Manager of Fundraising and Development

About Boston Islamic Seminary (BIS)

The Boston Islamic Seminary (BIS) is a non-for-profit academic institute of higher education committed to training religious leaders to serve American Muslim communities and enhance the understanding of Islam for people immersed in the contemporary context.

BIS Vision: To cultivate the next generation of Islamic religious leadership in America. 

BIS Mission: To prepare exemplary and professional American Muslim Religious leaders for compassionate service to society.

BIS endeavors to be a world-renowned graduate Islamic educational institution in America, offering accredited graduate-level degrees with the goal of producing Muslim American Religious leaders.

We envision a society that has role models of practicing Muslims in all fields who are contributing to the wellbeing of America and the world.

About the Position

The Manager of Fundraising and Development is responsible for leadership of the organization’s overall fundraising strategy, and for establishing and achieving annual fundraising goals and objectives in accordance with the organization's mission. The Manager of Fundraising and Development will work closely with the President, the Board of Managers, and BIS staff to create development plans and lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and prospective donors, both individual and institutional. The Manager of Fundraising and Development will increase contributed income, high-impact partnerships, community awareness, and powerful connections with both BIS’s existing stakeholders and emerging audiences. As the leader of our development and fundraising initiatives, the Manager of Fundraising and Development must be able to conceptualize, plan, and implement a programmatic approach to building relationships and securing philanthropic support — including setting ambitious goals, developing strategies for prospects, prioritizing activities, asking for gifts, and coordinating the involvement, as needed, of staff, board members and other volunteers.

The Manager of Fundraising and Development is expected to value change management and to have the experience and passion to lead new and expanded initiatives in several areas identified in recent organizational strategic planning, such as:

• Expanded collaboration with state, including coordinated membership and donor recruitment and stewardship, training and capacity building for chapter fundraising, and collaborative grants.
• Enhanced engagement of the BIS’s in fundraising.
• A community-centric fundraising approach that aligns with BIS’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, including deepening of mutually beneficial partnerships with organizations representing the Muslim communities.
• Creative strategies for engaging members and donors, including through online and social media platforms.

Areas of Responsibility

Leadership and Strategy:

• Lead BIS’s initiatives to drive fundraising success and achieve organizational goals.
• Develop and implement comprehensive development strategies, including major gifts, annual giving, end of year campaigns, individual giving, and corporate giving.
• Work closely with the President and Board of Managers to set and execute development objectives aligned with the organization's mission and strategic plan.
• Research, identify, and help realize new funding opportunities, including grants and corporate sponsorships, through extensive collaboration with the President and BIS staff.
• Assess and analyze the effectiveness of fundraising campaigns and adjust strategies accordingly.

Donor Relations and Major Gifts:

• Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, prospects, and key stakeholders including individuals as well as corporate donors and foundations.
• Oversee the identification, solicitation, and stewardship of major gifts, ensuring personalized engagement and communication.
• Develop and execute strategies for growing the major gifts portfolio, including setting goals and tracking progress.
• Develop and implement communication plans to nurture existing donor relationships.
• Identify and approach potential corporate partners for sponsorship and collaboration opportunities.

Development Operations:

• Acknowledge and thank donors in a timely and meaningful manner.
• Maintain and update donor records in the CRM, ensuring accurate tracking of donations and engagement activities.
• Analyze donor data to inform fundraising strategies and improve donor retention.
• Prepare monthly reports on fundraising progress, trends, and outcomes for leadership and board meetings.

Special Events and Campaigns:

• Plan and implement special events such as BIS’s annual fundraising event.
• Plan, develop, and implement BIS’s donation solicitation campaigns via direct mail and online appeals to increase donor acquisition and retention.

All BIS staff are expected to participate in our ongoing work to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and justice within our organization and in the fields in which we work.

Skills and Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of seven years of professional experience in non-profit development and fundraising, preferably 501(c).
• Experience in implementing and managing comprehensive development strategies and fundraising campaigns.
• Experience with managing annual giving and legacy giving.
• Efficient in building, cultivating, and stewarding individual donor relationships, including with foundations and other grant-awarding organizations.
• Strong communication, writing, and editing skills to ensure connectivity to the mission and appropriate style and usage.
• Strategic, analytical approach combined with a strong work ethic and interpersonal professionalism.
• Passion for and understanding of the organization’s mission.
• Superior interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with various constituencies, including immediate team members, donors, BIS board members, with an ability to build capacity in peers.
• Demonstrates ability to work with individuals with diverse backgrounds, interests, and skills.
• Ability to oversee numerous projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with competing deadlines and take initiative in managing several projects with the utmost attention to detail.
• Stellar organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to clearly communicate objectives, tasks, and timelines.
• Strong affinity to diversity, equity, and inclusion work and practices.
• Solution-oriented critical thinker with strong problem-solving skills and a positive can-do attitude.
• Ability to work well independently and in a collaborative team environment.

Strongly Preferred:

• Major gift fundraising experience.
• Grant writing experience.
• Direct mail experience, including via both USPS and email.
• Experience in CRM and donor databases.
• Experience with planned giving.

Preferred:

• Senior level management experience.
• Budget management experience.
• Knowledge of key academic, business, foundation, and/or community leaders in the areas in which we work (educational sector).
• Experience in event planning.
• Experience cultivating younger donors.
• Experience/knowledge of latest practices regarding online giving.
• Experience with a federated organization, coordinating national fundraising efforts with local and state affiliates.

Terms

BIS is a blended work culture where everyone, regardless of work type or location, feels connected to their teammates, our culture and our mission.

• This position is based in the United States. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• This is a remote/work-from-home role. Occasional travel is required to attend organizational functions, such as board meetings, staff retreats, and our annual fundraising event in Boston, MA.
• This is a full-time position with occasional evening and weekend hours required.
• Reports to the President of BIS.
• Pay transparency: Compensation offered will depend on several factors including the base pay  and other monetary incentives and rich benefits.