Senior Director of Church Engagement

Job Description

Buckner International Location: Buckner International Support Center

Location: Dallas, TX - Hybrid

Address:12377 Merit Drive, Suite 900

Job Schedule: Full-Time

We are seeking a Senior Director of Church Engagementtojoin our development team .As a Senior Director of Church Engagement, leads strategic church partnerships to advance Buckner’s mission through financial support and ministry engagement. 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:

• Create and maintain a system of engaging and tracking church relationships, with the goal of financial support.
• Develop processes that most effectively engage churches and coordinate with Development systems at Buckner.
• Focus on securing churches in a collaborative effort to engage in permanency efforts for children in the foster care system.
• Engage with other Buckner departments (Program Development, BCFS Operations, Volunteer Management, Missions, Shoes for Orphan Souls and Humanitarian Aid, among others) in collaborative planning regarding churches engaged with our work.
• Manage and maintain the expense budget for Church Engagement in alignment with the Development budget and the overall Buckner International budget.
• Manage an assigned portfolio of churches for the purpose of supporting them and engaging them in the many different ministry-based options Buckner provides.
• Develop and implement engagement strategies for assigned churches in portfolio. This includes identifying, cultivating, recognizing and maintaining a relationship with churches.  This is done successfully by intentionally exposing them to Buckner ministry programs and engaging them as fully as possible.  It also includes promoting resources and materials provided through Buckner Church Engagement.
• Connect with churches in a consistent and strategic manner. Engage church staff and lay leadership more fully in Buckner ministries in order to deepen the relationship.
• Promote and encourage churches to participate in Buckner mission trips and service opportunities both domestically and internationally.
• Fully utilize tools and resources of Buckner International to establish cultivation strategies and make calls, with Buckner staff or alone, on individuals and churches. Calls will promote Buckner and opportunities for the church to engage in existing ministry resources and ministries opportunities provided by Buckner.
• Prepare written engagement and funding proposals as needed.
• Identify individuals within churches who have an affinity for Buckner and the estimated ability to support Buckner ministries and introduce them to the appropriate Development Team member as needed.
• Understand Buckner service offerings in detail in order to effectively communicate the value added for churches, church-related organization and ministry partners.
• Collaborate across departmental lines to more effectively engage churches in our ministries.
• Report and record all activity with churches in Virtuous. This includes telephone calls, emails, correspondence and personal visits.
• Participate in mission trips with specific churches, as requested.
• Ensure communication process and information is clear and effective between Buckner and all churches and ministry partners.
• Speak to groups, churches, organizations, and other related groups about the ministries of Buckner and ways the church may engage.
• Liaison to community, churches, and church-related organizations; speak in public on behalf of Buckner.
• Coordinate contacts with donors and Internationals in conjunction with the International staff. Appropriately respond to inquiries from potential donors, media, churches, agencies and other community groups.
• Cultivate and monitor relationships with outside service providers, consultants, agencies and organizations to develop relationships to enhance the delivery of services to clients.
• Develop emerging leadership through professional growth and development.

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:

• Requires in-depth understanding of a comprehensive field of knowledge as evidenced by the attainment of a Bachelor’s Degree in a related field. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
• Requires 10 or more years of successful experience working with churches, relationship management, or a closely related performance area. A particular understanding of churches, religious organizations and/or other church-related organizations is required.
• Requires proficient ability to speak, read and write English. Ability to speak, read, and write Spanish preferred.
• Requires prior experience preparing and presenting project proposals.
• Requires a strong sense of diplomacy and demonstrated success in developing strong collaborative relationships with organizational peers and outside colleagues. Requires ability to relate positively, influentially, and sensitively to a broad spectrum of persons in a variety of multi-tiered relationships and settings.
• Requires ability to relate cross-culturally in various cultural contexts.
• Requires recognized ability to meet multiple deadlines by maintaining a high level of organization.
• Requires demonstrated strong analytical skills, including an ability to synthesize large amounts of information and to focus quickly on the essence of an issue; strong commitment to producing measurable results.
• Requires ability to function in a fast-paced, high volume, multi-faced, results-oriented work environment and to analyze issues, identify priorities, manage projects and make decisions expeditiously.
• Requires experience developing, directing and managing multiple projects and implementing strategic program goals.
• Requires ability to provide strategic and logistical planning and facilitate meetings and presentations as required.
• Requires ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Requires proficient ability to exhibit detail-oriented skills necessary to understand and manage a wide-range of information.
• Proficient working knowledge and ability to accurately and timely operate and perform computer related tasks with specific equipment and software applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, required.
• Requires ability to drive assigned vehicle(s) or personal vehicle, with appropriate state license, following all laws applicable; must provide proof of liability insurance and must be eligible to be insured under Buckner’s insurance policy. Must be age 21 or older to drive on behalf of Buckner

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.