Senior Fundraising Operations Specialist

Creating and sustaining new products, experiences, campaigns, and tools enables our Partnership and Marketing Teams to share the message of Compassion. Operationalizing these new products by designing and building operating systems, sourcing and managing external vendors, maintaining ongoing oversight of operations and driving continuous improvement is the role of this senior level operations specialist.  

As we create new products, experiences, campaigns, and tools this senior operations specialist will:  

1. Partner with our marketing and fundraising teams early in the project to define operational requirements, assess feasibility, source and negotiate contracts with external service providers and speak into operational components which feed KPIs, ROI, and budget considerations.  

2. Serve as the primary operational stakeholder through the build stage of a new product ensuring that we build according to the requirements for sustainability over the lifespan of the tool.  

3. Receive a handoff from the project as the new tool transitions from the build stage to the run/grow stage, providing ongoing management and oversight of the operating model, driving continuous improvement of the process, and managing vendors.  

This senior specialist will be asked to participate in a wide variety of new product development projects while maintaining a portfolio of complex products in sustainment and continuous improvement stages. A significant portion of the portfolio will focus on tools and experiences used in a live event context. They will often coach or oversee the work of other specialists in the fundraising operations and vendor management discipline.  

• Maintains a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Is a consistent witness for Jesus Christ, maintains a courteous, Christ-like attitude in dealing with people within and outside of Compassion, and faithfully upholds Compassion’s ministry in prayer.  

• Acts as an advocate to raise the awareness of the needs of children. Understands Christ’s mandate to protect children. Commits to and prioritizes child protection considerations in all decision-making, tasks and activities across the ministry. Abides by all behavioral expectations in Compassion’s Statement of Commitment to Child Protection and Code of Conduct. Reports any concerns of abuse, neglect or exploitation of children through Compassion’s internal reporting process and appropriately supports responses to incidents if they occur.  

• Uphold and engage in Compassion’s core Cultural Behaviors.  

• Implements major, complex fundraising strategies by leading, sometimes through subordinate specialists, an assigned portfolio of products, tools, solutions, and campaigns, which may include experiential events, technology resources, marketing campaigns, stewardship campaigns and fundraising appeals that are focused on both new and existing audiences intended to elicit new sponsorships and non-sponsorship revenue. 

• Serves as a subject matter expert and key stakeholder for all stages of product development and product use. Leads cross-functional teams across marketing and fundraising to provide subject matter expertise for decisions impacting fundraising opportunities.

• Leads partnership efforts with fundraisers to manage strategic planning, communication with external partners and contractors, and manage CRM to direct successful events and campaigns as well as reporting and analysis needed to determine the success and ROI at the completion of events and campaigns. 

• ​Strategically leads monitoring of the health, efficiency, and scalability of a large and complex portfolio of products, often on a global scale. This could include maintenance of physical inventory items and technology hardware, information security and PCI compliance, documentation and training for internal and external audiences, volunteer and partner recruitment, training, and relationship management. 

• Oversees large budgets and expenses associated with product use, maintenance, and scaling to meet fundraising demand. This regularly includes sourcing, negotiating terms, and managing multiple, large vendor or partner contracts and payments. 

• Manages the planning, development, and creation of marketing collateral to support events and campaigns. 

• Forges strategic, collaborative working partnerships with internal and external neighbors, including various departments and teams within Compassion, in order to execute the most effective events and campaigns, enhance and grow products, and resolve product issues and breaks. 

• Establishes ongoing analysis, reporting, and evaluation standards for own portfolio as well as the broader team. Captures lessons learned and develops strategies for appropriate response. 

• Partners with fundraising relationship managers to provide high-level strategic product and campaign marketing subject matter expertise in executing fundraising opportunities. 

• Coaches and provides expertise, and may oversee the work of other professionals and support staff in the fundraising operations and related disciplines.  

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field or equivalent education, experience, training and/or certification  

• 10+ years relevant experience working in this or a related field 

• Experience in contract negotiation, vendor management, and live event logistics 

• Lean Six Sigma certification preferred  

• May be required to travel up to 15% of normal schedule 

• The mission: Join a team that is motivated to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.  

• Our benefits: Receive generous paid time off, 10% contribution to a 403(b) retirement fund on top of your salary, excellent healthcare coverage, free short-term professional counseling, and more.  

• Spiritual growth: Participate in regular chapel services, prayer groups, and department devotionals.