Ministry Overview
Christian Aid Mission seeks to establish a witness for Christ in every nation by assisting indigenous ministries who are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in some of the worldโs most difficult mission fields, giving priority to ministries making disciples among unreached people groups. Today, we work with hundreds of indigenous ministries in eight regions of the world.
Position Overview
The Development Writer is responsible for creating high-quality, donor-centered content that advances the mission of Christian Aid Mission through clear, concise, and compelling storytelling. This role ensures all content aligns with the organization's brand standards and maintains a consistent style, quality, and tone across donor communications.
The Development Writer's primary responsibility is producing reports and stewardship materials for general, mid-level, major, and foundation donors. The position also supports the Advancement and Sponsorship teams by developing and editing collateral materials and contributes to broader Marketing initiatives as needed. Responsibilities include researching, writing, editing, proofreading, and coordinating content development, along with photo selection for specific projects.
The Development Writer reports to the Director of Marketing and is a member of the Marketing team.
This is a full-time position with the option to be remote.
Christian Aid Mission headquarters is located in Charlottesville, VA.
Salary range is $50,000 - $55,000 depending on experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Donor Reporting
- Write sponsorship reports semiannually, including:
- Children's sponsorship reports (typically 9)
- Missionary sponsorship reports representing various regions of the world (typically 10)
- Write semiannual impact reports (typically 3), including the organization's Annual Report.
- Prepare follow-up reports each month for foundations and major donors (typically 3-6), including writing, photo selection, and formatting within established template.
Gather information from the ministry database, field surveys, and ministry updates to create engaging reports that communicate ministry impact and encourage continued donor investment. Collaborate with the International Ministry Team to ensure the accuracy and security of sensitive information. Work with the Marketing Team to finalize content and maintain quality standards.
- Development and Advancement Collateral
- Write and update one-page funding proposals for the Advancement Team throughout the year (typically 1โ2 per month).
Research and gather information from ministry databases, field reports, and surveys to create concise, compelling project summaries for major donor consideration. Partner with the International Ministry Team to ensure content accuracy and security. Collaborate with the Advancement Team to align project descriptions with donor interests and funding priorities.
- Update the Ministry Portfolio annually before the start of each fiscal year.
โMaintain accurate project descriptions and funding amounts by consulting the ministry database and coordinating with the International Ministry Team. Ensure all portfolio content is current, accurate, and aligned with organizational priorities.
- Develop additional print and digital content as assigned by the Director of Marketing
Projects may include:
Annual Christmas catalog
Fundraising appeals
Website content
Other marketing and donor communication materials
- Perform light layout and formatting work within established design templates as needed in Adobe InDesign or InCopy.
Qualifications
- Strong understanding of marketing, donor communications, and fundraising best practices
- Ability to develop and maintain a thorough understanding of Christian Aid Mission's mission, vision, values, programs, and ministry objectives.
- Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
- Ability to prioritize competing responsibilities and meet deadlines
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining quality standards
- Strong research skills, including the ability to gather information from online sources, interviews, field updates, internal publications, and external resources
- Knowledge of global missions, current events, world religions, and international ministry contexts
- Creative problem-solving skills and resourcefulness
- Knowledge of Scripture and the ability to communicate ministry impact within a biblical framework
- Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism
- Basic proficiency in Adobe InDesign or InCopy is preferred for light layout work within established templates.
Experience
3+ years of professional writing experience in marketing, fundraising, development, communications, or a related field. Writing experience with a religious nonprofit a plus.
Software expertise
Required: Intermediary to advanced proficiency in the following software: MS Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Google Chrome or other browsers.
Preferred: Photoshop, Mailchimp, Adobe InDesign or InCopy, Smartsheet
Education
Bachelor's degree in Journalism, English, Public Relations, Marketing, Communications, or a related field
When a new employee joins the organization, they are asked to sign a statement of faith. You can review it here: https://www.christianaid.org/statement-of-faith/