Development Officer

Position Summary

The Development Associate serves as an entry-level fundraising officer for DOOR International. Current main focuses of the development program are three-fold:

• Build the organization’s major donor base;
• Obtain and retain support from foundations and grants; and
• Develop tools to facilitate the above two objectives.

Working closely with the President, the Development Associate will interface with DOOR’s current support base, help cultivate new donor prospects, as well as provide research and administrative support to the President related to fundraising efforts. There are significant opportunities for training and growth in this position, with a talented individual likely to grow into an Associate Director or Director of Development position.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on prospects, including individuals, corporations and foundations identified by President and others as potential sources of funding for the organization
• Participate in strategy building for the development program, both for the general fund as well as specific projects
• Assist the President in communication and development-related activities with donors and prospective donors as assigned
• Update donor software on a timely basis for prospect tracking purposes, and prepare a variety of requested reports from donor software
• Coordinate proposals to major donors and granting organizations
• Coordinate reporting to major donors and granting organizations, working closely with the Communications Coordinator
• Assist with development of additional fundraising tools, including brochures, website, and case statements
• Perform other duties as assigned by the President

Skills and Abilities

• Entrepreneurial spirit, positive attitude, and energy to implement new strategies and meet goals
• Comfort using the phone to cultivate donors and schedule appointments
• Teachability in fundraising concepts and willingness to adapt to the needs of the organization
• Strong interpersonal and human relation skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Must be able to interact with a wide range of people and beliefs, and particularly connect with donors across the generational spectrum
• Willing to approach individuals for financial support for the organization
• Knowledge and skill in word processing, data entry, data analysis, as well as computer aptitude and experience; social media experience is a plus
• Able to prioritize and work independently within well-defined and agreed-upon objectives, priorities, and deadlines

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• Committed to loving Christ and living out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20)
• Committed to learning about and promoting Christian ministry work among the Deaf
• Previous exposure with the Deaf community (or other cross-cultural situations) desirable but not necessary
• Must be willing to relocate to greater Grand Rapids, MI area to further develop DOOR’s donor base
• Must be willing to travel within Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio for donor and foundation meetings

Contact Information

To submit a cover letter and resume, please email robm@doorinternational.com.

Ministry Description

DOOR International focuses on the largest people group worldwide unreached by the Gospel who lack access to Scripture in their heart language: the Deaf. Out of over 400 sign languages, not one possesses a complete Bible, and a huge majority lack any sort of translation at all. Less than 2% of Deaf people worldwide are Christians, and most have never experienced the Gospel in a way they can understand it. Local Deaf Christian leaders, if there are any, typically lack training, resources, and opportunities to grow themselves, much less invest in others.

DOOR International’s mission is to “bring God’s Word and reproducing Christian fellowships to the Deaf around the world.” Using demonstrated reproducible methods, DOOR combats Gospel poverty in Deaf communities in two main ways:

• As a member of Wycliffe Global Alliance, DOOR helps communities translate Scripture into various sign languages and distribute these approved translations; and
• DOOR trains local Deaf Christians to do church planting through evangelism, discipleship, leadership development, and the establishment of local fellowships.

DOOR employs approx. 180 full-time staff, over 85% of whom are Deaf and over 90% of whom are nationals. For more information, visit www.DOORInternational.com