Director of Development

BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is seeking an experienced Director of Development to lead a comprehensive fundraising program at an exciting point of change for a leading faith-based education and advocacy organization. Newer initiatives, including the BJC-led Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign and the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, provide emerging opportunities for engagement and partnership development from a broader and more diverse base of supporters.

The Director of Development will manage all integrated fundraising strategies, including annual, major, monthly, and planned gifts; foundation giving; denominational and church giving; gift processing and stewardship; data management; and events. The Director of Development works collaboratively across the organization and reports to the Executive Director.

Roles and Responsibilities

Strategy and Vision

• Work in collaboration with the Executive Director to design and execute an overall development gapto-goal strategy to provide for the organization’s current and future needs. The strategy will include focus on core initiatives: Christians Against Christian Nationalism, BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, and Annual Fund.
• Develop annual development plan in coordination with executive team and department staff.
• Establish monthly stewardship touchpoints and create cases for support.
• Provide thought leadership on partnership strategies with various communities.
• Develop and implement strategy for donor cultivation, major gifts, and grants.
• Serve as estate administrator, responsible for oversight and coordination of all estate administration matters.
• Oversee the development and growth of a comprehensive planned giving strategy. Steward and grow BJC’s planned giving program (James Dunn Legacy Circle) with an intention to grow this bucket of revenue.

Engagement and Partnership Development

• Engage donors in BJC’s work, identifying and offering touchpoints on an engagement continuum for partnership that ensures faith freedom for all.
• Strategize, develop, qualify, and manage donors to greater partnership through meaningful acknowledgements and invitation.
• Analyze giving motivations and interests to better facilitate partnership with donors and design a plan for cultivation that includes solicitation and recognition.
• Create a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship program that appropriately and consistently promotes interaction with and recognition of donors at all levels and involves the entire BJC team.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit gifts of $25,000 and more from individuals, organizations, and foundations to support BJC staff, programs, and campaigns.
• Create qualifications for referral, cultivation, and/or assignment to Executive Director and other staff. Submit regular activity reports, management strategies, and progress updates for collaboration.
• Manage a portfolio of major donors and coordinate visits, meetings, and events with the Executive Director, board members, and potential gift donors.
• Work across departments to craft fundraising campaigns including mail, digital, and social media.

Board and Staff Role

• Work with the executive team on creating a culture of development in the organization.
  • Galvanize, organize, and coordinate staff, volunteers, and board members to actively participate in fundraising efforts, creating a culture of fundraising in alignment with overall organizational values of transparency, honor, generosity, dignity, and sustainability for finances.
  • Serve as a member of BJC’s senior management team and prepare senior leadership for major donor development.
  • Collaborate with other departments to ensure cohesive partnership and development strategies.
• Monitor monthly financial reports including, but not limited to:
  • Liaison with accounting contractors and ensure development financial information is up to date and accurate.
  • Assist in the monthly reconciling of donor database and financial system.
  • Work collaboratively with Operations Manager and outside accountants to complete monthly financial bookkeeping.
• Engage and provide leadership to board members and other volunteers, as well as staff, in strengthening and expanding fundraising efforts.
• Lead and manage development department, implementing strategy and supervision of staff in development including, but not limited to:
  • setting revenue targets
  • supervising and motivating other development staff to implement organization-wide development strategy
  • leading the planning and execution of first-class events
  • setting and tracking departmental budget

Experience, Skills, and Personal Characteristics

• At least 10 years of progressively more responsible fundraising experience, which includes experience in developing and implementing major gift fundraising operations.
• Track record of personally securing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals.
• History of successfully working with senior staff and organization volunteers in fundraising activities.
• Bachelor’s degree is required, and graduate degree is preferred.
• Stellar interpersonal and networking skills contextualized to different communities.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to craft and articulate a persuasive case for support.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and manage development professionals.
• Excellent judgment and innovative problem-solving skills.
• Personal dedication to religious liberty for all and church-state separation.
• Understanding of, or interest in and ability to learn about, BJC’s core constituent groups, including various Baptist denominations, churches, clergy, and lay leaders.
• Commitment to reaching beyond existing core constituent groups to bring new donors into BJC’s work.
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and evenings at times, and to maintain a travel schedule necessary to visit donors and prospective donors.

Who We Are

BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) advocates for and educates about faith freedom for all. We file briefs in pivotal Supreme Court cases, advocate for and against legislation, testify in Congress, and unite with others across faiths to ensure that every person has, and will always have, the right to believe (or not) and act on those spiritual beliefs without unnecessary interference by government. BJC coordinates and leads the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative. Now in our 89th year, we bring our uniquely Baptist perspective of “soul freedom” to protecting religious liberty for all and defending the separation of the institutions of religion and government.

We advocate for faith freedom for all in some of the most contentious and complicated moral and legal challenges of our day. Our positions cannot be easily categorized as on the political “right” or “left.” Instead, the stand we take is the one that, we believe, best supports everyone’s religious freedom.

BJC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Work Location

BJC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with staff working across the country. This position does not need to be based out of the Washington, D.C., headquarters. BJC has a hybrid work culture, with D.C.-based employees working at least 2-3 days in the BJC headquarters and remote work available on the other days. Travel is required for BJC and BJC-partner events and to visit donors.

Compensation and Benefits

Starting salary will be based on BJC’s base salary bands, which take into account experience and geographic working location. That band corresponds to a range of $102,000 to $125,000, for information purposes only. Eligible for all full-time staff benefits, which currently include platinum level health insurance plan and dental/vision insurance at no cost to employee and 50% cost for covered beneficiaries; participation in retirement savings plan with BJC contributing 10% of salary (no match required; fully vested on day one of employment); life insurance, long-term disability benefits, death-before-retirement payment, survivor’s annuity and children’s allowance all provided at no cost; generous and flexible leave policy including paid annual, sick and personal leave as well as all federal holidays paid.

Hiring Timeline and Materials

Preferred start date is no later than October 1, 2025, and candidates will be considered on a rolling basis. Please apply online for this position via Bamboo by clicking this link.