Gift Aid > Getting Started

Job Description for a Gift Aid Officer

In many parishes the PCC Treasurer is assisted by a Gift Aid Officer. This post may be known locally by other titles, such as Committed Giving Secretary, Planned Giving Officer, Stewardship Secretary, Envelope Scheme Administrator or even Covenant Secretary! The important thing is what the person does, not the title.

Outline job description and person specification 

Overall objective: 

To help the parish develop its mission and ministry with confidence by promoting and implementing effective planned giving methods across the entire parish community. 

Reports to (or works in close co-operation with): The PCC Treasurer

The post-holder can be a member of the PCC, or be co-opted on to it. As a minimum they should present an annual report to the PCC, highlighting achievements over the past year, and proposed actions for the coming year. 

Key tasks probably include: 

• encouraging all church members to support the church regularly (nb newcomers) 
• administering envelopes, bankers orders, tax reclaims etc 
• encouraging taxpayers to give tax-efficiently through Gift Aid, payroll giving etc 
• sensitively following up those who default on their pledges 
• thanking people for their contributions at least once a year 
• providing progress reports and analyses to the PCC 
• helping people to give one-off gifts (eg donations in memory, shares) 
• helping local residents and casual visitors to give tax effectively (eg Friends, Gift Aid envelopes) 
• sharing good ideas and best practice with other local churches 

Depending on the individual, and parish structures, other tasks might include:

• helping to maintain the Electoral Roll, church family list etc 
• helping to organise any “time and talents” schemes 
• helping the church to organise an annual renewal of stewardship pledges 
• promoting Christian stewardship and money management in the church’s teaching syllabus 
• reminding people about keeping wills up to date 
• organising a “stewardship committee” or equivalent 
• co-operating with any major capital appeals etc 
• investigating potentially new ways of generating regular income for the parish 
• keeping up to date with new schemes, changes in official regulations etc 

Outline person specification: 

Essential requirements :

• able to maintain absolute confidentiality about people’s donations 
• a good head for figures 
• well organised, 
• able to keep detailed records in an accurate and timely manner 
• sensitive to people’s personal financial pressures 
• able to work closely with the treasurer and incumbent. 

Desirable additional requirements :

• probably computer literate, especially basic spreadsheets or similar software packages