Director of Strategic Giving
Overview:
Open Eyes is a Christian mission organization working in some of the hardest places in the world. We partner with local leaders who are already part of their communities and support them as they bring the hope of the Gospel to places where Christian presence is limited.
For more than a decade, we have made long-term investments in local leaders, providing the practical resources, ongoing partnership, and training they need to reach their communities with steady, faithful witness. Through this support, they start and strengthen churches, disciple new believers, and care for those on the margins.
We do this through two primary initiatives:
- Mobile Messengers — local leaders equipped and resourced to share the Gospel and strengthen the Church.
- Life Centers — community-based ministry hubs providing healthcare, economic opportunity, and leadership development.
Organizationally, our core behaviors are: 1) Servant Leadership: We serve our teammates, field leaders, and donors, embodying the heart of our mission with kindness and intentionality, 2) Excellence: We strive for the highest quality in all we do, 3) Growth Mindset: We intentionally develop thinking and practices that increase our capacity to contribute to our mission, 4) Joy: We cultivate gratitude and fun as we engage in our work, and 5) Clear Communication: We are proactive, specific, and respectful in our communication with each other.
Position Summary:
The Director of Strategic Giving leads the cultivation and stewardship of major donors. This role is primarily focused on building lasting, mission-centered relationships through personalized engagement and a branded giving community. The Director of Strategic Giving serves as a critical bridge between the annual fund and major gifts programs, creating clear pathways for donor growth. This position is measured against annual financial revenue goals.
Primary Responsibilities:
Donor Engagement & Stewardship
- Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors through personalized communication, a branded community, and tailored engagement strategies.
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of each donor’s interests and motivations to inform individualized fundraising approaches.
- Implement recognition and acknowledgment programs for major donors, ensuring timely and personalized expressions of gratitude.
Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Generation
- Design and implement fundraising strategies to achieve annual revenue goals from the major donor segment.
- Create compelling and targeted fundraising proposals that emphasize the impact of contributions.
- Collaborate with the broader fundraising team to integrate major giving into overall advancement initiatives.
Donor Pipeline Development
- Conduct research to identify annual fund donors with capacity for major giving and develop strategies to cultivate upgrades.
- In partnership with the major gifts team, analyze donor giving capacity and create pathways to elevate donors to the major gifts level.
- Stay informed about industry trends and best practices in major giving to continually refine upgrade strategies.
Events & Donor Activities
- Plan and execute events (primarily virtual) specifically designed to engage and recognize major donors.
- Coordinate personalized interactions including donor recognition events, webinars, and exclusive organizational updates.
Data Management & Reporting
- Maintain accurate donor records and gift information in the fundraising database.
- Regularly analyze and report on major giving performance, providing insights and recommendations for continuous improvement.
- Other duties as assigned by supervisor.
Collaboration
- Collaborate with annual fund and major gifts colleagues to ensure seamless coordination and a cohesive donor experience across all giving levels.
- Work closely with marketing and communications teams to align messaging and outreach for the major donor segment.
Qualifications:
Experience & Education
- Minimum 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or related fields.
- Demonstrated success managing a donor portfolio and meeting fundraising revenue goals.
- Bachelor’s degree required
Core Competencies
- Proven ability to cultivate and steward donor relationships at a personal, high-touch level.
- Experience developing fundraising proposals and donor upgrade strategies.
- Familiarity with fundraising databases and donor management tools.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage data to inform strategy.
- Ability to work collaboratively across teams
- High integrity, accountability, and results-oriented mindset.
Mission Alignment
- Adherence to Open Eyes’ Statement of Faith.
- Understanding organizational mission, vision, and values with the ability to translate them into meaningful donor relationships.
Compensation and Location
This position is full-time. The annual salary for this position ranges from $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience. This position is preferably based in Charlotte, NC.
To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to callie@openeyes.net by March 31, 2026.
Manager of Annual Giving
Overview:
Open Eyes is a Christian mission organization working in some of the hardest places in the world. We partner with local leaders who are already part of their communities and support them as they bring the hope of the Gospel to places where Christian presence is limited.
For more than a decade, we have made long-term investments in local leaders, providing the practical resources, ongoing partnership, and training they need to reach their communities with steady, faithful witness. Through this support, they start and strengthen churches, disciple new believers, and care for those on the margins.
We do this through two primary initiatives:
- Mobile Messengers — local leaders equipped and resourced to share the Gospel and strengthen the Church.
- Life Centers — community-based ministry hubs providing healthcare, economic opportunity, and leadership development.
Organizationally, our core behaviors are: 1) Servant Leadership: We serve our teammates, field leaders, and donors, embodying the heart of our mission with kindness and intentionality, 2) Excellence: We strive for the highest quality in all we do, 3) Growth Mindset: We intentionally develop thinking and practices that increase our capacity to contribute to our mission, 4) Joy: We cultivate gratitude and fun as we engage in our work, and 5) Clear Communication: We are proactive, specific, and respectful in our communication with each other.
Position Summary:
The Manager of Annual Giving is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies, with a primary emphasis on growing and sustaining the organization’s monthly giving program. This role partners closely with mid-level and major giving staff, as well as marketing and communications to create a unified donor experience that maximizes acquisition, retention, and upgrade pathways across all giving levels. This position is accountable for achieving annual revenue goals established for monthly giving programs.
Primary Responsibilities:
Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Generation
- Cultivate and steward relationships with a portfolio of mid-level donors through personalized communication, a branded community, and tailored engagement strategies.
- Serve as the primary pipeline engine for identifying and preparing donors for transition to mid-level and major gift portfolios.
- Develop and implement comprehensive annual fundraising strategies with a specific focus on increasing monthly giving participation.
- Own the full lifecycle of the monthly giving program, including acquisition, retention, reactivation, churn reduction, and average gift growth.
- Manage online fundraising campaigns tailored to encourage monthly contributions.
- Oversee the planning and execution of targeted direct mail campaigns for smaller gift amounts, emphasizing the benefits of monthly giving.
- Monitor and optimize direct response performance, including response rates, cost per acquisition, ROI, and donor lifetime value.
- Partner with major and mid-level gift programs to jointly execute direct mail and email strategies.
Donor Cultivation & Stewardship
- Develop segmented, scalable stewardship strategies for mid-level donors
- Implement stewardship plans to recognize and retain donors in lower giving tiers.
- Develop a portfolio of mid-level donors and new prospects.
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Identify upgrade indicators and collaborate with mid-level and major gift teams on qualification and transition strategies.
- Prepare regular reports for executive leadership focused on monthly donor retention and acquisition metrics.
- Maintain data integrity within assigned segments and collaborate with operations/CRM staff on reporting and analytics.
- Leverage database tools to track interactions and measure the success of monthly giving programs.
Marketing & Communications Collaboration
- Collaborate with marketing and communications teams to create compelling materials tailored to lower giving levels, highlighting the impact of monthly contributions.
- Ensure consistent messaging and branding across all fundraising initiatives for smaller gifts.
- Collaborate on scalable virtual engagement opportunities for monthly donors.
Budget & Compliance
- Develop and manage the annual fundraising budget for mid-level gifts, with a focus on cost-effective strategies that maximize the impact of monthly giving initiatives.
- Ensure all fundraising activities comply with relevant laws and ethical fundraising standards.
Team Leadership
- Build, lead, and mentor the annual fund team, providing guidance and support in executing strategies for monthly giving.
- Collaborate with other departments to integrate annual fund efforts with overall organizational fundraising strategies.
Qualifications:
Experience & Education
- Minimum 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or related fields.
- Demonstrated experience managing annual giving or monthly giving programs.
- Bachelor’s degree required
Core Competencies
- Strong understanding of annual fund strategies, direct mail, and digital fundraising.
- Experience building or growing a monthly giving program.
- Proficiency with fundraising databases and donor management systems.
- Strong data analysis skills with the ability to interpret trends and inform strategy.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with senior leadership.
- Strong interpersonal skills with a donor-centric mindset.
- Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Mission Alignment
- Adherence to Open Eyes’ Statement of Faith.
- Understanding organizational mission, vision, and values with the ability to translate them into donor relationships.
Compensation and Location:
This position is full-time. The annual salary for this position ranges from $60,000–$70,000, commensurate with experience. This position is preferably based in Charlotte, NC.
To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter to callie@openeyes.net by March 31, 2026.