Director of Engagement

Central Wesleyan Church | Water's Edge Network

Reports to: Lead Pastor

Status: Full-Time, Exempt | Location: Holland, Michigan (with travel)

Position Summary

The Director of Engagement is the organization's senior fundraising leader, helping to lead growth in total giving (separate from tithes and offerings) to God's work at Central Wesleyan Church and the Water's Edge Network. This role owns the full development function: identifying, cultivating, and personally soliciting major donors; building strategic relationships that expand the organization's generosity base; exploring the right long-term giving mechanism for the organization (which likely will include an endowment); and leading planned and legacy giving. The Director also co-leads the Ministry of Giving - the discipleship of generosity within the Central congregation - connecting spiritual formation around generosity to the organization's planned and legacy giving pathways. The Director is a front-line relationship builder who is comfortable making direct financial asks and accountable for measurable revenue growth in support of the mission and expansion of Water's Edge.

Reporting & Key Relationships

• Reporting line. Reports to the Senior Pastor, functional relationship with the COO and CFO
• COO partnership. Works closely with the COO to build out the network's connections and relationships with donors, carrying forward and expanding the donor relationship effort the COO currently leads.
• CFO partnership. Partners with the CFO on gift structuring, revenue forecasting as directed by the Holy Spirit, and evaluating long-term giving mechanisms (including whether an endowment makes sense). Compliance oversight - receipting, restricted funds, and gift acceptance - rests with the CFO; the Director operates within those policies.
• Leadership & board. Collaborates with executive leadership and the governing board on campaign strategy, long-term giving mechanism decisions, and major gift priorities.
• Technical support. Leans on the Lead Pastor, COO, and CFO for detailed technical questions, answers, and donor requests, keeping the Director free to focus on relationships and asks.

Scope & Boundaries

This role exists to grow the relationships and resources of Central Wesleyan Church and the Water's Edge Network directly.

• Primary focus: Central Wesleyan Church and Water's Edge Network donors, prospects, and funding initiatives.
• Partner churches: Donor development for partner churches remains with each local church and its leadership. The Director's donor engagement is centered on Central and Water's Edge rather than partner church congregations' donors.
• Coaching: From time to time, the Director may coach partner church leadership on development practices at the direction of the Lead Pastor, COO or CFO - sharing expertise while local relationships stay local.

Key Responsibilities

Major Donor Engagement

• Build and manage a personal portfolio of major donor and prospect relationships as directed by the Holy Spirit (identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship).
• Personally make direct financial asks aligned to organizational priorities and donor capacity.
• Develop individualized engagement and giving plans for top donors and family foundations.
• Host vision experiences, site visits, and leadership gatherings that connect donors to mission impact.

Endowment Development

• Explore the best long-term giving mechanism, example: endowment.
• Within the first 6 months working with CFO, COO and board, identify whether an endowment is the right long-term giving mechanism for the organization, alongside other options (e.g. designated reserves, planned giving pools, or alternative capital vehicles), and bring a recommendation to the Lead Pastor, CFO, COO, and board.
• If pursued, lead the case for support, fund structure, and governance recommendations in partnership with the CFO and board.
• Targets, if an endowment is established, will be set by the Lead Pastor and governing board with assistance/advice from the Director of Engagement.

Ministry of Giving

• Co-lead the Ministry of Giving at Central alongside the CFO and ministry leaders Adam Davidson and Landyn Beal - the discipleship of generosity within the congregation.
• Develop generosity pathways that help people grow as givers over time, from first-time giving through sacrificial and legacy generosity.
• Connect the Ministry of Giving directly into planned and legacy giving, so maturing givers have a natural next step into estate and long-term giving commitments.

Planned & Legacy Giving

• Build a legacy giving program encompassing bequests, beneficiary designations, IRA qualified charitable distributions, donor-advised fund gifts, appreciated securities, and real property.
• Cultivate and document legacy commitments; steward legacy donors as a distinct community.

Giving Strategy, Donor Events & Campaigns (As Needed)

• As priorities arise, contribute to annual giving strategy in collaboration with the Lead Pastor, COO, and CFO.
• Lead feasibility, strategy, and execution for capital campaigns and donor events when needed to support facility, expansion, and network growth initiatives (invite professional ministry partners to join in these initiatives).
• Identify and pursue foundation and grant funding where aligned with mission.

Stewardship & Donor Care

• Design and operate a consistent donor stewardship program: acknowledgment, impact reporting, and meaningful touchpoints across giving levels.
• Champion a culture of generosity across the organization in partnership with teaching and communications teams.
• Maintain disciplined records of donor relationships, pipeline, and ask history to support forecasting and stewardship.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of personally soliciting and closing major gifts (six figures and above) in a nonprofit, ministry, or higher-education context.
• 7+ years of progressive development/fundraising experience, including portfolio management.
• Demonstrated experience with planned giving vehicles and/or endowment building.
• Wholehearted alignment with the mission, vision, and values of Central Wesleyan Church and the Water's Edge Network.
• Exceptional relational intelligence, discretion, and integrity in handling confidential donor information.

Travel Expectations

This role requires regular travel, estimated at 10-20% of working time, for donor visits, vision experiences, and network events across the country. The Director should expect concentrated travel seasons around campaign milestones and year-end giving.