Senior Gift Officer

Buckner International; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Buckner International is seeking a motivated Senior Gift Officer to cultivate, solicit, and steward donors within the Houston area. You will manage a diverse donor portfolio and lead development plans to support Buckner ministries and programs.

You will collaborate with Buckner leadership, staff, and volunteers to identify opportunities, prepare proposals, and advance campaigns. This role emphasizes relationship-building, compliance, and effective donor communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• 5–8 years of prior related experience in building and sustaining relationships.
• Experience developing and refining content for solicitations.
• Proven success in identifying, cultivating, and sustaining donor relationships that lead to contributions.
• CFRE certification is preferred.
• Knowledge of donor development laws and foundation grant processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage a donor development portfolio of individuals, churches, foundations, and other organizations.
• Develop and implement an annual development plan for donors and prospects.
• Support identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors for campaigns.
• Utilize Buckner resources to establish cultivation strategies and conduct calls and visits.
• Make qualification calls and visits to identify and cultivate donor relationships.
• Prepare written proposals to support direct solicitations.
• Support Buckner events and travel to visit donors and prospects.
• Collaborate with program staff and executives in cultivation and solicitation.
• Engage Buckner Board Members and Development Council Members in fundraising.
• Champion Buckner’s mission and ministry to donors and prospects.

Skills

Donor development

Relationship building

Fundraising

Education

Bachelor's degree

Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)

Job description

Buckner International Location: Buckner International Support Center Location: Houston, TX - Hybrid Address: 8600 Sweetwater Lane, Houston, TX 77037 Job Schedule: Full-Time

We are seeking a Senior Gift Officer to join our development team. As a Senior Gift Officer, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors and donor prospects capable of making commitments in the assigned region for all ministries and programs of Buckner International. Join our team and shine hope in the lives of others!

What You’ll Do

As a member of our team, you will have an impact on our clients through the accomplishment of the following responsibilities:

• Manage a donor development portfolio of individuals, churches, foundations, and other organizations, both donor and donor prospects.


• Develop and implement an annual development plan for donors and donor prospects assigned to the Gift Officer portfolio to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward.


• Support the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors for capital fund drives and other organizational campaigns as assigned.


• Fully utilize tools and resources of Buckner to establish cultivation strategies and conduct calls and visits with individuals, foundations, churches and corporations, with Buckner staff or individually, to promote Buckner and its program needs.


• Make qualification calls and visits to individuals, corporations, churches, foundations and other organizations for the purpose of identifying and then cultivating relationships that could lead to donations to Buckner ministries.


• Prepare written proposals to support direct solicitations.


• Support Buckner events and activities in assigned geographical areas and travel to visit donors and prospects as necessary


• Utilize, as appropriate, program staff and Executive Directors in the identification, cultivation and solicitation of prospects/donors.


• Utilize Buckner International Board Members and Buckner Development Council Members and other volunteers in the cultivation and solicitation of donors and donor prospects.


• Championing a greater understanding and awareness of Buckner’s mission and ministry among donors/prospects by intentionally managing relationships internally and externally.

What You’ll Bring to the Team

To be successful in this role and a great addition to our team we need you to come with the following:

• The ability to successfully identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and donor prospects in the assigned area for all Buckner ministries and programs. A bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.


• Minimum of 5 to 8 years prior related experience in building and sustaining relationships with constituents engaged with an organization.


• Requires prior related experience working with necessary parties to develop and refine content for solicitations.


• Requires proven successful experience in identifying, cultivating, and sustaining relationships that lead to financial or other contributions to an organization.


• Current certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive is preferred.


• Requires proficient working knowledge and experience in proposal writing, as well as knowledge of foundation grant writing processes.


• Proficient working knowledge of donor development, fundraising, and public relations laws and regulations governing agencies and employees.

The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the essential functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.

The same way we treat our employees is how we treat all applicants – with respect. Buckner is an equal opportunity employer (EEO is the law). You will be treated fairly throughout our recruiting process and without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status in consideration for a career at Buckner.