Regional Director of Donor Relations

Position: Regional Director of Donor Relations

Location: Bentonville, AR office

Status: Full time, Exempt

Reports to: Chief Development Officer

Join our Team in the heart of Northwest Arkansas! Water for Good is a faith-based, non-profit organization committed to creating a future where no one dies from a preventable WASH-related disease. Water for Good transforms lives through sustainable access to safe water and improved sanitation and hygiene in the places that need it most. Water for Good currently serves in Cambodia, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Position Overview

The Regional Director of Donor Relations will serve a portfolio of qualified major donors and prospects. The position will be responsible for donor research, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, retention, and will ensure that donors are invited to participate and engage in the work and outreach of Water for Good. 

The Regional Director of Donor Relations will manage the Donor Relations Manager position and the Community Outreach Coordinator position. The Director will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, ensuring productivity, and fostering a positive work environment for these two employees.  

Primary Responsibilities

Manage ~100 relationships from varied accounts that represent individuals, churches, businesses, and foundations to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward these relationships through excellent 12-month planning and intentional outreach. 

Create and execute a market-centric business plan for portfolio to reach annual revenue targets, and implement personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor in the portfolio. 

Independently plan and execute annual travel calendar to ensure proper care of donor relationships, as well as mobilize and accompany donors to visit Water for Good programs in Africa or Asia, as needed.  

Identify major gift referral prospects by executing a robust referral strategy with established partners. 

Draft major donor gift proposals and solicit major gifts from individuals, churches, corporate partners, and foundations. 

Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors who have announced a commitment to planned giving. 

Recruit, train, and support key influencers who assist in advancement efforts. 

Steward and acknowledge donor gifts in a timely and personally appropriate manner, ensuring that donors feel appreciated and understand the significance of their gifts and partnership. 

Actively contribute to development strategies and Development team initiatives, making recommendations related to donor care and program strategies. 

Facilitate meetings with high-impact donors with Water for Good’s CEO and Sr. Leadership. 

Perform all related administrative duties including but not limited to ensuring that records/contacts on the database are maintained accurately and continuously entered, all financial and administrative reports are submitted in a timely manner. 

Manage one or more employees by providing workflow direction, feedback, coaching, performance reviews, interviewing, hiring, and any other managerial duties as needed to maximize the potential of the employee, in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. 

Other duties as assigned. 

Work Experience and Qualifications 

Required Qualifications: 

Passion for Water for Good’s mission of transforming lives through sustainable access to safe water, and improved sanitation and hygiene in places that need it most. 

Adherence to Water for Good’s statement of faith. 

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience from an accredited institution. 

5+ years in a nonprofit fundraising role, with demonstrated ability of closing 5 and 6-figure gifts. 

Experience managing and supporting employees, including performance management and conflict resolution. 

Proficiency with Salesforce, or a similar CRM donor database. 

Excellent writing and verbal communication skills. 

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, and emotional intelligence, with the ability to engage and inspire donors. 

Knowledge of fundraising best practices, philanthropy trends, and ethical practices. 

Legally eligible to work in the United States; no sponsorship will be provided. 

 Preferred Qualifications:

Experience using project management software, such as Asana. 

Experience using wealth screening tools, such as DonorSearch. 

Physical Qualifications:

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 

Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times. 

Travel:

Domestic and international travel between 30-40%.

Why work here?

The mission: Join a team that is motivated to see the end of the global water crisis for good.

The culture: Daily prayer and devotions with staff, hybrid schedule for a work-life balance, a pet friendly office space.

The benefits: Receive 18 days of PTO accrual, 14 paid holidays, healthcare coverage package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, 401k matching, and paid parental leave.