Overview

Founded by the merger of Gordon Divinity School at Gordon College and Conwell School of Theology at Temple University in 1969, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary provides a globally respected graduate theological education in the Protestant tradition. A Gordon-Conwell education is marked by academic rigor, biblical grounding, missional focus, contextual relevance, practical application, and spiritual formation. It is provided by distinguished faculty across multiple sites and learning modalities. It is equipping nearly 1,400 Christian leaders from 55 countries who represent the denominational and ethnic diversity of the church. These men and women will join over 12,000 alumni who serve in all 50 U.S. states and over 100 nations around the world in ministries to advance Christ’s Kingdom.

Advancement is a team of 14 professionals who grow support through the offices of Development, Alumni Engagement, Partnership Program, and Advancement Services. This support helps equip Christian leaders to advance Christ’s Kingdom. The gifts, prayers, testimonies, endorsements, and volunteering of our alumni and friends make this ministry preparation possible. The seminary is in the midst of The Equip Campaign, an endeavor to secure $27 million in annual student scholarships from 2024 through 2030.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement (VPA), the Assistant Vice President of Principal Gifts (AVP) is responsible for managing relationships with a national, dynamic portfolio of approximately 100 donors and prospects capable of giving $250,000 and more over five years toward strategic philanthropic opportunities at Gordon-Conwell. The AVP is expected to generate an annual return of 15-20 times the investment in the position within three years. This role is unique at the seminary in its direct impact upon the future viability of a Gordon-Conwell education.

Key Responsibilities

• Annually solicit 15-25 current and planned gifts of $250,000 and more over five years. Develop multi-step prospect engagement plans for individuals to be solicited that elevate the value proposition of a bold gift request in the prospect’s mind, heart, and soul. Involve the President, VPA, Board of Trustees, Boards of Advisors, students, alumni, faculty, and prospect centers of influence in each prospect engagement plan. Devise compelling, multifaceted five-year gift proposals with the VPA, CFO, and Senior Director of Marketing and Communications that include specific gift requests. Proposals will include substantial annual gifts to student scholarships or operations. Gifts will be solicited in person, with those of $1 million and more preferably including the President, VPA, or a Board of Trustee. Closed gifts will be documented in gift agreements and recorded in Raiser’s Edge.

• Annually qualify 5-10 new individuals with an annual gift capacity of $1 million and more for development. Collaborate with the Senior Director of Development Programs to research each person’s gift capacity and identify centers of influence with close relations to Gordon-Conwell to facilitate and potentially participate in a qualification meeting. Discern the individual’s interests, particularly for investing at their capacity in the seminary’s mission. Thank unqualified individuals for their time and develop and document a prospect engagement plan in Raiser’s Edge.

• Annually develop and document prospect engagement plans in Raiser’s Edge for the remaining donors and prospects in the AVP’s portfolio. Engage each donor or prospect at least once in person, virtually, or by phone each year to fulfill one or more strategic engagement purposes. Document all strategic engagements in Raiser’s Edge. Strategic engagement purposes include:
  1. Invitation to participate in or help sponsor the Gordon-Conwell Summit or another strategic seminary event
  2. Cultivation of a current or deferred gift of $250,000 or more
  3. Solicitation of a five-year commitment of less than $250,000 for annual gifts to student scholarships or operations
  4. Solicitation of an estate provision of $1 million or more
  5. Stewardship of an existing gift commitment or legacy provision of $1 million or more
  6. For individuals of which these strategic engagement purposes cannot be fulfilled, they must be removed from the AVP’s portfolio and other forms of engagement will be pursued to steward the AVP’s valuable time

• Make 10-12 strategic engagements each month to fulfill the AVP’s prospect engagement plans for the fiscal year. These strategic engagements will include a mix of in-person, virtual, and phone contacts. Document all strategic engagements in Raiser’s Edge. Travel 6-10 days each month for in-person meetings with donors and prospects in portfolio and to also develop relationships with seminary administrators, board members, students, alumni, faculty, and centers of influence that will assist in prospect engagement plans.

• Participate in monthly Prospect Management Meetings with VPA, Director of Development, Assistant Director of Seminary Grants, and Senior Director of Development Programs. Report on prospect engagement plan activity, particularly solicitations and qualifications, and annual and overall giving projections of individuals in portfolio, including those the AVP manages for the President.

• Participate in bi-monthly Presidential Prospect Management Meetings with VPA and President. Strategize prospect engagement plans for donors and prospects that involve the President. Maintain a list of strategic engagements the President needs to complete.

• Participate virtually in weekly Advancement Update Meetings and Devotions Meetings, and quarterly Advancement Plan Meetings. Join the Annual Advancement Retreat in person.

• Commit to regularly pray for Gordon-Conwell and every donor and prospect entrusted to the AVP’s portfolio. Experience the full blessings God intends for the AVP, their donors and prospects, and the seminary through their relationships with one another.

• Manage travel budget and assume other duties as assigned.

Required Competencies

• Skill in developing relationships between Christian high net-worth individuals and a multiethnic, interdenominational, and biblically evangelical graduate theological seminary.
• Capacity to translate philanthropic passions into compelling and bold proposals for multi-faceted current and deferred gifts.
• Ability to counter nervousness of asking for a bold gift with the stewardship responsibility of presenting a significant Kingdom advancement opportunity through the seminary.
• Knowledge of various gift strategies and the value of each, including appreciated property, donor-advised funds, qualified IRA distributions, current and deferred gift annuities, and charitable remainder and lead trusts.
• Results-orientation and demonstrated success in achieving challenging goals.
• Strong interpersonal, writing, and speaking skills.
• Commitment to collegiality, diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communication with others.
• Commitment to the mission of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; evident Christian faith and practice and active involvement in the life of a local congregation.
• Proven ability to work in a matrixed environment, collaborating with all sites and departments of the seminary.
• Ability to juggle multiple and sometimes competing priorities.
• Professionalism and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

Educati on & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; graduate seminary degree preferred.
• 3-5 years of successful experience securing six and seven-figure gifts.
• Familiarity with, and experience working within the context of, Christian higher education, preferably in graduate theological education.

Application Process

Please apply through Gordon-Conwell’s Career Center available here: https://www.gordonconwell.edu/employment/

Please include these documents in either Microsoft Word or PDF formats:

• A cover letter addressed to Brian Gardner, Vice President of Advancement, explaining your interest in the position.
• A formal CV that includes the names of at least three references required.

No hard copy materials, please. Opportunities to interview will be made available at the search committee’s initiative. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.