprehensive understanding of partner interests and motivations to tailor fundraising approaches. **Fundraising Strategy:** - Execute best-practice fundraising tactics to meet and exceed annual revenue goals for mid-level partner accounts. - Collaborate with the World Relief California’s Advancement Department to integrate mid-level giving into overall fundraising initiatives. - Engage long-term donors using proven fundraising strategies to secure major and ongoing financial commitments. **Storytelling and Donor Inspiration:** - Craft and disseminate compelling impact stories that demonstrate the real-world results of partner contributions to inspire continued and increased giving. - Partner with program teams to gather powerful field updates, testimonials, and data to share with current and prospective donors. **Events and Activities:** - Plan and host targeted events—such as virtual town halls and exclusive updates—designed to deepen connections with mid-level partners. - Coordinate personalized touchpoints and recognition experiences to cultivate, appreciate, and retain key supporters. **Data Management:** - Maintain accurate partner records and monitor gift information in the Raiser’s Edge. - Regularly analyze and report on mid-level giving performance, providing insights for continuous improvement. **Collaboration:** - Partner with local and national fundraising teams to ensure smooth donor transitions and seamless coordination across giving tiers. - Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to ensure unified messaging and cohesive outreach across all donor touchpoints. **Donor Recognition:** - Implement recognition and acknowledgment programs for mid-level partners. - Ensure timely and personalized expressions of gratitude for partners' contributions. **Research:** - Research mass-market donors to identify high-potential prospects and establish clear pathways into mid-level giving. - Evaluate mid-level donor giving capacity in partnership with Major Gifts to build pipeline transition strategies for major gift qualification. - Maintain active knowledge of emerging trends, benchmark data, and best practices in mid-level giving. ### JOB REQUIREMENTS: - Mature and personal Christian faith - Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief - Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities - Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs [Core Beliefs](https://worldrelief.org/values/), [Statement of Faith](https://worldrelief.org/statement-of-faith-details/), [Christian Identity](https://worldrelief.org/content/uploads/2022/06/Towards-a-Fresh-Embrace-of-our-Christian-Identity-2.pdf) and [National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document](https://www.nae.org/for-the-health-of-the-nation-publication/) - Demonstrated fundraising and donor portfolio management experience, including cultivating, soliciting, stewarding, and growing individual donor relationships. - Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to connect authentically with donors, tell compelling impact stories, and inspire increased engagement and giving. - Strategic, organized, and results-oriented, with the ability to manage a portfolio of 150–200 donors, develop individualized engagement strategies, maintain accurate donor data, and work toward defined revenue goals. - Strong oral and written communication skills with proven track record of preaching that moves to action - Willingness to work with a wide variety of church denominations and theological positions - Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office 365 suite, databases and report generation - Travel up to 50% - Valid driver's license, access to reliable vehicle and ability to pass MVR standard. ### PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of education and/or experience. - At least 2-3 years of experience in fundraising; specifically cultivating individual gifts. - Proven experience in fundraising, donor relations, or related fields with 3 years of portfolio management. - Strong interpersonal and communication skills. - Ability to develop and implement fundraising strategies. - Detail-oriented with excellent organizational and time management skills. - Familiarity with fundraising databases and tools.