Development and Fundraising Partner

Job Description

Position: Development & Fundraising Partner FLSA: Exempt
Reports to: Director of Development & Stewardship Grade: 207
Department: Development & Stewardship Office
Effective date: May 21, 2025

Applicants may apply at:
https://dosafl.com/human-resoures/careers/?gnk=job&gni=8a7885a896d0a1500196f4856cc369d3&gns=Internal Applicant

General Summary:
As a member of the diocesan Curia, the Development & Fundraising Partner (DFP) provides specialized development and fundraising services for the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche at Mission Nombre De Dios, St. Augustine, and the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche, High Springs, Florida.

This position is more than occupational but vocational, as it supports and advances the mission of the Diocese of St. Augustine by actively seeking the financial resources and funding opportunities needed to support these sacred places that foster spiritual renewal and the deepening of faith of all who visit. The DFP's primary focus must be to make manifest these Shrines as "....a genuine place of evangelization, where...the powerful action with which God's mercy works in people's lives...." (Pope Francis, Motu Proprio Sanctuarium in Ecclesia).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Serves to assist and promote the rich history, culture, and religious significance of the Shrines and the community of the faithful where people gather for spiritual devotion and pilgrimage.
2. Maintains high visibility at the Shrine sites, interacting and working to build trusted relationships with Rectors, advisory boards, Shrine leadership, volunteers, and local parishes and their staff; partners with Shrine leadership to monitor guest experiences, hospitality, facilities, and aesthetics.
3. Collaboratively develops and manages each Shrine's fundraising strategies, campaigns, and capital development initiatives to support the overall organizational development and revenue objectives.
4. Recruits volunteer team members, organizes, provides project management, and oversees the execution of fundraising events.
5. Implements donor stewardship programs to identify, develop, retain, and nurture a portfolio of individual donors, foundations, and institutional donors.
6. Responsible to meet short and long-term development and fundraising goals, budget planning and execution, measurement, and financial accountability.
7. Serves as grant writer, identifying funding opportunities, crafting compelling proposals, and submitting them to secure financial or in-kind support.
8. Research and gather compelling stories to share with prospective donors, connecting with them on an emotional level, showcasing the impact of donations, and fostering long-term relationships.
9. Effectively uses technology or teams with others to creatively use technology in ease-of-donation/giving, development and stewardship, marketing, and media relations.
10. Seeks collaboration with the Office of Communications to promote development and fundraising events, and ways to promote the Shrines.
11. Assist Shrine leadership with marketing, promotion, and establishing brand identity, or bring in Catholic volunteer consultants to serve as a sounding partner, inspire new ideas, or discuss revitalization efforts; may serve as a conduit for Shrine leadership to meet other U.S. Shrine leaders to obtain other perspectives and advice.
12. Uses technology to manage and monitor donor information and produce data-driven measurement and reporting of the progress of fundraising goals.
13. Advises on a monthly basis Shrine leadership, the Director of Development, Bishop, Chief Financial Officer, and the appropriate Shrine advisory boards on all issues related to development and fundraising while providing comprehensive, accurate, and timely status reports on goals, performance, financial updates, initiatives, and the success of the campaigns.
14. Oversees all planning of donor appreciation events in coordination with local stakeholders. (Ie. Major donor galas, mid-level cookouts, volunteer appreciation events, etc.)
15. Works as an advisor to Shrine stakeholders to provide consultative advice, support, materials, tools, and education/training, on how they can partner and support his/her efforts in development, fundraising, capital campaign initiatives, and increased giving.
16. Maintains a high degree of professionalism and credibility with the Shrine staff and volunteers, clergy, partnering deaneries, local parish staff, and the local community, with a high focus on building effective and positive relationships.
17. Performs other related duties as assigned by supervisor.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration or Non- Profit Administration or related field. Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CRFE) credential or equivalent preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of development experience with verifiable successful fundraising programs and personal track record of integrity in fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, businesses, and organizations.
• Familiarity and fluency with the use of technology and the ability to know how to team with others to creatively use technology in ease-of-donation/giving, development and stewardship, marketing, and media relations.
• Candidate must be a practicing Roman Catholic possessing the ability to respect, promote, accommodate, and not conflict with the mission, moral and social teachings, doctrines, and laws of the Roman Catholic faith and must be a Catholic in good standing with the Church.
• Must have a collaborative style; proven team builder with effective employee-relations skills. Proven ability to lead and motivate teams through recognition, participation, and delegation. A leadership style that is approachable, engaging, as well as results and action-oriented
• Pursues this ministry with energy, drive, and a need to produce results, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks. Must be flexible, self-confident, assertive, and persuasive.
• Required to have excellent presentation, verbal and written communication skills, skilled at public speaking. Ability to produce concise reports and recommendations, make presentations to varied groups, and articulate and inspire commitment to a shared vision.
• Must be a goal oriented and self-motivated individual who can demonstrate accountability, initiative, creativity and focus in a rapidly changing and intellectually stimulating environment. Must be able to organize and prioritize work, be proactive, resolve complex problems, follow through, and simultaneously manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to respect and value the cultural richness that makes up the Church and society and strives to celebrate commonalities and differences among various groups.
• Ability to speak, understand, and write in Spanish and English is a plus.
• Exercises considerable independence and judgment with a high level of confidentiality.
• Must successfully pass the required criminal background check prior to employment and maintain this clearance throughout employment.
• Proficient with information technology including Microsoft Office Suite, social media usage, web site contributor level should be proficient.

The Diocese of St. Augustine's history began on Sept. 8, 1565, when a small band of Spaniards celebrated Mass on the shores of North Florida in preparation for starting a settlement here. They named their new home St. Augustine in honor of the saint on whose feast day they sighted land. The seeds of Catholicism were first sown in what is known today as the United States and Canada.

St. Augustine is the site of the first permanent parish church - today known as the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Augustine. The famed Santa Fe Trail originated here. It was from here that Franciscan missionaries began the trek North and West to proclaim the Good News - to evangelize! It was here that the first schools and hospitals were established.

It wasn't until March 11, 1870, that Florida, east of the Apalachicola River, was designated as the Diocese of St. Augustine. The growth of the church in Florida from this Mother Diocese to six additional dioceses and more than 2 million Catholics is a significant part of the story of the Catholic Church in the United States. Yes, we are 155 years old and a growing diocese.

Today, the Diocese of St. Augustine embraces 17 counties throughout northeast and north central Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, covering 11,032 square miles and serving more than 153,000 registered Catholics.

About the Employer

Our Vision:
So That They May All Be One
(John 17:21)
Our Mission:
Go and Make Disciples of All Nations
(Matthew 28:19)
Our Strategy:
- Formation
- Accompaniment
- Outreach