POSITION SPECIFICATION
Vice President for Development
Wesley Theological Seminary
Washington, D.C.
The Situation
Wesley Theological Seminary is a graduate professional school of The United Methodist Church. Its mission is to educate persons for the various forms of Christian ministry and to provide theological leadership on issues facing the church and the world. The Seminary offers four degree programs: Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), and Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.).
The Seminary has completed a successful $30 million capital campaign and exceeded its goal. Yet, the Seminary still lags behind comparable institutions in endowment. The current endowment is $26 million.
Due to the start of a new term by a new president, the reorganization of administrative staff, and a fresh understanding of the development function, the vice president for development position is open.
Additional background about Wesley Theological Seminary continues on pages 4 & 5 of this document.
Attractions
New vice president for development will be coming into an institution that is Aon the move.@ The Seminary has an important vision and is on the cutting edge of theological education, including doing some risky things.
Creative and gifted people who support each other are on the staff. The faculty is highly regarded, the students are motivated, and the board is high-powered and sophisticated in theological education.
The Seminary has ambitious goals, but it tries to reach them in a collegial environment.
The position offers a broad range of activities in fund-raising and the institution is small enough that the vice president for development will be able to work closely with the president, deans, and board.
The position affords a good opportunity for professional growth.
Critical Issues
The vice president for development will be asked to develop and expand the donor base for the Seminary to build support for current programs and future campaigns. Particular attention must be paid to increasing the endowment as well as increasing returns in the annual fund along with other development programs.
The Seminary is first tier in quality, but only third tier in endowment.
Wesley is trying to do many things simultaneously with a small group of people.
New president has served in many positions in the Seminary, including chief development officer.
The Seminary is willing to consider candidates from outside the fund-raising profession.
The Position
Reports to: President, in parallel with four other members of the president=s Administrative Council.
Supervises: Development office staff; total number is five, including a director of planned giving.
Basic Function: Principal focus of the position is on raising funds and developing relationships, both outside and inside the Seminary. Additional responsibilities include managing programs and leading staff.
Major Responsibilities:
Coordinate all development activities at Wesley with special responsibilities for the Annual Fund, planned giving, publications, and prospect management.
Be lead person responsible for the Annual Fund (currently about $1.2 million per year) through both mail appeal and face-to-face appeals. This is a base building/constituency building job. Expected to recruit new supporters, and develop ties to key churches.
Look for Acultivation@ events and organize special events.
Work directly with the president and coordinate his work in development. The president is the Seminary's major gift solicitor, especially with foundations and endowment prospects.
Supervise the receipt and acknowledgment of all gifts.
Manage the proposal process; work with president on foundation proposals.
Supervise mailings.
Work directly with members of the Administrative Council and coordinate each member's development portfolio.
Provide leadership and supervision of professional development staff; management of the development office, including support staff, data-management systems; and calendar and mailings.
Take the lead in programming, communication, special events and face-to-face contact with non-graduate donors and prospects, especially for the AWesley Council.@ Members of the Council contribute $1,000 each year.
Spend about two days each week out of the office visiting with donors and prospects, and encouraging their financial and other forms of support for the Seminary.
Produce regular forms of communication for donors and prospects.
Represent the Seminary in local churches, small groups, and individuals.
Qualifications
The Ideal Person Should Have:
Outstanding interpersonal skills and exceptional oral and written communication skills. A relational development is an example of needing and using all of these skills. Need to represent the institution well. Have an ease in talking about church, Seminary and ask for money. Be able to develop a case statement for use in the campaign.
The ability to task, coordinate and encourage people who may be more experienced, older, maybe not direct reports.
B.S. or B.A. degree is required.
Knowledge of and experience working in an institution of higher education or a church is a plus as is some knowledge of planned giving, seminary education, special events, public relations, or publications.
A high tolerance for ambiguitywhile focusing on specific goals.
The Ideal Person Should Be:
Familiar with the nature and culture of church-going people. Need to find out where donor is in his/her thinking about church.
Comfortable with mainline Protestantism.
Able to support the president as the major gift solicitor. The vice president for development should be able to suggest new ideas about soliciting across generations of donors.
Able to manage conflicting priorities.
Able to tell the president when things are not right.
Comfortable with the current computer network and learn to use the software package Teams Elite by Jenzabar.
An outgoing, self-starter who works cooperatively with others in a diverse, fast-paced environment, handles multiple projects at the same time, and is proficient in Windows-based computers and word processing.
Expected to know the United Methodist Church well and to be acquainted with the polity and beliefs of other denominations.
Available some evenings and weekends. Some overnight travel required.
Comfortable in a collegial and communicative environment.
Disciplined, results-oriented, and aggressive in pursuing new initiatives and program improvements.
Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, or marital status.
Background Information about Wesley Theological Seminary
A member of the Washington Theological Consortium, Wesley Theological Seminary is committed to a form of theological education that is both loyal to its denominational heritage and supportive of the ecumenical movement toward a united church. The Seminary is prepared to provide training for those who wish to serve as ministers, whether lay or ordained, professional or non-professional. The degree programs are tailored to fit varying vocational goals.
The Seminary attempts to demonstrate how rigorous intellectual pursuit can be centered in a worship of God that leads to caring relationships within the community and informed concern for the world without. The administrative and educational policies affirm the dignity and worth of every human being. Wesley is committed to:
Inclusiveness of race, sex, nationality, economic status, and age.
Working toward a barrier free environment with adequate facilities and assistance for persons with handicapping conditions.
The personal and intellectual maturation of the Seminary's students, as it strives to furnish the church with leaders whose experience at Wesley Seminary has fostered disciplined spiritual lives as well as an understanding of Christian faith that critically and compassionately engages the realities of the church and the world.
Wesley Theological Seminary is in its second century of preparing men and women for service to church and society. The Seminary's origin was in the 1881 meeting of the Maryland Annual Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church. Enabling legislation of that year led to a charter for Westminster Theological Seminary and the opening of classes in 1882 on the campus of Western Maryland College in Westminster, Maryland. For more than half a century the Seminary thrived there as the training center for ministers of the Methodist Protestant Church.
In 1939, with the union of the three major branches of Methodism, Westminster Seminary became one of ten schools of theology of the new Methodist Church. The new union enhanced the Seminary's growth and helped it define a role of service to the total church. After careful study of pertinent factors, it was decided in 1955 that the Seminary should move from Westminster to the present site in Washington, D.C. In 1958, the Seminary took up residence at its new campus and was renamed Wesley Theological Seminary.
In 1968 the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form The United Methodist Church. Simultaneously, Wesley Seminary became one of thirteen seminaries of the new United Methodist Church. Wesley is viewed by many as the leading free standing United Methodist Church seminary.
Wesley Theological Seminary is accredited by:
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada,
Commission on Higher Education of The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and
The University Senate of The United Methodist Church (Board of Higher Education and Ministry).
Candidates, or those suggesting someone, should communicate in cofidence to:
Katie Wilson, Robert Sellery Associates, Ltd.
1050 Connecticut Avenue, Tenth Floor, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036.
Email: kwilson@ioip.com,
sellery@cais.com
FAX 202.333.1167
Telephone: 202.331.0090
All inquiries will be kept in strict confidence.
R
OBERT SELLERY ASSOCIATES, LTD.
