Donor Relations Associate

adventistmediaministries; Tennessee; On-site; USD 25,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

It Is Written is seeking a Donor Relations Associate to support donors through timely communication, process donations, and resolve inquiries. This full-time, 38-hour weekly role is based in Tennessee and emphasizes building meaningful donor relationships in line with the church's mission.

Responsibilities include maintaining donor information in the database, processing gifts, drafting acknowledgments, and coordinating with the Development team to recognize donor impact.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; bachelor’s preferred.
• Minimum 2 years in customer service, development, philanthropy or fundraising.
• Experience with donor databases is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Respond to donor inquiries by phone, email, text, and in person.
• Process donations and ensure accurate gift tracking.
• Maintain donor records and confidentiality.
• Support donor stewardship and recognition programs.

Skills

Donor relations

Communication

Data entry

Microsoft Office

Customer focus

Team player

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

CRM software

Job description

Position Title: Donor Relations Associate Employment Status: Full-Time – 38 hours

Internal Class Title: Department Assistant I Job Classification: C 7.17

Department: Development Wage Class: Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Accountable to: Assoc Director of Development Date Updated: December 2025

Position Summary:

The Donor Relations Associate serves donors through timely and thoughtful communication, accurately processing donations, troubleshooting donor inquiries or issues, and working with other department staff to build meaningful donor relationships. It is crucial that this position supports the mission and values of It Is Written by exemplifying the values and beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in all interactions.

Authority & Accountability:

Authority as delegated by and accountable to the Associate Director of Development in accordance with It Is Written’s policies and objectives.

Essential Position Functions:

• Respond promptly to donor inquiries and requests by answering phone calls and monitoring email, text, and other communication channels.
• Maintain and update donor information in the database ensuring accuracy of donor records.
• Maintain donor confidentiality and privacy of information at all times.
• Process donations from donors and ensure timely and accurate gift tracking and acknowledgments.
• Prepare necessary paperwork and documentation for delivery to Accounting/Treasury.
• Participate in opening and sorting daily mail, balancing each batch of mail with appropriate documentation, and entering batches into the database under the proper donor file.
• Assist in executing donor stewardship plans, ensuring donors are recognized and kept informed of the organization’s impact.
• Collaborate with other team members to maintain department documents, instruction manuals, process improvements, and inter-departmental reminders.
• Assist on-site donors with inquiries, needs, or to take and process donations.
• Support donor retention efforts by organizing and coordinating donor recognition initiatives and personalized communications.
• Be available to meet in person for Development team meetings, project meetings, and in collaboration with team members from other departments.
• Maintain interdepartmental communication regarding donor records in collaboration with other departments.
• Perform daily responsibilities in accordance with the Development Department Policies and Procedures book.
• Provide telephone support to various departments as needed to ensure prompt and professional response to incoming calls.
• Fulfill other related responsibilities and duties as assigned.

Position Specifications:

Education:

• A high school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred.

Experience:

• Preferred: Two (2) years of experience in customer service, development, philanthropy, or fundraising.

Membership and Mission:

• Embrace the mission and values of It Is Written and be a member in good standing of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Skills, scope, and complexity of duties:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Suite.
• Proficient in Raiser’s Edge, preferred.
• Enjoys and is adept at serving donors through a variety of communication methods (e.g. phone, email, text, and in-person).
• Ability to multitask with excellent time-management skills.
• Needs to possess a keen eye for accuracy and be detail-oriented.
• Must be empathetic toward donors and have an honest and service-oriented attitude.
• Needs to be a self-starter who can demonstrate flexibility and good judgment while being a team player.
• Understand or be willing to receive training on a continual basis.
• Able to exhibit Christ-like behavior in daily tasks, collaborative projects, and under stress.

Skills, scope, and complexity of duties:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and/or Google Suite.
• Proficient in Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, which is the current donor database software, is preferred.
• Enjoys and is adept at serving donors through a variety of communication methods (e.g. phone, email, text, and in-person).
• Ability to multitask with excellent time-management skills.
• Possess tact and discretion with a keen eye for accuracy and be detail-oriented.
• Must be empathetic toward donors and have an honest and service-oriented attitude.
• Needs to be a self-starter who can demonstrate flexibility and good judgment while being a team player.
• Understand or be willing to receive training on a continual basis.
• Able to exhibit Christ-like behavior in daily tasks, collaborative projects, and under stress.

Interpersonal Relationships:

• At It Is Written:

Positions:

• President
• Manager/Treasurer
• Director of Marketing and Development
• Associate Director of Development
• Development staff
• General office staff

Outside of It Is Written:

• It Is Written customers, donors, vendors, guests, and volunteers.

Working Conditions:

• General working conditions of an office.
• Occasional moderate to high stress levels due to meeting critical deadlines.
• Prolonged sitting, computer viewing, and repetitive motion from keyboard & mouse use.

Specific Requirements:

• Hourly, 38 regular hours per week.
• May require variable hours and weekend work.
• No special clothing or safety gear required.
• Business casual attire required.