Donor Relations Director

March 2025 | Southwest, OH and Northeast, KY
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The Salvation Army seeks a mission-oriented Donor Relations Director to join a collaborative and creative team to work together to achieve fundraising goals through increased philanthropic support.

About The Salvation Army

For more than 150 years, The Salvation Army (TSA) has stood firm as a faith-based organization in its commitment to those who are facing a variety of difficulties and challenges in their lives. Wherever there is a need, you’ll find TSA. With a team of over 1.5 million members, TSA serves over 30 million Americans in the United States annually, and over 130 countries around the world.

The Southwest Ohio Northeast Kentucky

(SWONEKY) Division programs include emergency response to individuals in crisis, Emergency Disaster Response, empowering youth through summer camps and programs, supporting older adults, alleviating hunger, combatting addiction, fighting human trafficking,  brightening the holidays, and overcoming poverty.

Emergency Response to Individuals in Crisis: Whether it is a need for food, housing or rental assistance, aid with utility bills or other situations where people face crisis, The Salvation Army is a place to turn for help and hope. The doors are open to all with open arms and to meet human needs without discrimination.

• Supporting Disaster Survivors: Many first-responders say that TSA is the first to have boots on the ground and the last to leave when disaster strikes. The disaster services teams also respond year-round to local emergencies – like house fires – serving survivors and first responders.
• Empowering Youth: The Salvation Army ensures kids are equipped with the tools they need to succeed, which starts by meeting their basic needs. TSA takes a holistic approach by providing character-building programs, summer camp opportunities, sports activities, music education, after-school tutoring, mentorship, and more.
• Alleviating Hunger: TSA’s approach to feeding the hungry is formed based on the local needs of each community served. Those in need can get nutritious meals from their nearest TSA center, or access food pantries at no cost. TSA feeds thousands daily, including underserved children in after school programs, the elderly, forgotten friends at homeless shelters, and more.
• Combatting Addiction: TSA has been helping those battling substance abuse since its founding over 150 years ago. Today, they continue to help people recover through holistic programs at Adult Rehabilitation Centers, which include emotional, spiritual and social services components that focus on the root causes of the struggle. 
• Brightening the Holidays: The holidays bring added financial and emotional stress to families and individuals living in poverty. From gifts for children in need to special meals for those who would otherwise go without fellowship on the holidays and meeting other basic needs – TSA aims to bring joy back into the season.

The Salvation Army operates Community and Worship Centers (known as Corps) to deliver much-needed services and programs to local communities. Their basic unit of service is a Corps Community Center, which encompasses their church and social service programs for a community. In the Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky Division there are over 27 Corps Community Centers, and in communities of need where corps offices are not located, service unit extensions are there. They are volunteer branches of The Salvation Army which provide temporary emergency assistance. In this division alone, there are 71 Service Units. They also have specialized centers such as Camp SWONEKY (in Oregonia, Ohio) and in Dayton there is a Ray & Joan Kroc Community Corps Center. There are 3 Adult Rehabilitation Centers, or ARCs as they are commonly known. These residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers have helped thousands of people to reclaim their lives.

About the Position

In FY24, The SWONEKY Division raised more than $16.5 M annually to fund programs and services. The new Donor Relations Director will be part of a 15-person team and report to the SWONEKY Divisional Director of Development. This position is also part of the Eastern Territory’s Major Gift program and is joined by other colleagues doing the same role in other locations as well as working with TSAE support and colleagues in Gift Planning, mid-level, Corporate Relations, and Grants.

The Donor Relations Director (DRD) is one of three DRD roles in the SWONEKY Division and will play an integral role in the overall success of The Salvation Army’s major gift fund development efforts. This position will focus on building major donor relationships with particular emphasis in Greater Cincinnati and regions in Ohio approximately south of interstate 70 . This position inherits an established portfolio of donors and will determine the major gift strategies and communication associated with the discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts. They will have a  portfolio of about 125 prospects, a pipeline of approximately 75 donors,  and a goal for FY25 of $1,850,000.

The DRD will bear the primary responsibility for managing his/her major donor portfolio for fundraising and in command of a high-end portfolio of donors and prospects within this geographic area. In this role, the DRD will identify, cultivate, solicit, acknowledge, steward and upgrade major gift prospects and donors, acting as the primary contact between The Army and all major donors and seeking to engage these donors with The Salvation Army for long term partnerships and potential gift planning strategies. It is expected this position will be out in the field over 50 percent of the time and attend regular staff meetings. This position also has a full-time administrative assistant to support the work of the DRD.

Key Responsibilities

• Establishes and creates a strategic communications plan to identify, educate, cultivate, and solicit gifts for all major donors each fiscal year.
• Manages a portfolio of 125 major donors and a pipeline of 75+ potential major donors, following the prescribed strategic communications plan that is personalized for each donor.
• Appropriately transitions donors between portfolio tiers as engagement and philanthropic goals change.
• Develops a written moves management plan for every Tier A donor on portfolio.
• Establishes and works to meet annual goals for each major donor and for the major gifts program each year and becomes familiar with the fundraising needs/priorities of DHQ and region.
• Leads in all one-to-one solicitations, gift acknowledgement and stewardship communication of major donors, traveling and meeting with donors, as necessary.
• Works in close conjunction with other fund development officers, ensuring collaboration between direct mail, foundation, corporate, and gift planning efforts.
• Works in close collaboration with local corps officers, program directors and fund-raising staff, representing local Army resource development needs based on the residence of prospective donors.
• Helps shape overall policies and strategies to continually increase major gifts revenue and program growth.
• Provides assistance and leadership for written proposals to major donors.
• Provides support for new donors, pledge donors campaign donors, and recurring donors.
• Enter all donor interactions into Salesforce as it pertains to major donors.
• Help marry direct mail and online efforts as it pertains to major donors.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• A minimum of five years’ experience in a non-profit fundraising role with a proven record of success.
• Effective interpersonal skills and excellent written and oral communication abilities.
• Proven expertise in building and maintaining positive relationships with diverse individuals.
• Should enjoy problem solving and exude energy and initiative.
• A high level of comfort with direct donor interaction, including discussions of personal and family finances and asking for donations is a must.
• Able to work independently in a complex environment, managing multiple projects and conflicting priorities.
• Willing to travel regularly and demonstrates the ability to set and achieve goals as well as meet deadlines.
• A proficiency in Word and Excel, as well as experience with donor tracking and/or CRM database software (Salesforce) is preferred.
• Well-developed oral and written communication skills.
• Should have a desire to learn and be a collaborative team player
• Must embrace and support The Salvation Army’s mission and have a heart for serving.
• Professional certification (CFRE) is a plus.

The Salvation Army is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to providing a respectful environment for all applicants and employees that is free from unlawful discrimination or harassment based on age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected by law. Such equal opportunity for employment will apply to recruitment and hiring, training, promotion, salaries and other compensation, transfers and layoffs or termination.

Compensation details – The salary range for this role is commensurate with experience.

If you are interested in being considered for this search, please use the form below to submit your cover letter and resume in confidence.

Tracy Marshall

Executive Director of Executive Search Practice, Principal