Location: Jackson, MS
Position Status: Full Time
Position Summary: Responsible for the strategic direction and relationship management of key donors giving $5,000 or more to Lifeline Children’s Services annually. The Assistant Director of Development (AD) is essential to developing, expanding and stewarding major philanthropic support. The AD will help maximize complex, lifelong relationships between principal gift donors, prospective donors and Lifeline. The AD will engage principal gift donors and prospective donors as partners, according to their interests and expertise, with the mission and strategic priorities of Lifeline. The key strategy and focus area of this position is to focus on two state tax benefits available to businesses across the state. As a leader of Lifeline Major Gift Initiatives, the AD will raise awareness of the Children’s Promise Act as well as the Pregnancy Resource Act, to engage businesses and individuals in giving to Lifeline by leveraging the benefit available to them through the state. They will also support the State Director with major gifts, capital campaigns, donor cultivation, and planned giving. Reporting to the State Director, the AD will be responsible for achieving fundraising goals, which includes leveraging key relationships and contacts across the state to help ensure meeting annual revenue goals as associated with the annual budget.
Strong preference will be given to candidates with a minimum of 5 years non-profit development /fundraising experience. This experience would include major gifts, corporate/foundation relations, planned giving, and communications in a fundraising campaign.
Primary Duties:
- To be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ to co-workers, clients and ministry partners
- Actively leads the team in a manner aligned with scripture including, but not limited to, praying for and with them, sharing scripture in daily activities and leadership, modeling the character of Jesus Christ in interactions with team and any external clients, partners, vendors, etc.
- Disciples employees for the benefit of our ministry partners (i.e., families in process, expectant parents, etc) through the child placement process
- Aligns team dynamics, internal & external processes, and final product of team’s work with Biblical principles and with Lifeline’s Core Values
STRATEGY – 20%
- Ensures that major gift and development activities and philanthropic support are based on the organization’s strategic goals, objectives and future plans.
- Responsible for planning and implementation of growing the Tax Credit program and strategies to ensure fulfillment of funding goals including building and maintaining a major gift portfolio and cultivating and soliciting major gifts.
- Develops an atmosphere conducive to major giving that supports the funding priorities of the organization.
- Assists with the strategic planning and preparation of funding proposals, fundraising materials, donor updates and other fundraising materials as it relates to Mississippi giving.
- Organizes and structures a system that is effective and efficient in growing the funding opportunities for Mississippi tax giving.
- Partner effectively with staff and leaders throughout Lifeline in order to obtain appropriate information for proposals as well as an understanding of all ministry developmental needs.
- Assist the State Director to ensure donors receive proposals and fundraising materials tailored to their areas of interest and respond to donor requests in a timely manner;
- Collaborate frequently with ministry leaders to stay abreast of the current issues and work that may be of interest to donors.
- Build relationships to better understand the work of Lifeline in order to match donor and research interests
MANAGEMENT – 30%
- Assist the State Director in developing fundraising projections and forecasts;
- Assist the State Director in increasing the annual fundraising budget to accommodate the size and scope of the ministry;
- Report periodically to leadership about ongoing fundraising progress and Tac benefit expansion.
- Educate and mobilize Mississippi residents and business owners about strategic ministry opportunities and giving opportunities.
- Interact with donors in person, by phone/video call and/or written communication.
- Assist in the creation and deployment of communications to prospective donors assigned across the state.
LOGISTICS – 50%
- Work closely with the VP of Advancement and the State Director to provide logistics support for donors and prospective donor visits through collaboration with colleagues.
- Plays a significant role in the communication strategies with donors and prospects. Direct donor correspondence and written content for events as needed;
- Articulates the funding priorities for Lifeline with individuals and during speaking engagements.
- Seek and identify new prospects capable of contributing gifts and pledges at and above the major gift level through general giving and tax giving
- Monitors available funding through the tax giving platform in Mississippi and plans strategically how to leverage it.
- Collaborate with the State Director in utilizing the CRM to log and track gifts.
- Is highly motivated, organized, displays sound/mature judgment and integrity.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- Assists with and attends agency sponsored events
- Represents the agency in a professional manner in and away from the office
- Maintains good working relationships with co-workers, including resolving all disputes in a Biblically prescribed fashion
- Other duties as assigned by the State Director.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- May approve financial transactions up to $1000. Additional will require a second approval from State Director.
- Responsible for interviewing manager level positions in their department and make requests hire to State Director.
- May make request to State Director for a department position to be replaced or added.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, business, organizational leadership, or a related field is required. Master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
- Experience: Minimum five years of non-profit development /fundraising experience preferred; including major gifts, corporate/foundation relations, planned giving, and communications in a fundraising campaign. Knowledge of Mississippi charitable contribution tax credit giving is preferred.
- Licensure:
- Other: Understanding of Mississippi Tax giving benefits
Strong preference will be given to candidates with a minimum of 5 years non-profit development /fundraising experience. This experience would include major gifts, corporate/foundation relations, planned giving, and communications in a fundraising campaign.
Work Environment:
- Work is performed in a professional office environment with travel across the state as needed.
updated 9/22/25
