Job Description
The Executive Director of Institutional Advancement will manage the overall operations of development, alumni relations, local community relations, and institutional communications. The Director will strategize and actively work to build relationships with a variety of constituents, enlisting financial support for the Seminary and serves as a member of the President’s Leadership Team.
General Responsibilities
The Director oversees the Institutional Advancement department and, in consultation with the IA staff and President:
- Establishes schedules and a yearly calendar of departmental activity.
- Determines specific assignments and responsibilities for members of the department.
- Creates and monitors goals at both the departmental level and the individual level.
- Develops, leads, and executes comprehensive fundraising plans for the Bethany fund, a multi-year comprehensive financial campaign, and other special projects.
- Travel extensively to nurture and develop donor relations and to represent the Seminary.
These actions shall be consistent with the overall policies of the Seminary as established by the Board of Trustees.
Education and Experience
Bachelor’s degree is required, and master’s degree is preferred. Fundraising experienced is preferred and location is negotiable. The ability to work effectively with many diverse constituencies in a religious environment should be evident, and knowledge of Church of the Brethren values and practice is beneficial.
Specific Assignments
As in other small institutions, the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement will function both in an executive leadership role and as a “working member” of the development team, particularly as it relates to fundraising and gift planning. This dual relationship will make it important for the Director to balance time for planning and implementation, program development, and evaluation, travel and fundraising, in addition to the time needed to care for the routine operations of the Institutional Advancement Office. This assignment will include the following activities:
- Plan and oversee the total Institutional Advancement Department operation.
- Prepare an ongoing calendar of Institutional Advancement activities and communications.
- Set appropriate and attainable goals for the annual fund with the Leadership Team and design and maintain a coordinated strategy in surpassing budget goals.
- Synthesize special fundraising emphases into the overall fundraising strategy to build greater consensus and support for the overall mission and program of the Seminary.
- Coordinate with consultants as to the feasibility of a financial campaign and plan accordingly in response to Board direction.
- Utilize the President in strategic ways in the fundraising program.
- Stay apprised of the latest gift instruments in use by charitable organizations and approved by IRS and be knowledgeable in using them.
- Manage Bethany’s planned giving program.
- Manage the Bethany fund program.
- Develop and implement a program of congregational relations and support.
- Develop and implement a program of alumni relations.
- Spend sufficient time making visits to alumni and friends for the purposes of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship in support of Bethany Seminary’s mission and funding priorities.
- Continue to integrate DonorPerfect into Institutional Advancement operation, utilizing reports to inform current and future direction of development and alumni relations programs.
- Establish and maintain basic office procedures, equipment, records, and policies to assure an orderly operation of the department and the careful, confidential handling of information related to the Seminary’s various constituent groups.
- Review Institutional Advancement budget expenditures periodically, with the Seminary Treasurer and Administrative Team, and establish Institutional Advancement Office budget needs as part of the normal budget cycle.
- Assist in maintaining current records on all Seminary constituents
- Provide appropriate acknowledgement and reporting of contributions to the Seminary.
- Assemble or provide information needed to complete activity and reports for external agencies (e.g., ATS, CAE, BMG Associates, etc.) for the purpose of participating in cross-institutional studies as well as internal assessment of the department’s mission-effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency.
- Maintain professional contact with attorneys, accountants, trust officers, insurance persons, and estate planning counselors so that their expertise may be enlisted when the situation warrants.
- Represent Bethany at conferences and local congregations, speaking, leading workshops, facilitating events, or providing consultation as opportunities arise or can be arranged.
- Participate in periodic professional growth experiences.
- Participate in life at the Seminary on campus.
Applications will be received until the position is filled.
To Apply:
Please send letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three references to:
President’s Office
Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Search
Bethany Theological Seminary
615 National Road West
Richmond, IN 47374
Phone: 765-983-1803
president@bethanyseminary.edu
Bethany Theological Seminary’s policy prohibits discrimination in employment opportunities or practices with regard to race, gender, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, or religion.