Development Officer

Position Summary

The Development Officer is responsible for strengthening and expanding the Northrise donor community by activating the Board of Trustees, cultivating meaningful donor relationships, and building a growing pipeline of new supporters and friends of Northrise.

This role sits at the intersection of:

• Trustee relationships & engagement

• Network expansion (“friend-raising”)

• Donor cultivation and growth

The Development Officer will serve as a relationship builder, connector, and multiplier, helping transform a strong core of trustee supporters into a broader and more scalable and sustained donor network.

Core Objectives

1. Activate and deepen engagement of the Board of Trustees

2. Expand the Board of Trustees

3. Expand the donor network through trustee-led introductions

4. Cultivate and grow giving among existing donors

5. Build a consistent pipeline of new, qualified supporters

6. Strengthen donor experience and long-term retention

Key Responsibilities

1. Trustee Activation & Engagement (Top Priority)

• Build strong, trust-based relationships with Board of Trustees (@40 couples)
• Serve as a primary point of contact for engagement and support
• Expand the Board of Trustees to 60 over the first 30 months of employment
• Partner with trustees to:
• Identify potential new supporters within their networks
• Facilitate introductions and small gatherings
• Deepen their involvement in the mission
• Support trustees in hosting:
• Small, curated donor gatherings
• Introductions to prospective supporters

This role transforms trustees into active ambassadors and network multipliers

2. Network Expansion & Prospect Development

• Develop and manage a pipeline of new prospective donors
• Source prospects through:
• Trustee introductions
• Events and gatherings
• Personal networking
• Church relationships & events
• Guide prospects through early-stage engagement:
• Awareness → interest → relationship

Primary focus: quality and fit of new relationships

3. Donor Cultivation & Giving Growth

• Nurture a portfolio of existing donors
• Build relationships that lead to:
• Increased engagement
• Increased giving over time
• Identify and develop donors with capacity to grow into major gift relationships
• Partner with senior leadership for larger gift opportunities when appropriate
• Expand our number of partner churches

4. Donor Experience & Stewardship

• Ensure consistent, personalized communication with donors
• Deliver meaningful engagement:
• Updates of Northrise’s impact
• Stories from Zambia
• Invitations to experiences and events
• Maintain high levels of:
• Donor satisfaction
• Sustained motivation
• Retention

5. Event & Gathering Strategy Execution

• Plan and execute small, high-quality gatherings with trustees
• Support donor events designed to:
• Introduce new prospects
• Deepen relationships

Focus on intimate, relationship-driven experiences, not large-scale events

6. Pipeline Management & CRM Discipline

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date donor and prospect records
• Track:
• Interactions
• Next steps
• Pipeline stage
• Ensure every active relationship has:
• A defined next action
• Consistent follow-up
• Personalized, wherever possible, expressions of gratitude

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Trustee Activation

• 80–120 introductions annually
• 70–85% trustee engagement
• 12–20 gatherings per year
• 100 new prospects sourced

Network Expansion

• 100–150 new prospects annually
• 75–100 first meetings
• 20–30% conversion to donors

Donor Growth

• 95% BOT retention
• Expand BOT to 60 members in first 30 months

 of employment

• 15–20% of donors increasing giving

Weekly Activity

• 8–12 donor conversations
• 40–60 outreach touches
• 3–5 introduction asks
• 95% CRM compliance

Pipeline Health

• 75–125 active relationships
• 95% with defined next steps
• Consistent stage progression

Experience & Background

Preferred experience in:

• Fundraising or development
• Private client / wealth management
• Faith-based or mission-driven organizations

Success Profile (12–18 Months)

• Increased Trustee engagement
• Expanded BOT
• Consistent flow of new donor introductions
• Growing donor pipeline
• Expanded mid-level donor base
• Improved retention and engagement
• Increased fundraising capacity

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Executive Director of NUI

Works closely with:

• Dr. Moffat Zimba
• Board of Trustees
• Senior NU leadership
• Development team

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Exceptional relationship builder with high emotional intelligence
• Naturally network-oriented and comfortable asking for introductions
• Strong communicator and storyteller
• Disciplined and highly organized in follow-through
• Comfortable engaging high-net-worth individuals
• Passionate about faith-based, mission-driven work
• High & proven moral integrity

What This Role Is Not

• Not primarily a major gift closer
• Not an event coordinator
• Not a grant writer or back-office role

This role is a relationship engine and growth catalyst

Compensation

• Competitive base salary
• Performance-based incentives tied to KPIs

Closing Perspective

This role is central to scaling and sustaining the Northrise mission, expanding its donor community, and developing future leaders in Zambia.