Senior Director in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at American Bible Society
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Job Description
Senior Director, Mass Fundraising
Job Summary:American Bible Society has historic roots, global reach, and a vision for engaging a new generation of Bible advocates. We are seeking talented, motivated, and collaborative people to join us as we share the life-changing message of the Bible into our third century of ministry.
The Senior Director, Mass Fundraising, provides strategic leadership, departmental oversight, and short- and long-term planning for ABS mass fundraising activities, aligning with the goals of American Bible Society (ABS) and Development. This role includes leadership across all mass-market fundraising channels (traditional and emerging) to drive donor engagement and revenue growth in alignment with annual goals and objectives.
Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Senior Director ensures alignment with broader priorities and supports holistic fundraising objectives focused on maximizing donor retention and lifetime value. This leader collaborates with internal teams and external agency partners to design and implement strategies for donor acquisition, retention, cultivation, and upgrading. Key responsibilities include developing and overseeing annual and multi-year fundraising plans, including budgets and revenue goals; monitoring and reporting progress against key performance indicators; leading and collaborating with teams across Development, Marketing, Ministry, Finance, IT, and Legal to enhance donor relationships through audience-centric communication strategies; and providing supervision and leadership for the Mass Fundraising team to ensure operational excellence aligned with organizational goals.
This is a highly visible leadership position within the Development team and the broader organization. The Senior Director must be an effective, supportive manager for direct reports and a collaborative partner who engages internal resources and external agency partners to achieve departmental objectives. They will play a critical role in advancing initiatives that drive program success and organizational impact.
- Demonstrate a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
- Identify with and participate in a Christian church and proactively seek to grow in their Christian faith.
- Actively participate in organizational prayer, devotional times, and organization-wide events.
- Maintain an exemplary standard of Christian ethics, behavior, and conduct within ABS and in their public and private life outside of ABS and always seek to uphold ABS’ Standards of Conduct and Affirmation of Biblical Community.
- Demonstrate Christian maturity in all interactions as displayed by good judgment based on biblical values and principles.
- Actively incorporate their faith in all aspects of their daily work.
- Demonstrate desire and ability to support organizational biblical and religious goals and participate in regular work-related spiritual activities without reservation.
- Have a personal passion for and belief in the Word of God, its ability to transform lives, and the mission of American Bible Society.
- Demonstrate alignment with the vision, mission, and values of American Bible Society.
Mass Fundraising Execution & Innovation
- Designs and monitors Mass (mail, phone, emerging channels) fundraising’s multi-million-dollar budget and revenue forecast.
- Identifies and pursues broader goals as well as specific strategies and tactics for donor acquisition, retention and upgrade, stewardship, and recurring giving across all channels of mass fundraising.
- Informs and guides the development and implementation of campaigns and testing against ABS’s programmatic resourcing objectives.
- Provides strategic oversight and direction for agency relationships, interactions, and assignments on behalf of fundraising goals and key initiatives, leveraging internal and external expertise and budgets wisely and for maximum outcome.
- Assures that all fundraising campaigns are conducted in a donor-honoring manner that is consistent with industry guidelines, ABS business guidelines and policies, and conveys appropriate ABS voice/brand.
- Maintains knowledge of industry trends and benchmarks for meaningful insight.
Performance Management & Evaluation
- Develops and evaluates all aspects of Mass (mail, phone, emerging channels) fundraising’s performance to inform strategy and to continually improve and innovate as well as to inform and influence across the organization.
- Provides regular assessments to the Chief Development Officer of the performance of agencies, consultants, and vendors supporting mass fundraising priorities.
- Leads and facilitates monthly strategic planning sessions within the Mass fundraising team and with agency partners, creating and working with agency partners to provide regular reports and analysis.
- Prepares regular reports and presentations on fundraising metrics for broader ABS and Development leadership.
Strategic Planning and Execution
- Serves as an active participant on the Development Leadership team, participating in meetings for planning and coordination of ABS and the Development department’s objectives and opportunities.
- Works with other Development leaders to speak into and plan for broader and long-range department and organizational goals and priorities.
- Provides perspective and advice to ABS and Development leadership regarding downstream influences on Mass fundraising programs related to organizational changes and considerations as well as external/environmental forces.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Alignment
- Works closely with the Chief Development Officer and other Development leaders to assure alignment of ongoing financial and donor file priorities within the broader department and organization.
- Drives collaborative efforts with other key stakeholders, including:
- Development donor pipeline and financial partner communications goals.
- Marketing department initiatives related to digital, brand, publicity, and advocacy.
- ABS Ministry & Finance leaders to align fundraising activity with organizational priorities.
Team Leadership
- Supervisory Responsibilities: Lead a team following the ministry’s policies, procedures, and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, training, planning, assigning and directing work, appraising performance, rewarding and disciplining staff, gathering feedback, addressing complaints, and resolving problems.
- Foster a culture of philanthropy and a collaborative and supportive work environment that encourages teamwork and innovation.
- Champion performance measures and monitors progress and effectiveness against individual and team goals. Identify areas of opportunity for improvement, support and optimization of efforts.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in integrated direct response fundraising and a multi-million dollar budget. Minimum of 5 years of management and leadership experience with a clear record of success in building effective and healthy teams.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency with Salesforce CRM software and Microsoft tools. Functional understanding and expertise in all aspects of mass fundraising, including campaign & offer development, segmentation & coding, key performance indicators & analysis, multi-channel integration, and testing & optimization. Key Competencies:
- Communication Skills:
- Strategic Communication: Expert in persuasive communication, adept at public speaking, and able to influence senior stakeholders.
- Teamwork and Collaboration:
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Leads teams effectively, builds strong team dynamics, and fosters a collaborative organizational culture.
- Cultural Competence and Inclusion:
- Inclusive Leadership: Promotes inclusivity and addresses biases within the team.
- Service Orientation:
- Service Strategy: Develops service-centric strategies, drives service recipient satisfaction, and ensures organizational alignment with service expectations.
- Adaptability and Flexibility:
- Strategic Change Management: Leads change initiatives, drives innovation, and helps the organization navigate through significant changes.
- Time Management and Organization:
- Efficient Coordination: Prioritizes tasks, manages multiple projects, and ensures team deadlines are met.
- Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:
- Strategic Organizational Solutions: Anticipates potential problems, creates strategic solutions and guides the organization through complex challenges.
- Leadership and Initiative:
- Team Leadership: Guides, supports and leads team members to achieve goals, engage in cross-company collaboration and pivot when needed to achieve strategic change.
- Strategic Thinking and Decision Making:
- Strategic Alignment: Develops plans that align with team objectives and organizational goals.
- Continuous Learning and Development:
- Team Development: Encourages and supports team members’ professional development.
- Innovation and Creativity:
- Strategic Innovation: Drives organizational change through creative and forward-thinking strategies.
American Bible Society is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities and ensuring a workplace free from discrimination. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to participate in the application process and perform the essential functions of their job.
Office Location: Philadelphia, PA (Hybrid). Remote may be considered. Core Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ESTTravel Required: Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (less than 20%). Additional Information:- Background Check: Candidates must pass a background check as a condition of employment. This may include criminal history, credit check, and verification of employment and education history.
- Reference Checks: Employment is contingent upon satisfactory reference checks.
- Eligibility to Work: Candidates must provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
- Affirmation of Biblical Community: Candidates must sign and agree to uphold the ABS Affirmation of Biblical Community as a condition of employment.
American Bible Society is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. We believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, created in the image of God, and strive to reflect Christ’s love and justice in our employment practices.
We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected status. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is rooted in our Christian faith and values, which call us to love and respect all people.
As a faith-based organization, we require employees to affirm and uphold our Christian beliefs as a condition of employment. This requirement is consistent with our mission and ensures that our work environment aligns with our core values and deeply held religious principles.