CharityVillage

VANCOUVER SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
6015 Walter Gage Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Reports to:                      Director of Advancement
Employment Status:        Full-time, Permanent, 35 hours per week, full-time benefits
Works closely with:          VST President, Marketing and Communications Officer, Executive Assistant to the President, Finance department

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Development Assistant is an integral team member of the Vancouver School of Theology’s Advancement team. The primary responsibility is coordinating the stewardship of VST supporters and donor communities. This flows to all specific duties, including database management, prospect research, gift processing and reporting, grant and donor appeals, and Advancement office support (Development, Communications, Alumni, and the President).

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Stewardship
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date information on all constituent records in VST’s fundraising database.
  • Process all donations and tax receipts.
  • Generate timely acknowledgement letters to donors (within 48 hours of receipt of gift).
  • Track scholarship and award allocations and produce yearly reports for all endowment donors.
  • Utilize CRM database, management systems, and spreadsheets to manage donor relationships and opportunities, accurately recording interactions to analyze and report on data and trends.
  • Maintain a schedule for all grant reporting and initiate the information collection process from subject matter experts, finance, and other internal sources if/as applicable.
  • Respond to general inquiries regarding constituent records and gifts.  
• Fundraising
  • Prepare mail and email lists as required for all departments.
  • Support with the execution of appeal mailings.
  • Work with the Director of Advancement to engage program staff to support project/program funding applications.
  • Research foundations and other organizational funders to identify new funding sources.
  • Gather financial and program information and write, edit, assemble and submit grant reports and applications.
  • Maintain a schedule and details for all grants to ensure timely and accurate submissions of grant applications.
  • Set up and maintain electronic and paper files for grants and funders.
  • Draft letters and email correspondence for the review and approval of the Director of Advancement and President.
  • Coordinate and process fundraising event registrations.
  • As required, assist with fundraising and other major VST events.  
• Data Management
  • Compile, analyze, and provide data for internal and external reports.
  • Coordinate with program staff to centralize constituent data.
  • Maintain records according to existing privacy legislation.
  • Perform data cleanup and occasionally supervise student employees doing data entry.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior support experience in a charitable organization environment.
• Experience with grant writing is desired but not required.
• Exceptional communication skills and judgement with the ability to maintain privacy and confidentiality.
• Excellent customer service abilities.
• Exceptional organization skills, attention to detail, time management, ability to manage multiple tasks, define and set priorities, and problem-solving.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office and database software like DonorPerfect.
• A pro-active, self-starter, able to recommend improved procedures and take direction.
• Unqualified support for the strategic vision and direction of VST (attached).

Please forward a CV and cover letter to humanresources@vst.edu to apply for this position.  This position participates in the full-time benefits package offered by VST.

This position will be open until filled.

VST's Vision, Mission and Goals:

Vision: The Vancouver School of Theology is called to educate and form thoughtful, engaged and generous Christian leaders.

Mission: An education at VST invites:

1. Faithful discernment of the demands of Christian service.
2. Rigorous engagement with Christian tradition and contemporary learning.
3. Hospitable and respectful collaboration with Indigenous spiritualties and other cultures and faith traditions for the good of all creation.

Commitments:

As a community of faith, we commit to:

1. theological education (theological, biblical, pastoral, ethical, historical, Indigenous and inter-religious studies) and formation for the flourishing of God's people
2. inspiring lives of discerning Christian discipleship within and outside this community
3. respect for the dignity of every person
4. learning and scholarship undertaken with diligence and openness
5. encouraging prophetic speech and just action for the love and welfare of creation

Goals:

1. Formation for Leadership: Increase our commitment to educating and forming ministry-bound students for transformative leadership, while continuing to support existing research-oriented programmes
2. Excellence in Teaching: Inspire excellence in teaching and learning for God's people, and share that learning in multiple venues
3. Strengthened Church Relationships: Cultivate our relationships with denominations that currently support us and continue ecumenical expansion, locally and internationally
4. Enhancing IT: Increase our capacity to use information technologies for teaching, and research and programmatic outreach with diverse external publics
5. Strengthened Community Relationships: Build the VST reputation and nurture a greater community of relationships, e.g., with Indigenous peoples, other religious traditions, UBC, neighbourhood theological colleges
6. 'First Choice' for Students: Strengthen our recruitment of ‘first-choice’ applicants from Canada, the Pacific North West and draw students from diverse backgrounds
7. Strengthened Financial Stewardship: Create long-term financial strength, stability and confidence in the school with responsible stewardship
8. 'First Choice' for Faculty: Enhance full-time faculty through deliberate recruitment and retention, to complement our current faculty
9. A Unifying Vision: Sustain and develop a staff, faculty and board who enthusiastically support the vision and mission of the school