Job Title: Advancement Specialist
Department: Advancement
Reports To: Director of Advancement
FLSA Status: Salary, Exempt
SUMMARY: The Advancement Specialist works under the supervision of the Director of Advancement
to shape, steward, and advance CCHO’s mission and vision. This person is responsible for cultivating and
stewarding active and prospective donors; planning and managing grants development; and supporting
department activities, including internal/external special events, donor relations, mailings, external
communications and other tasks, as assigned by the Director of Advancement.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of each employee to be a consistent
witness for Jesus Christ and to adhere to the Standard of Moral Conduct and Statement of Faith.
Further, each employee is responsible for dealing with others with a Christ-like attitude and for
demonstrating behaviors reflecting CCHO's core values.
Other duties may be assigned. Essential functions of the job include the following:
Sponsorships and General Support: Creates plan to contact individuals, businesses,
corporations, organizations and churches for sponsorships and general support for programs,
events and special projects. Engages in researching active and prospective donors, creating
proposals, making contacts for visits, personally visiting these entities, and ongoing cultivation
and stewardship of donors.
Donor Relations: Engages in donor relations via Internet, social media, special events, direct
mail, electronic mail, phone calls, personal visits and other methods. Works in cooperation with
Advancement Dept. staff on donor relations.
Private and Public Grants: Communicates with leadership staff to identify and prioritize funding
needs. Conducts research using the Internet, journals and other sources to determine private
and governmental grant sources. Maintains database of funding sources, application cycles and
award dates. Initiates contact with and maintains favorable relationships with funder
representatives. Prepares and submits online and manual funding applications, gaining
feedback from appropriate staff, participating in the preparation of grant budgets and reports,
and producing clear, concise and compelling requests for support. Coordinates on-site visits of
foundation staff. Works with internal program and accounting staff to assure monitoring is
established and carried out according to requirements. Prepares and files compliance/progress
reports and assures information is accurate and timely for special audits required by appropriate
entities.
Other Departmental Activities: Supports other advancement efforts of the organization, as
assigned by the Director of Advancement. Participates in organizational events and activities so
as to understand strategies and goals of the organization and facilitate relevant relationships
with outside parties. Works with Director of Advancement on promotional and fundraising
campaigns, participates in event planning and other Advancement activities.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None
QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential
duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or
ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to
perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Communications, English, Writing or
equivalent; or 3 to 5 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education
and experience in grant writing, communications and public relations.
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals,
financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from
customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Ability to effectively present
information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest,
commissions, proportion, percentages area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of
basic algebra and geometry. Ability to develop project budgets and have basic accounting skills.
REASONING ABILITY: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid
conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram
form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
COMPUTER SKILLS: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have working knowledge of
Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. Be proficient in
Adobe Photoshop, and have website design skills and FTP clients. Be able to navigate and utilize webbased applications.
OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES: Must be a good listener, fast learner and integrator of information;
experienced working with a wide variety of personalities and work environments; have excellent spoken
and written communication; and be skilled in personal computer and communications technology.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS: Ability to read, understand and write technical documentation, presentation
of training or other materials must be organized for or other materials must be organized for effective
retention.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be
met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger,
handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to
stand and walk. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee
must frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include
close vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of
those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
