NonprofitNashville, Tennessee
GraceWorks Ministries | Director of Development
About
GraceWorks Ministries was established in 1995 by a group of concerned Williamson County citizens and faith leaders who sought a comprehensive, collaborative solution to the complex issue of poverty. Our founders recognized that local low-income residents had diverse needs – food, clothing, housing support, and financial assistance – yet, most area nonprofits and churches focused on only one or two services. GraceWorks has been able to offer wraparound services to a large number of individuals and families in need, closing our more recent fiscal year having served 14,938 unduplicated Neighbors.
GraceWorks communal approach to charitable work is expressed in our mission statement: Neighbor serving Neighbor, by the power of God’s grace.
GraceWorks is comprised of a 18-member Board of Directors, 75 staff members and an average of 375 volunteers serving onsite each week.
Opportunity
GraceWorks Ministries is entering a transformational season of growth, including a significant campus expansion that will triple its footprint from approximately 20,000 to 60,000 square feet and an upcoming capital campaign designed to expand programs and deepen community impact. The Director of Development will lead and steward all core fundraising channels including corporate partnerships, churches, grants, individual giving, major gifts, and recurring support while providing strategic leadership to a talented development team. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives in building strategy, coaching high-performing staff, engaging confidently with board members and community leaders, and helping scale philanthropic revenue to meet an ambitious vision for the future.
Position Summary
The Director of Development is responsible for the comprehensive planning, implementation, and management of the fundraising team. This position will strategize annual plans to increase revenue above national standards; build, train, and inspire a team of fundraising professionals to execute the plan; and personally steward a portfolio of top-tier foundations and grant prospects.
As a member of the GraceWorks leadership team, the Director of Development must have an absolute belief in and commitment to the GraceWorks’ mission; collaborate and adapt with leadership team to achieve organization-wide priorities; and set an example for a Christ-centered and professional culture.
Key Responsibilities
The Director of Development must support GraceWorks Ministries' mission and values wholeheartedly and be excited to work in a nonprofit Christian environment. This position must prioritize a dignified Neighbor experience first for those we serve, and for donors, volunteers, and staff. As a leadership team member, the Director of Development must exhibit excellence, commitment, accountability, and grace-centered leadership.
Experience
Fundraising
Compensation for the Director of Development includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience ($100,000 - $110,000) and an excellent package of employee benefits which includes medical, dental, vision, retirement, professional development, leave and holidays.
Work Environment
This position has a shared office space with consistent work hours from 8:30am–5:00pm, Requires frequent offsite meetings with donors. Required extended schedules during fundraising event weeks. The position is in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts requiring standard safety precautions.
To Apply
Interested applicants should send a resume and a statement of interest to Ryan Rasmussen, Partner & Recruiter at [email protected].
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice to meet the needs of the organization. Employment at GraceWorks Ministries is at-will, meaning that either the employee or the organization may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
GraceWorks Ministries is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and supportive of all employees. In alignment with our Christian mission, all staff are expected to support and contribute to the values and vision of the organization.
GraceWorks Ministries was established in 1995 by a group of concerned Williamson County citizens and faith leaders who sought a comprehensive, collaborative solution to the complex issue of poverty. Our founders recognized that local low-income residents had diverse needs – food, clothing, housing support, and financial assistance – yet, most area nonprofits and churches focused on only one or two services. GraceWorks has been able to offer wraparound services to a large number of individuals and families in need, closing our more recent fiscal year having served 14,938 unduplicated Neighbors.
GraceWorks communal approach to charitable work is expressed in our mission statement: Neighbor serving Neighbor, by the power of God’s grace.
GraceWorks is comprised of a 18-member Board of Directors, 75 staff members and an average of 375 volunteers serving onsite each week.
Opportunity
GraceWorks Ministries is entering a transformational season of growth, including a significant campus expansion that will triple its footprint from approximately 20,000 to 60,000 square feet and an upcoming capital campaign designed to expand programs and deepen community impact. The Director of Development will lead and steward all core fundraising channels including corporate partnerships, churches, grants, individual giving, major gifts, and recurring support while providing strategic leadership to a talented development team. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives in building strategy, coaching high-performing staff, engaging confidently with board members and community leaders, and helping scale philanthropic revenue to meet an ambitious vision for the future.
Position Summary
The Director of Development is responsible for the comprehensive planning, implementation, and management of the fundraising team. This position will strategize annual plans to increase revenue above national standards; build, train, and inspire a team of fundraising professionals to execute the plan; and personally steward a portfolio of top-tier foundations and grant prospects.
As a member of the GraceWorks leadership team, the Director of Development must have an absolute belief in and commitment to the GraceWorks’ mission; collaborate and adapt with leadership team to achieve organization-wide priorities; and set an example for a Christ-centered and professional culture.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a fundraising strategy and calendar that addresses annual fund, major gifts, churches, businesses, grants, and events. Create annual department budget to execute strategy.
- Track and analyze fundraising progress to inform strategy. Utilize Salesforce to track success to goals for each team member. Analyze progress to inform changes to the strategy when necessary. Report on success to goals, performance over last year, and identifying challenges to VP of External Affairs and Board frequently.
- Inspire, manage, and support a team to achieve above-national-standard growth every year.
- Manage staff and contract fundraisers, providing clear goals, support, training, and accountability.
- Manage other development staff and contractors who support fundraising goals.
- Strategize long-term department growth that increases return-on-investment.
- Cooperate with Director of Marketing in the annual fund strategy, ensuring engagement plans for these donors are being fulfilled, approving appeals schedule, and motivating acquisition and retention efforts.
- Oversee church relations strategy with Church Relations Manager, developing church-centered partnership opportunities for volunteerism, giving, and benevolence partnerships.
- Oversee business relations strategy with Business Relations Manager to build corporate partnership structures that motivate long-term partnership.
- Personally steward and oversee the grant program strategy with contractor(s). Identifying new potential funders and approve grant and funder report drafts.
- Oversee fundraising events and committees to rapidly scale events. With Event Manager, make final decisions on venue, program, themes, vendors, etc.
- Engage with the Board of Directors to advance the Development income.
- Assist VP of External Affairs in leading Development Sub-Committee. Set committee priorities to advance income and fully utilize board connections and skills to increase GraceWorks’ network of support.
- Assist VP of External Affairs in providing the Board of Directors with information and opportunities to engage in fundraising.
- Work with Director of Marketing to plan a harmonious communications schedule that keeps donors informed, facilitated segmented appeals, and allows Marketing to serve Operations and Neighbor Services needs.
- With VP of External Affairs assist planning and execution of upcoming capital campaign for a permanent home.
- Keep VP of External Affairs informed of fundraising progress and involved in large strategy or event changes.
- Able to react to change productively and handle all other duties/essential tasks as assigned.
The Director of Development must support GraceWorks Ministries' mission and values wholeheartedly and be excited to work in a nonprofit Christian environment. This position must prioritize a dignified Neighbor experience first for those we serve, and for donors, volunteers, and staff. As a leadership team member, the Director of Development must exhibit excellence, commitment, accountability, and grace-centered leadership.
Experience
- Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, nonprofit management, or related fields.
- Minimum five years’ experience building and leading a fundraising, sales, or marketing team and demonstrating competency in a comprehensive development program.
- Master’s degree in related field or CFRE is a strongly preferred.
- Experience with a capital campaign is a plus, experience with a donor CRM and Salesforce is a plus.
Fundraising
- A strong understanding and experience in all areas of fundraising: major gifts, annual giving, businesses/sponsorships, churches, grants and events.
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Excellent listening skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals.
- Knowledge of communications, marketing, and social media.
- Highly developed organizational, planning, and reporting skills.
- Strong analytical, statistical, and reasoning abilities
- Experience in creating development plans and accountability systems.
- Experience with organization-wide strategic planning.
- An excellent storyteller.
- Excellent writing and speaking skills.
- Mature Christian strong in their faith
- Remains calm under pressure, an optimistic leader in adversity.
- Results-oriented with the ability to balance other ministry considerations.
- Energized by change, a self-starter that expects growth.
- Strategic, tactful, mature with strong problem-solving skills and sound judgment, manages conflict constructively.
- Sees and assumes the best intentions of donors.
- Excellent Microsoft office skills with the ability to produce robust reports and graphs in Excel, donor pieces in Word, and presentations in PowerPoint.
- Experience in Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint is a plus.
- Business Manager
- Church Manager
- Major Gifts Officer
- Grant Writer
- Contractors: Event Manager, Grant Writers
Compensation for the Director of Development includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience ($100,000 - $110,000) and an excellent package of employee benefits which includes medical, dental, vision, retirement, professional development, leave and holidays.
Work Environment
This position has a shared office space with consistent work hours from 8:30am–5:00pm, Requires frequent offsite meetings with donors. Required extended schedules during fundraising event weeks. The position is in an office setting involving everyday risks or discomforts requiring standard safety precautions.
To Apply
Interested applicants should send a resume and a statement of interest to Ryan Rasmussen, Partner & Recruiter at [email protected].
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice to meet the needs of the organization. Employment at GraceWorks Ministries is at-will, meaning that either the employee or the organization may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
GraceWorks Ministries is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and supportive of all employees. In alignment with our Christian mission, all staff are expected to support and contribute to the values and vision of the organization.
Recruiting Team
Reach out to learn more or nominate a qualified candidate.
