Associate Director of Individual Giving and Donor Relations

Central is a multicultural, multilingual seminary with students learning with us from 35 states and 9 countries. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to creating an inclusive learning environment where students from varied ethnic, geographical, and theological backgrounds can pursue postsecondary seminary education that is accessible, affordable, and relevant.

While our administrative building is in Overland Park, Kansas, the seminary has 8 additional sites in 5 other states and 1 other country. In the fall of 2026, Central enrolled 405 students in certificate, diploma, master, and doctoral level programs, which are currently offered in English, Kachin, and Korean.

In recent years, our seminary has been on the leading edge of providing theological education that is inclusive of technological proficiency, and currently most course offerings are provided virtually.

Central Seminary is seeking an Associate Director of Individual Giving and Donor Relations to strengthen relationships with Central’s growing community of donors and help individuals deepen their engagement and investment in Central’s mission. Reporting to the Senior Director of Development, the Associate Director will lead Central’s annual giving, mid-level giving, monthly giving, and donor stewardship efforts, while helping identify and cultivate donors with the potential for deeper philanthropic engagement.

The Associate Director will combine strong writing, relationship building, and project management skills to develop compelling fundraising and stewardship communications that inspire donors to give and stay connected to Central’s mission. This individual will lead annual fundraising campaigns, manage donor communication, and identify and develop stories that demonstrate the impact of philanthropy.

Working closely with the Senior Director of Development, Development Operations Manager, and Senior Director of Brand Advancement and Alumni Engagement, the Associate Director will help ensure that donor communications and engagement strategies are coordinated, compelling, and aligned with Central’s broader messaging and fundraising priorities.

The Associate Director can expect their work to include:

• Leading the strategy and execution of Central’s annual giving program, including strategies to acquire, renew, retain, and upgrade donors
• Developing and implementing integrated fundraising campaigns across direct mail, email, social media, and other channels in collaboration with Central’s development and communications teams
• Managing a portfolio of mid-level donors, building relationships that deepen their engagement and increase their philanthropic support over time
• Leading Central’s monthly giving program, including strategies to acquire, retain, steward, and upgrade recurring donors
• Using donor data and giving patterns to identify opportunities to deepen engagement, including identifying donors with major gift potential and partnering with the Senior Director of Development to transition those relationships into the major gift program

• Developing and implementing donor stewardship strategies and experiences that demonstrate the impact of giving, strengthen relationships, and encourage continued support
• Serving as a primary point of contact for individual donors and responding to donor questions and requests in a timely and thoughtful manner
• Partnering with the Development Operations Manager to ensure stewardship activities and donor touchpoints are implemented consistently and effectively

• Developing compelling donor-focused content for fundraising campaigns, stewardship, proposals, email, social media, web, print, and other development needs
• Managing…