National Director of Principal Gifts - 2025728

Organization Summary

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish. Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.

Position Summary

The National Director of Principal Gifts is a senior‑level fundraising leader responsible for securing transformational philanthropic investments—typically $1 million and above—from ultra‑high‑net‑worth partners nationwide. Reporting to the Vice President of Strategic Engagement, this role plays a critical part in advancing World Relief’s mission by cultivating deep, trust‑based relationships with donors who feel called to invest significantly in God’s work in the world’s greatest crises. This role serves as both a front‑line principal gifts officer and a strategic partner to executive leadership, collaborating closely with the CEO, senior leaders, and board members. The National Director invites partners into bold expressions of generosity by faithfully stewarding relationships, articulating compelling opportunities for impact, and grounding fundraising practice in a distinctly Christian theology of generosity.

Role & Responsibilities

Principal Gifts Fundraising & Relationship Management

• Manage a national portfolio of 25-40 ultra‑high‑net‑worth donors and prospects with the capacity to make seven‑figure gifts.
• Lead partners through the full principal gift engagement cycle—qualification, cultivation, solicitation, commitment, and stewardship—resulting in transformational philanthropy.
• Design and execute customized, donor‑centric strategies that align partner passions with World Relief’s mission, strategies, and funding priorities.
• Secure principal‑level outright gifts that advance national, global, and programmatic initiatives through accountability to lead indicator targets and revenue goals.

Faith‑Centered Donor Engagement

• Integrate personal faith in Jesus Christ into donor relationships with authenticity, humility, and pastoral sensitivity.
• Engage partners spiritually as appropriate, recognizing philanthropy as both a calling and an invitation into faithful Kingdom participation.
• Demonstrate pastoral care and spiritual leadership in conversations with partners, particularly as they discern significant generosity.
• Embrace and model World Relief’s fundraising values, including those articulated in Henri Nouwen’s The Spirituality of Fundraising, treating donors as partners—not means to an end.

Strategic Partnership with Leadership & Board

• Partner closely with the CEO, VP SED, and senior leaders in developing cultivation and solicitation strategies for top‑tier partners.
• Prepare and deliver high‑impact proposals and presentations to inspire principal-level investments.