Director of Fundraising

Our aim at Christianity Explored Ministries is to help people meet Jesus in the pages of Scripture so that they love, live and tell the gospel. We produce a range of materials which introduce Jesus Christ to those unfamiliar with his message.

This is an exciting time to be part of Christianity Explored Ministries. With a new edition of our flagship Christianity Explored course in production, we have a great opportunity to equip Christians to communicate the gospel to a new generation. This is happening in the context of significant international growth, including expansion of our team in North America and a five-year plan to build four additional regional hubs to consolidate the work that is already happening around the world.

It is the first time we have ever hired a fundraising professional, so this is an opportunity to build a new strategy from the ground up. With support from our communications and operations staff, the Director of Fundraising will oversee all aspects of development, from relationship-building with major donors, to grassroots campaigns. We are looking for someone who can take a creative approach, helping us find brand new streams of revenue while nurturing our existing donors, in a way that future proof’s Christianity Explored’s support.

Job Title: Director of Fundraising

Salary: In excess of £65,000

Location: Central London, hybrid working

Hours: Willing to consider full time or part time

Reports to: Global CEO

Annual Leave: 25 days plus bank holidays

Job Summary

To drive development of CEM’s fundraising strategy and oversee its implementation. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Identifying the most fruitful new avenues of funding from a range of Christian cultures, including individual donors, trusts and grant-making bodies
• Identifying new fundraising methods, including digital campaigns and social media outreach, to broaden and diversify our donor base
• Strengthen connections with new networks to tap into underutilised funding streams.
• Running appeals and legacy campaigns
• Creating clear briefing materials for comms staff and senior teams to help them engage with donors at all levels — from small ad hoc donations to our largest grant-making partners. Ensuring that appropriate tailored approaches are used for different cultures and church traditions
• Co-manage the Communications Officer to produce emails, newsletters and other communications assets which effectively engage potential donors
• Work closely with our founder, Rico Tice, and our CEO, to help the CEM team grow supporter donations 
• Seek out and develop relationships with new high-capacity donors
• Tell the global story of CEM’s impact to inspire and mobilise a broader, more diverse donor community

Key duties and responsibilities

• Be accountable for increasing funding to CEM by an agreed amount each year. 
• Create a clear and effective fundraising strategy and communicate it well to the rest of the CEM team.
• Bring experience and best practice to CEM’s fundraising efforts, to help us build a culture of fundraising.
• Future-proof the organisation to build the foundation for secure long-term funding
• Oversee implementation of the fundraising strategy, including briefing comms staff and reviewing materials before they’re released.
• Support global hub Directors to develop sustainable in-country fundraising strategies, and be responsible for coordinating global fundraising efforts to ensure that all teams are working collaboratively.

Person specification

The Director of Fundraising will need to demonstrate a track record of success in increasing organisational funding — this is not a skillset CEM currently has and we will be relying on the successful candidate to bring a robust knowledge of best practice. We are looking for a strategic thinker who will bring clarity and simplicity to our fundraising efforts, targeting donors wisely and treating them with respect.

CEM is a very relational organisation which operates with a high level of consensus. While staff are not afraid of conflict, or of making clear decisions where there are differences of opinion, we expect team members to work hard to listen to each other and see the value and wisdom in different viewpoints.

Further personal attributes include:

• Committed and theologically articulate evangelical Christian, able to speak on behalf of the organisation and interact pastorally with donors.
• Godly and spiritually mature person who respects the contribution of others and values team harmony. 
• Proven ability to communicate a compelling organisational narrative that resonates across different cultural settings.
• An innovative mindset that is able to think beyond traditional fundraising models to bring fresh approaches to growing income streams.
• Focused and strategic, able to construct and meet ambitious targets while retaining a mature understanding of what is realistic. 
• Growth-oriented and enthusiastic about expanding the reach of the ministry, while refusing to compromise on core values.

The person appointed will have permission to work in the UK by the start of their employment. An occupational requirement exists for the post-holder to be a practising Christian in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.