Friends of SEMILLA
North American Ambassador Position
Background Information
Friends of SEMILLA is an IRC 501(c)(3) charitable organization, incorporated in the State of Ohio in 2002, to provide charitable support for SEMILLA Latin American Anabaptist Seminary (SEMILLA). The North American Ambassador serves, essentially, as executive director of Friends of SEMILLA. A full understanding of the position requires familiarity with SEMILLA and its programs and services.
SEMILLA was formed in 1984 by a group of Mennonite and other Anabaptist related regional church organizations in Central America. These organizations, founded by various North American missions’ initiatives, were gradually learning of the historic peace position of Anabaptist theology. This was at a time of tremendous violence in Central America, with repression and genocide of indigenous and poor communities under the guise of preventing communism. The more accurate reality was the safekeeping of North American business interests that continually encroached upon indigenous lands and resources. In the case of Guatemala alone, as many as 200,000 indigenous Mayan people were killed or disappeared during civil strife from 1960 to 1996.
Leaders of these regional organizations realized that a biblically based message of peace, justice, and compassionate community was sorely needed in their context. The instruction and educational materials needed to be in Spanish and directly relevant for their congregations and communities. They also realized that instruction would need to be delivered in the communities of the students rather than on a residential campus. The program took root and has now served thousands of students, offering certificate and diploma programs from post-elementary through college level in bible, theology, pastoral care, peace and justice, and other areas. Students study printed materials sent to them and then gather for a few intensive days with a professor in a regional study center. Increasingly, classes are also delivered online. Nearly half of the students are women, and many now come from other denominations who have discovered the value of Anabaptist theology. This distributive model of theological education is globally unique for Anabaptist related institutions.
Another distinguishing aspect of SEMILLA is its CASAS (Central American Study and Service) program and associated Casa Emaús guesthouse. CASAS provides language training and cultural immersion programs for individuals, tour groups, and college/university/seminary cohorts. This unique program serves the dual purpose of educating, from a peace church perspective, populations from wealthy nations about the realities of global economic and social oppression, while also providing a portion of the funding needed to make the seminary program affordable to its Latin American students, most of whom are from impoverished communities.
Friends of SEMILLA was created to generate supplemental financial support for the seminary and to build awareness of SEMILLA. It partners especially with the CASAS program to effectively market its programs and services. The North American Ambassador position, in addition to serving as executive director of Friends of SEMILLA, organizes and leads this two-pronged program of support.
Ambassador Position Description
The Ambassador will lead the fundraising and administrative functions of Friends of SEMILLA to enhance the mission and work of SEMILLA. The Ambassador is the key resource development officer, manages the executive responsibilities associated with board activities, and develops the institutional and financial connections essential to continued growth.
In addition, this position serves as the primary link between the administration and program of SEMILLA and the Friends of SEMILLA (FOS). This position reports to the FOS board of directors and is subject to an annual evaluation by the board.
Duties
- Prepare an annual work plan and budget for FOS that reflect the stated plans and needs of the Central American organization. Budget and work plan are to be presented annually for consideration and action by the FOS board.
- Implement the annual plan, assuming primary responsibility for all fundraising—including annual gifts, major gifts, and estate gifts—and communications, enlisting board member assistance as helpful.
- Cultivate and manage relationships with all donors, including regular informational updates (electronic and print), visits with major and prospective donors, and donor communications.
- Partner with SEMILLA staff and, when appropriate, marketing agencies to develop and implement North American marketing of CASAS.
- Serve as the primary link between SEMILLA and FOS, maintaining and using open channels of communication between SEMILLA leadership and FOS.
- Organize learning tours to Latin America in conjunction with SEMILLA staff and FOS and, as needed, host them.
- Organize and oversee administrative needs of the organization, including financial and program reporting to the board, bookkeeping, and donor database development and maintenance. Supervise the work of a parttime administrative assistant who will acknowledge donations, assist with donor and board member communication, enter donor and financial data into software systems, coordinate logistics for FOS board meetings, and manage details of learning tours.
Experience and Skills
A preferred candidate will exhibit basic competence in a majority of the following items along with aptitude for and commitment to training in areas of deficiency:
- Five years of experience as a professional fund development officer
- BA, preferably in communications or marketing
- Personal understanding of and identification with Anabaptist Christian faith as expressed in the mission and programs of SEMILLA
- Nonprofit organizational management experience, preferably at the executive director level
- Ability to travel, domestically and internationally, between 10 and 20 percent of job time, including occasional weekends
- Fluent written and verbal communication in English and Spanish
- Fluency in both North American and Latin American culture
- Knowledge sufficient for management oversight of fundraising and accounting software
- Competence in the use of standard office productivity software suites
- Comfort with the use of electronic and social media for marketing
- Commitment to pursue additional training in areas of skill deficiency
Salary and benefits will be commensurate with experience.