Development Gift Officer

Description

Position Summary

The Development Gift Officer plays a vital role in advancing the mission of Real Options by cultivating meaningful, relational, and professional relationships with donors, churches, community leaders, foundations, and ministry partners who are passionate about protecting life and strengthening families.

This position is responsible for managing and growing a donor portfolio through intentional relationship-building, strategic donor engagement, stewardship, fundraising initiatives, and development planning. The Development Gift Officer serves as a trusted ambassador for the ministry, helping connect individuals and organizations to the life-saving work and mission impact of Real Options.

In addition to frontline donor engagement, this role will help strengthen the organization’s overall development strategy through donor analysis, pipeline development, CRM management, and identifying opportunities for sustainable fundraising growth.

As part of a collaborative development team, this individual will report to the Chief Development Officer and contribute both relationally and strategically to expanding philanthropic support and long-term ministry impact.  The work is fast-paced and requires a seasoned, self-starter mindset.

Key Responsibilities

Donor Cultivation & Engagement

• Manage and grow a portfolio of approximately 100–150 donors and prospective supporters
• Build authentic, trust-based relationships that deepen donor engagement and long-term partnership
• Guide supporters through all stages of the donor lifecycle from identification and qualification through stewardship and continued partnership
• Increase donor investment, recurring giving, and overall engagement by creating meaningful opportunities for donors to experience the mission and impact of Real Options through:
  • Ministry tours and site visits
  • Donor appreciation gatherings
  • Church presentations
  • Community networking events
  • Leadership breakfasts, luncheons, and special events
  • Volunteer engagement opportunities
  • Collaborate with staff and leadership to effectively communicate ministry impact, compelling ministry stories, and organizational priorities that connect supporters to the mission in a polished, professional manner

Strategic Development & Pipeline Growth

• Assist in evaluating donor portfolios, donor segmentation, and donor engagement opportunities
• Help identify and prioritize high-potential donor prospects, increase dollars-per-donor, and emerging giving opportunities
• Support strategies for:
  • donor upgrades
  • lapsed donor re-engagement
  • recurring donor growth
  • employer matching opportunities
  • sponsorship development
  • church and community partnerships
  • Long-term donor retention
• Monitor donor pipeline movement and assist in developing sustainable cultivation strategies
• Contribute to development planning, fundraising analysis, and donor engagement reporting in a fast-paced environment requiring initiative and a self-starter approach

Fundraising & Stewardship

• Secure annual, major, and special gifts, in addition to grant opportunities, in support of organizational priorities and strategic initiatives
• Assist in presenting funding opportunities aligned with donor passions and ministry needs
• Support donor proposals, sponsorship opportunities, stewardship reports, and campaign materials
• Ensure timely donor acknowledgment, appreciation, and personalized stewardship communication
• Support fundraising campaigns, donor events, and strategic initiatives as assigned

CRM & Development Operations

• Utilize Real Options CRM database as the primary tool for donor relationship management
• Maintain accurate documentation of donor interactions, meeting notes, giving history, and next-step action plans
• Assist in developing sustainable CRM systems, reports, dashboards, and tracking methods for long-term internal use
• Monitor donor activity, engagement trends, and portfolio movement
• Generate reports and assist leadership in analyzing fundraising opportunities and donor engagement trends
• Support strong data integrity and development operations processes

Ministry Representation & Team Collaboration

• Serve as a visible and professional ambassador for Real Options within the community, representing the organization with a polished and relational presence
• Collaborate closely with development, marketing, outreach, and executive leadership teams
• Participate in strategic planning, team meetings, and ministry initiatives
• Support and uphold the mission, values, and faith-based culture of Real Options in all interactions

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role may be measured through:

• Fundraising revenue goals achieved
• Meaningful donor contacts and meetings completed
• Major gifts and sponsorships secured
• Donor retention and increased giving levels
• Growth in recurring donors and donor upgrades
• Identification of new qualified donor prospects      
• Donor engagement and pipeline movement
• Timely and accurate CRM documentation
• Donor event participation and engagement outcomes
• Implementation of Strategic development recommendations      

Work Environment

• Office-based with flexibility to work from home on occasion as approved by CDO. 
• Occasional attendance required at evening, weekend, and outdoor events with extended hours. Some events/tasks may involve lifting 25–50 lbs. 
• Monday-Friday schedule, with flexibility for evenings/weekends as needed. 
• Local travel for donor meetings, church engagement, and community events

Requirement

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations & portfolio management, ministry advancement, or relationship management
• Committed to Real Options’ mission with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, aligned with Real Options’ Statement of Faith, and pro-life values, including protecting life and strengthening families
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Ability to build authentic relationships and communicate mission with passion and professionalism
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative team environment
• Commitment to the mission and values of Real Options

Preferred

• Experience in nonprofit or faith-based fundraising
• Experience securing major gifts or sponsorships
• Knowledge of donor lifecycle management and moves management strategies
• Proficiency with CRM or donor management systems, Microsoft Office, Google Work Space
• Familiarity with donor analytics, pipeline reporting, and fundraising metrics
• Experience working with churches, ministry partners, or community organizations
• Experience with Virtuous CRM or similar donor management platforms

Key Characteristics

• Relational and ministry-minded
• Strategic thinker with initiative
• Self-starter with strong ownership mindset
• Seasoned, professional, and polished communicator
• Fast-paced adaptability with strong follow-through
• Professional, compassionate, and trustworthy
• Strong communicator and storyteller
• Organized with strong follow-through
• Collaborative team player