Church Development Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Director of Development leads Sixteen:Fifteen’s fundraising strategy and donor engagement efforts, helping build the financial foundation necessary to advance the organization’s mission. This role is responsible for cultivating relationships with individual donors, churches, foundations, and strategic partners while developing sustainable systems and processes that support long‑term growth. As a member of the Leadership Team, the Director of Development contributes to organizational strategy, collaborates across departments, and serves as a key advocate for the vision and impact of Sixteen:Fifteen.

• Design, implement, and refine a comprehensive development strategy encompassing individual, church, foundation, and organizational giving.
• Establish annual development goals and key performance indicators aligned with organizational priorities.
• Develop fundraising systems, processes, and reporting structures that support long‑term sustainability.
• Develop and maintain a documented major donor pipeline and fundraising forecast that provides leadership with visibility into future funding opportunities and organizational revenue projections.
• Provide regular fundraising updates, forecasts, and strategic recommendations to leadership.
• Collaborate with the President and Director of Operations on major fundraising initiatives and strategic opportunities.

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of individual donors, church partners, and prospective major supporters.
• Personally manage and grow a portfolio of major donors, church partners, foundations, and prospective supporters through a combination of in‑person and virtual engagement.
• Build meaningful relationships that deepen engagement with the mission and vision of Sixteen:Fifteen.
• Conduct regular donor visits, calls, meetings, and stewardship activities.
• Identify opportunities to increase donor retention, recurring giving, and major gift support.
• Collaborate with church‑facing staff to strengthen relationships with existing and prospective church partners.

• Identify and pursue foundation, grant, and institutional funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Prepare proposals, reports, and stewardship communications for foundation partners.
• Maintain relationships with existing grantors and cultivate new funding opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with program leaders to identify projects and initiatives suitable for grant funding.

• Partner with Operations and Communications to develop donor communications, fundraising campaigns, impact reports, and stewardship materials.
• Ensure donor‑facing messaging accurately reflects organizational impact and priorities.
• Contribute content and strategic direction for newsletters, annual reports, appeals, and fundraising initiatives.
• Assist in planning and execution of donor events, webinars, and engagement opportunities.

• Serve as a member of the Leadership Team, contributing to strategic planning and organizational decision‑making.
• Participate in weekly staff meetings, leadership meetings, and organizational initiatives.
• Support a culture of collaboration, stewardship, and mission alignment across the organization.

Required

• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, or related leadership roles.
• Proven ability to cultivate and steward donor relationships.
• Experience securing major gifts and developing strategic fundraising initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to cast vision, inspire generosity, and build meaningful partnerships.
• Experience managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to think strategically while executing with excellence.
• Strong organizational and relationship‑building skills.
• Alignment with Sixteen:Fifteen’s mission, values, and statement of faith.

Preferred

• Experience in a Christian nonprofit, missions organization, church, or ministry context.
• Experience securing foundation grants and institutional funding.
• Familiarity with donor management systems and fundraising technology (Bloomerang preferred).
• Experience developing and implementing fundraising strategies.
• CFRE certification or related professional development.

• Relationship Building and Stewardship
• Strategic Thinking
• Vision Casting and Communication
• Organizational Leadership
• Initiative and Follow‑Through
• Emotional Intelligence
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Stewardship and Accountability

The Director of Development will be evaluated based on their ability to build a sustainable development function that advances the long‑term health and mission of Sixteen:Fifteen.

Key performance indicators may include:

• New donor acquisition and cultivation
• Growth in major donor relationships and giving
• Growth in recurring donor revenue
• Expansion of church partnership giving
• New foundation and grant funding secured
• Donor retention and stewardship effectiveness
• Development of fundraising systems, reporting, forecasting, and donor pipeline management
• Collaboration with leadership to support organizational fundraising priorities

The role is expected to contribute meaningful growth in charitable revenue through intentional development efforts, including major donor cultivation, church partnerships, foundation grants, and strategic fundraising initiatives.

Initial targets for new or expanded annualized revenue attributable to development efforts may include:

Year 1 $75,000–$125,000

Year 2 $175,000–$250,000

Year 3 $300,000–$400,000

New or expanded revenue may include:

• New individual donors
• Increased giving from existing donors attributable to intentional cultivation and stewardship
• New church partnerships
• New foundation grants
• Revenue generated through new fundraising initiatives and campaigns

Performance will be evaluated based on both financial outcomes and the successful development of a healthy, scalable fundraising program capable of supporting long‑term organizational growth.

• Participate in weekly staff meetings and monthly Leadership Team meetings.
• Maintain accurate donor records and engagement activity within the organization’s CRM.
• Provide regular fundraising reports, forecasts, and pipeline updates to leadership.
• Travel regularly for donor cultivation, church engagement, conferences, foundation meetings, and organizational representation.
• Maintain a healthy balance of in‑person and virtual engagement, utilizing travel strategically to strengthen key relationships and advance development goals.
• Expected travel is approximately 20–25%, with seasonal fluctuations based on fundraising initiatives, conferences, and organizational priorities.
• Support annual planning, budgeting, and organizational goal‑setting processes.
• Represent Sixteen:Fifteen with professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to helping churches take their place in God’s global story.