Director of Development

ORGANIZATION

The Colossian Forum ("TCF") is dedicated to equipping Christians to display the beauty of Christ right at the heart of our most painful conflicts, teaching believers to talk, discern, and act together as Christians in faithful ways that our divided world can no longer imagine. TCF has fine‑tuned innovative practices for helping Christian organizations (like churches, schools, and nonprofits) face the challenges stemming from internal or external conflicts.

Through thought‑leadership and programming—including public events, small‑group curricula, leader training and coaching, and intentional relationships—we prove that divisive issues can become catalysts to build healthy and life‑giving communities that are growing in love of God and neighbor.

As a young yet well‑established nonprofit ministry, TCF is positioned to grow dramatically over the next few years both in size and influence. Our vision is for transformed Christian communities—transformed from places of combative polarization (and losing credibility with young people and in larger society) to places that are charitable, thoughtful, and able to engage tough problems. Communities that know that even in disagreements, "all things hold together in Christ" (Col.

1:17).

We are seeking a passionate, relational, missional, and highly motivated Director of Development ("Director") to lead TCF into our next stage of organizational development as we aim to become financially self‑sustaining through the growth of a vibrant community of donors.

TCF has a faithful base of both individual donors and foundation partners, and the Director will have ample opportunities to mature that base with dynamic and proven development best practices while leveraging TCF’s unique and inspirational mission to build meaningful long‑term relationships with a wide variety of people across the ideological spectrum.

This position offers the opportunity to bear witness to the growing fruit of the Spirit in people’s lives as the Church is transformed more fully into the likeness of Christ even in the midst of conflict and difference. Working alongside passionate and talented colleagues, the Director will have the chance to grow professionally and personally as they undertake purposeful work for God’s Kingdom.

The Director will be responsible for developing and executing TCF’s strategy to cultivate a diverse portfolio of individual donors and foundation partners. Segments include, but are not limited to: general, mid‑level, and major donors as well as foundation, organizational, and corporate partners—with an emphasis on individuals and institutions whose values are strategically aligned with those of TCF. The Director will also assist in cultivating and following up with select partners in the President’s portfolio of donors, thus maintaining alignment with relationship strategies and outcomes.

These responsibilities will be achieved primarily through the following essential functions:

• Actively manage and engage a portfolio of donors by emphasizing relationships and giving appropriate attention to prospect capacity and solicitation strategy as donors are moved through the donor cycle.
• Work collaboratively with the President and Board of Directors to determine long‑term development objectives and create and manage strategic and detailed plans to meet those objectives.
• Establish annual fundraising priorities and KPIs to ensure progress toward TCF’s development objectives, including creating and providing monthly reports to management on the status of development activities and results.
• Oversee semiannual funding appeals to reach TCF’s solicitation goals.
• Develop and execute strategies to identify and cultivate donor prospects in order to generate funding for TCF’s fundraising initiatives, including capital campaigns.
• Engage donors and other funding partners to help secure major gifts and support the President in cultivating a portfolio of major donors and foundations.
• Lead, coach, manage, and support the Development Manager in their day‑to‑day work as a fundraising professional.
• Oversee all aspects of fundraising and cultivation events,…