Associate Secretary for Stewardship The Presbyterian Church in Canada
Job Description
Description
The Presbyterian Church in Canada seeks an Associate Secretary for Stewardship. This is an executive position within the Life and Mission Agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Applications are to be submitted to Ian Ross-McDonald by email at by October 10, 2025.
Vision
Believing that God has blessed the church and its members with many gifts and that sharing and practicing generosity is a faithful response to God’s goodness and graciousness, the Stewardship Department encourages generosity and provides resources to support and enhance giving throughout the church.
Accountability/Responsibility
Direction and coordination will be given by and accountability will be to the General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency and through the General Secretary to the Life and Mission Agency Committee.
Nature and Scope
The Associate Secretary is responsible for supporting the church by:
- Working with openness and trust in a collegial fashion with all other officers of the church, as befits a disciple of Christ.
- Promoting stewardship and a Christian understanding of God’s mission in the world through the church.
- Developing and implementing strategies for raising financial support for the mission and ministry of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in the short and long terms.
- Facilitating gift-giving of congregations and individuals by overseeing the recording of gifts (cash and planned) in the database and ensuring proper acknowledgement, charitable gift receipts and thank you procedures.
- Facilitating the management of the database used to contact congregations, ministers, donors, committee members, event participants, etc.
- Equipping congregations in stewardship and planned giving strategies.
- Encouraging people to use their skills, finances and time in ongoing mission and ministry.
- Helping congregations, presbyteries, synods and specialized ministries to develop and implement multi-faceted strategies to become financially healthy and sustainable.
- Liaising with presbyteries as they encourage generosity.
- Training and equipping clergy and lay leaders to be effective stewardship leaders to grow the financial resources (annual, major and planned gifts) needed to do the mission God has called them to.
- Working collaboratively with Assembly Council (Finance Committee) to develop and implement strategies for how The Presbyterian Church in Canada funds its overall mission and ministry in the short and long term.
- Supporting the formulation of policies for the church.
- Producing resources, both new and ongoing, required to support denominational initiatives.
- Nurturing relationships to seek annual, major and planned gifts to support the mission and ministries of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
- Effectively leading the staff of the Stewardship and Planned Giving Department.
- Carrying out all aspects of the position as an officer and agent of the church, in such a way as to preserve and enhance the witness of the church as servants of Jesus Christ and to ensure that the assets and resources of the church are used appropriately.
Tasks
- Manageable yearly goals and objectives will be formulated jointly by the incumbent, the General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency and the Life and Mission Agency Committee from the tasks listed below.
Administration and Human Resources
- Encourage a spirit of cooperation, teamwork and expectations of excellence throughout the church.
- Work cooperatively with advisory committees and the LMA Committee in their promotion and evaluation of the Stewardship department.
- Set budgets and oversee the activities and functions of the department within budget limits.
- Participate in the hiring, training, direction, evaluation and recognition of department staff.
- Provide active and engaged supervision of staff and volunteers.
- Collaborate with national office staff and ecumenical colleagues in areas of mutual engagement and concern.
- Engage in continuing education and reflection about stewardship and planned giving to stay up-to-date on current best practices in the industry.
Gifts and Fundraising
- Serve as an ex-officio on the Finance Committee of Assembly Council as it establishes an overall strategy for funding the work of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in the short and long term. Give regular reports to the committee regarding the status and trends in giving (annual, major and planned giving).
- Develop and oversee fundraising campaigns to support the mission and ministry of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
- Research, cultivate, solicit and nurture annual, major and planned gifts from congregations and individuals to support the mission and ministry of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, including Presbyterians Sharing, Gifts of Change, Mission Priority Funds and other campaigns and funds.
- Supporting prospective donors to help them fulfill their philanthropic goals including working with donors and their advisors (e.g., lawyers, financial services professionals, etc.) to determine the best way for them to leave gifts to The Presbyterian Church in Canada in the most tax-efficient way.
- Create, update and maintain policies and procedures for handling annual gifts, gift annuities and other planned gifts.
- Develop database protocols to ensure data integrity and ensure The Presbyterian Church in Canada donor database is utilized to its fullest potential.
- Regularly assess the effectiveness of the Presbyterians Sharing formula and the accepted congregational allocations.
- Ensure that materials providing information on the different giving vehicles including annuities, stocks, etc., and their tax benefits to prospective major and legacy donors are developed and updated for use in the church.
- Develop and implement endowment plans and gift agreements.
- Co-ordinate communication of financial matters to congregations with Pension and Benefits, Financial Services and Communications.
Education and Promotion
- Encourage generosity within The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
- Keep congregations and presbyteries informed about and connected to the mission and ministry of The Presbyterian Church in Canada and help them use creative ways to encourage financial support through Presbyterians Sharing and other vehicles (planned gifts, major gifts, capital campaigns etc.).
- Collaborate with other departments supported by Presbyterians Sharing to help them articulate and communicate their mission and ministry work to inspire giving.
- Develop and implement promotion and education strategies for annual, major and planned gifts reflective of a theology of stewardship in the reformed tradition.
- Produce annual resources promoting the mission of the church supported by Presbyterians Sharing and restricted funds.
Stewardship and Planned Giving Best Practices
- Seek, curate, edit, adapt and create electronic and printed resources to help congregations, presbyteries, synods and specialized ministries develop stewardship and planned giving policies, best practices, assessment tools, worship material and strategies to help achieve financial health and sustainability.
Leadership Development
- Support presbyteries to help congregations develop healthy stewardship habits and year-round stewardship plans with integrated planned giving strategies.
- Conduct stewardship educational and equipping events (e.g., workshops, webinars, conferences) to equip leaders in presbyteries, congregations and specialized ministries in stewardship skills.
- Connect the gifts and talents of leadership within The Presbyterian Church in Canada to the wider church through leadership opportunities.
- Promote ecumenical leadership development opportunities.
- Provide grants to facilitate attendance of congregational leaders in ecumenical stewardship events.
- Participate in the approval of various grants.
Networking
- Keep abreast of ecumenical developments and seek opportunities to associate and collaborate with other denominations, agencies and organizations to maximize the reach and impact of programs through collaborative planning, programming and implementation.
Other
- Undertake such other tasks as are, from time to time, assigned by the General Assembly or requested of other Committees through the General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency.
General Qualifications and Personal Characteristics
The Associate Secretary will possess the following characteristics:
- Evidence of a lively and mature Christian faith and a commitment to The Presbyterian Church in Canada including its goals, vision and mission.
Vision
- A vision of both pastoral and prophetic ministries in the church in the 21st century.
- A vision for how stewardship and planned giving can help the church – national, regional and local – build vibrant missions and ministries.
Understandings
- A demonstrated understanding of The Presbyterian Church in Canada, its ethos, governance, distinctiveness, diversity and polity.
- A demonstrated ability to clearly articulate the theological basis for stewardship and planned giving.
- Understanding ways to actively engage congregations and individuals in the mission work of the church in Canada and around the world, particularly through mission experiences.
- A demonstrated understanding of and willingness to continue learning about colonialism and prejudices in church and society, especially in relation to people of Indigenous background and the church’s participation in the Indian Residential School system.
- A demonstrated understanding of and willingness to continue learning about the church’s participation in homophobia, racism, transphobia and other prejudices which have affected the mission and ministry through its history.
- A demonstrated understanding of the importance of maintaining confidentiality.
Creativity
- Ability to seek creative solutions.
Education and Experience
- Recognized degree in a relevant field from an accredited university.
- Proven experience in fundraising, philanthropy and planned giving.
- Proven experience leading congregations to be financially healthy.
- Proven experience in management of financial gifts and constituent relations management databases.
Communication Skills
- Excellent oral, written and electronic communication skills and ability to communicate with knowledge and passion.
- Ability to design and deliver workshops and training events for clergy and lay leaders in stewardship and planned giving.
Management Skills
- Demonstrated ability to oversee the interviewing orientation, direction, evaluation and recognition of staff.
- Demonstrated ability to work within a collegial model of administration, consensus building and decision making, including a strong commitment to work effectively, openly and cooperatively with others.
- Skill in setting goals and objectives and managing time according to established priorities.
- Demonstrated ability in organization, meeting deadlines and working at several projects simultaneously.
- Demonstrated ability to facilitate group interactions and to work well with committees.
- Ability to assist with the formulation of policies and procedures.
Financial Management Skills
- An understanding of financial matters, specifically in the field of planned giving and personal financial planning.
- Comprehensive understanding of gift management, issuing acknowledgements and charitable gift receipts and experience in constituent relations management databases.
- An ability to analyze giving trends and develop appropriate strategies to cultivate, solicit and nurture annual, major and planned gifts.
- An understanding of church finances, its connection to mission and ministry and what it takes to build financially healthy congregations.
- A demonstrated ability in financial management skills including oversight of budget planning and monitoring.
Interpersonal Skills
- Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to establish rapport with those within the church and the broader constituency.
- Sensitivity for the dignity and worth of individuals’ ages, gender identities, ethnicity, cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, economic circumstances, religion, theology and family configurations.
Personal Characteristics
- An ability and willingness to undertake some travel.
- Energy and enthusiasm with the flexibility to change.
- An understanding of the importance of self-care.
- A creative style that shows initiative and active commitment to seek solutions.
Location
- This position is not necessarily based at the national offices of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in Toronto. However, the position does require the incumbent to be in the offices periodically in addition to other travel requirements.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is committed to creating an inclusive workplace that reflects our diverse community to ensure that we are best equipped to serve the church.
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Company
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
Location
Toronto
Country
Canada
Salary
100.000
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