THE ORGANIZATION

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Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is a progressive, multi-denominational seminary and center for social justice that prepares spiritually rooted leaders with the vision, resilience and skill to create a world where all can thrive. PSR is home to Ignite Institute (a leadership innovation lab), the Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion (shaping a new public discourse on religion, gender and sexuality), and the Badé Museum of Biblical Archaeology. 

 

Adjacent to the University of California at Berkeley campus, PSR is a member of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), an ecumenical and interfaith consortium of seminaries, centers and institutes.  PSR provides an education that is intellectually challenging, culturally pluralistic, and morally and spiritually enriching. It is a distinctive community, marked by the diversity of its students, faculty, staff, administration and partners. Close to 150 students are active in the school’s graduate and leadership programs, representing a broad range of cultural and ethnic heritages, spiritual backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations, hailing from all over the US and abroad. In addition to accredited degree programs, PSR offers leadership programs and flexible learning opportunities to students, community members, and organizations. More than 2,800 alumni are leaders in religious communities and social change agencies in the US and around the world.

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THE POSITION

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The vice president for development will be responsible for creating and implementing a strategic and comprehensive development plan that includes annual giving, major gifts, foundation relations, planned giving and development operations. Reporting to the president, the vice president is an important member of PSR’s management team, working closely with a dedicated group of educational, religious and business professionals and volunteers to guide the school under its strategic vision for the future.

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The vice president will manage a full-time associate director of development and a half-time development associate. They will collaborate with the vice president for enrollment and marketing and PSR’s communications staff to coordinate alumni and development communications as well as elements of PSR’s community and public relations activities. The vice president will also work closely with the executive directors of PSR’s centers who are engaged in fundraising as part of their overall responsibilities. The ideal candidate will care deeply about how spiritually rooted and values-based leaders can shape and transform our world. They will be a strong leader, comfortable in a small shop environment and excited by the opportunity to help PSR realize its philanthropic potential.  

 

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

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• Develop and lead a comprehensive and diversified development strategy to grow PSR’s revenue base. Design a long-term fundraising plan that includes annual, major and planned giving, institutional giving, events, alumni relations and development communications and operations

• Strengthen PSR’s major gifts program, working closely with the president on major donor identification, engagement, and solicitation and building trustee and other volunteers' abilities in major donor and institutional funder engagement

• Create and oversee programs to develop and engage alumni, congregations and denominational partners, and other individuals and institutions in growing fundraising support

• Oversee use of Raiser’s Edge ReNXT donor database and gift processing by staff; ensure smooth functioning of donor recognition systems and reporting

• Work closely with the vice president for enrollment and marketing and the communications manager to design effective development communications. Ensure the effectiveness of PSR’s website for use by the philanthropic community and develop ways to facilitate and increase online giving through different channels

• Develop and implement strategies to increase the pipeline of planned gifts to ensure long-term support. Oversee efforts to promote planned giving opportunities in the community

• Working with the associate director of development, oversee PSR’S annual appeal program. Design opportunities to acquire new donors to increase operating support  

• Build PSR’s fundraising infrastructure to increase giving, steward donors and ensure adequate operational support for PSR fundraisers, staff and volunteers

• Oversee an effective donor relations and stewardship program; create new opportunities, including the alumni gatherings and other events, for donor and volunteer engagement

• Manage the development budget. Ensure best practice use of analytics, data, and metrics to track progress and success of fundraising strategies and tactics

• Ensure that PSR cultivates and maintains a culture of philanthropy that encourages participation in the engagement, solicitation, and stewardship of individual and institutional donors and organizational partners

 

 

CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

 

Experience
 

• At least six years of progressively responsible fundraising experience managing key functional areas of the development program

• Experience undertaking and successfully implementing both short- and long-term strategic plans that include goals, metrics and deliverables

• At least three years of experience working with and raising support from major donors, including effective moves management, conducting personal solicitations and stewarding philanthropic relationships

• Experience raising capital and/or program support from institutional funders, particularly foundations and a track record of successful grant submissions

• Experience in resource management, budget development, and reforecasting

• Experience with capital and/or endowment campaigns is desirable

• Proven experience serving in the role of resource/coach/mentor to board members and colleagues and leveraging board/volunteer relationships to maximize development opportunities and strengthen capabilities in fundraising, consultation, and advocacy

• Experience in and a tangible record of meeting annual fundraising goals

• Experience with alumni relations programs, a plus

 

Education

 

• A Bachelor’s degree is required. Additional studies or certification in fundraising or nonprofit management are desirable.

 

COMPETENCIES/ATTRIBUTES

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The successful professional will have or be:
 

• Entrepreneurial with a creative approach to finding new funding opportunities and partnerships

• Proficient with donor databases (Raiser's Edge and ReNXT are currently used) and related technology, prospect research and donor metrics to further program effectiveness

• Skilled communicator and thoughtful negotiator with good listening skills and sensitivity to diverse perspectives

• Comfortable with the collaborative decision-making approach of the school and in partnering with members of the administrative team

• An interest in and appreciation for theological education focused on leadership and action in social transformation

• Open, supportive, and encouraging leadership style with the ability to create and maintain a collegial, positive and productive work environment and to motivate and mentor staff, PSR leadership and volunteers

• Strong financial skills, including the ability to develop and review budgets and to develop management reports that present a clear financial picture of fundraising activities

• Understanding of current trends in philanthropy and the ability to recommend new or different approaches to increase donors, contributions and identify new opportunities

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

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This is a full-time, exempt position. A competitive salary and generous employee benefits package will be offered. To be considered for this position or for additional information on the opportunity, please contact or send resume to:

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David N. Randall
Principal

Randall Search Associates

415 767 3814

david@randallsearchassociates.com

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PSR is one of the most diverse educational institutions in the country.  It fully and actively supports equal opportunity for all people, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation. PSR seeks candidates with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, academic excellence, community building, and meaningful connection with historically underrepresented groups of people and institutions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.