Job Opening

International Development Officer (Western Region)

Learn more about working for Cross International

Status: Full-time, exempt

Department: Advancement

Reports to: Vice President of Development

Location: Remote; travel 4-10 days per month within western states; including at least 15 days per year in Southern California and 6 days per year in South Florida; travel to Central America, the Caribbean, and/or Africa 1-3 times per year

Position Summary:

The International Development Officer (IDO) – Western Region, will steward and grow a portfolio of 150 major donors. Major donors give at least $5,000 annually.

The primary goals of this position are to:

Understand and meet the needs of donors so they choose to financially support the priority needs of the ministry work of Cross International (CI)
Grow the annual revenue of the portfolio to meet and exceed revenue goals to help fuel the ministry of CI
Be a source of connection for donors into the realities of the beneficiaries they are lifting from desperation to self-sufficiency
Contribute to the success of the Advancement Work Group; serve as a trusted advisor to the Vice President of Development for designing plans and materials for the whole pool of major donors

The IDO’s portfolio will be comprised of donors who live in the western United States and come from all walks of life; nearly all are Christian, and the majority are older than 50. The ability to cultivate the interest of busy people with a wide range of perspectives will be critical for success.

The key objectives are to maximize the giving of all and develop strong relationships between donors and CI. Donors will be engaged by mail, email, phone, and personal visits, to build relationships and foster support for the financial needs of CI. As part of relationship development is inquiring about personal needs, praying with and for donors is an important part of this role. It is important that the IDO is comfortable praying with colleagues and donors. Some donor communication materials, such as greeting cards and project reports, will be supplied and the IDO will also produce materials to share. All communication with donors should be in as personal a format as possible.

For the success of the Advancement Department, it will be important for the IDO to note all donor communications in our CRM/database. Working with a database is typically the least engaging part of a fund-raiser’s work, but it is critically important for success.

While prioritizing the maximization of the current portfolio, the IDO is expected to also prospect and cultivate new donors. It will be important for the IDO to encourage donors to host small-scale special events to build the profile among philanthropic Christians in the region. The IDO will be responsible for leading the execution of the events, with support from CI leadership.

As a part of the tight-knit Advancement Work Group, the IDO will bring a team-first approach to the position, including an enthusiastic willingness to share input for planning and contribute to the success of special events and other projects.

Required knowledge, and Required Competencies:

Fundraising, marketing, or sales experience
Excellent interpersonal skills
An active spiritual life and willingness to share that and lead others in prayer
An understanding of the contemporary influences within North American evangelical churches and the worldwide Church
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Neat handwriting
Excellent time management skills and ability to put in extra time as needed during the fourth quarter
Familiarity with social media platforms
Understanding of basic event planning for small cocktail parties and dinners
Ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and cultivate long-term relationships
Self-motivation and appreciation for working with a goal in mind
Comfort engaging people on the phone and via video calls and personal meetings
Skills for requesting appointments and funding support; a passion for closing agreements
Ability to reset priorities to meet deadlines
Ability to tactfully lead gift discussions with individuals, couples, and groups
Proficiency with Outlook, Word, Excel, and Zoom, and comfort with Power Point and CRM software, as well as ability to learn new software and navigate common business use IT issues
Collaborative skill for working with other departments to meet donors’ needs

Desired Skills and Abilities

Passion for creative problem solving
A sound working knowledge of fundraising principles or sales processes
Knowledge of or interest in international affairs in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa
Economical and efficient skill in business travel
Ability to accompany donors on international vision trips

Educational Requirements

A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, international studies, non-profit administration, creative writing, or a related field
Fluency in Spanish or Haitian Creole would be helpful but is not required

General Requirements:

Christian faith and active membership in a Christian church as a contributing part of a local body of believers
Deep desire, a calling, to serve the world’s most vulnerable people
Ideal candidates would thrive in and be able to perform in a growing and changing workplace
High energy and passion for the CI mission
The ability to take challenges in stride and share humor with co-workers
Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to influence and engage a wide range external and internal audiences
High energy and passion for the CI mission is essential, in order to motivate contacts
May work from CI headquarters or remotely within the United States
Ability to effectively work remotely from a home office, with extensive travel (as current travel policy and office conditions allow in relation to COVID-19 and where you are based).
Resourcefulness for planning and arranging travel while carefully stewarding CI’s financial resources (all travel is dependent on CI’s travel policy, which may be subject to change due to security concerns and COVID-19 requirements)

Equality of Opportunity Statement

Cross International, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any type with regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Please submit your resume by email to HR@CrossInternational.org and include the title of the position in the subject line. Please be sure to include a cover letter detailing your spiritual background.