AI Job Summary

- Demonstrated experience building and maintaining trusted, long-term relationships with churches and faith communities.
- Strong understanding of Australian churches/denominations/networks and ability to work respectfully across Christian, te
- Comfortable engaging at a values/theological level; connect Christian faith, justice, and peace to the mission.

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Role Type

Anywhere • Permanent • Full time • Mid-level Senior

Pay Rate

$110,000 AUD – $111,000 AUD (Annum)

Description

About Act for Peace

Act for Peace works towards a world of peace with justice by standing with and supporting locally led partners and communities to tackle the root causes of conflict and displacement.

About the team The Engagement Team exists to play a critical role in sustaining Act for Peace by raising the funds needed to resource our mission to create a movement for peace. As a relational organisation,

growing and deepening the relationships that sustain Act for Peace’s mission is critical – connecting people and communities of faith within Australia, and with people impacted by conflict and displacement around the world.

Our work spans fundraising campaigns, church engagement, philanthropy, supporter journeys and communications, working closely with our mobilisation colleagues to create integrated pathways for people to give and act. We bring together authentic storytelling, supporter insight, and a commitment to values-aligned connection to inspire generosity and long-term support beyond giving.

About the Role The Church Relationships Manager builds and deepens Act for Peace’s relationships with churches and Christian communities across Australia, inviting them into meaningful, long-term engagement with our mission and the growing Movement for Peace.

This is a highly relational and church-facing role, responsible for developing trusted relationships with church leaders, congregations, partners and networks and helping them discover meaningful ways to participate in Act for Peace’s work through giving, prayer, advocacy, mobilisation and action.

Working across fundraising and mobilisation, the Church Relationships Manager presents integrated opportunities for churches to engage with Act for Peace throughout the year. This includes strengthening participation in the Christmas Bowl and public mobilisation efforts, deepening relationships beyond one-off campaigns, re-engaging churches whose involvement has declined, and developing relationships with new churches and church networks.

Working closely with the Chief of Engagement and Mobilisation Strategist, and with colleagues across fundraising, communications and global solidarity, the role helps ensure Act for Peace’s engagement with churches is relational, coordinated and grounded in our mission, values and Christian identity.

Key Accountabilities & Performance Expectations

Church Relationship Management & Stewardship – 40%

- Manage and steward a portfolio of church relationships across different denominations, building trusted, long-term relationships with church leaders, congregations and key contacts.
- Develop a strong understanding of each church within this portfolio, its context, interests and relationship with Act for Peace, identifying opportunities to deepen engagement.
- Meet regularly with church leaders and communities through church visits, meetings, phone and online engagement.
- Represent Act for Peace in churches through speaking, presentations and events, communicating our mission in ways that resonate across diverse Christian communities.
- Develop thoughtful stewardship and follow-up that strengthens connection with Act for Peace throughout the year.
- Identify opportunities for churches to deepen their involvement through giving, prayer, advocacy, mobilisation and action.

Church Growth & Reactivation – 25%

- Proactively identify and develop relationships with new churches, church leaders and networks with potential alignment to Act for Peace’s mission.
- Re-engage churches whose participation or giving has declined, seeking to understand barriers and rebuild relationships where appropriate.
- Build relationships with denominational and ecumenical leaders and networks, including synods, presbyteries, dioceses, councils and other church bodies, to strengthen Act for Peace’s connection and reach across Australian churches.
- Identify opportunities to engage churches and Christian communities beyond Act for Peace’s traditional networks, where there is alignment with our mission and values.
- Develop and manage a pipeline of prospective church relationships, with clear priorities, next steps and relationship plans.
- Use church and supporter insight, data and feedback to identify opportunities for growth and prioritise relationship activity.

Christmas Bowl & Integrated Engagement – 20%

- Strengthen church participation in the Christmas Bowl, building on its longstanding place within Australian churches and using it as an opportunity to deepen relationships with Act for Peace.




- Work with the Fundraising Manager and wider Engagement Team to support the delivery and growth of the Christmas Bowl church program.
- Help churches connect their Christmas Bowl participation with broader opportunities to engage with Act for Peace throughout the year, including advocacy, campaigns and public mobilisation.
- Present churches with relevant and integrated opportunities for fundraising, giving, advocacy and mobilisation, based on their interests and relationship with Act for Peace.
- Gather feedback and insight from churches to inform future campaigns, resources and engagement opportunities.

Church Engagement Planning, Listening & Collaboration – 10%

- Develop and maintain relationship plans and activity pipelines that enable proactive church stewardship and engagement.
- Create opportunities to listen to and learn from churches, including through surveys, focus groups, conversations and other feedback mechanisms, using these insights to strengthen Act for Peace’s church engagement.
- Bring church perspectives and insights into organisational planning, helping colleagues understand the needs, motivations and experiences of church communities.
- Work closely with the Mobilisation Strategist to connect church relationships with opportunities for advocacy, mobilisation and collective action.
- Collaborate with fundraising, communications, content and global solidarity colleagues to develop coordinated and relevant opportunities for churches to engage with Act for Peace.
- Identify and coordinate opportunities for church events, speaking engagements and other gatherings that strengthen relationships and connect churches with Act for Peace’s mission.
- Maintain accurate and meaningful church relationship information in Act for Peace’s CRM and use data, feedback and insight to monitor engagement and inform future approaches.

General Operations – 5%

- Represent Act for Peace internally and externally, including at church, denominational, ecumenical and other relevant events and forums.
- Manage allocated budgets and resources effectively and contribute to agreed church engagement and income targets.
- Contribute positively to the wider Engagement Team and organisational planning, reporting and ways of working.
- From time to time, undertake other job-related duties as assigned, including domestic travel.

The ideal candidate:

Essential

- Church and relationship engagement. Demonstrated experience building and maintaining trusted relationships with churches, church leaders or faith communities. Able to understand different contexts, build rapport and develop relationships over time.
- Understanding of the Australian church context. Strong understanding of Australian churches, denominations and Christian networks, and an ability to work respectfully and effectively across different Christian traditions and theological perspectives.
- Theological fluency and faith-based insight. Comfortable engaging with Christian communities at a values and theological level, with the ability to connect Christian faith, justice and peace with Act for Peace’s mission and opportunities for participation.
- Fundraising and mobilisation. Comfortable inviting churches and individuals to participate through giving and other forms of action, with an understanding of relationship-based fundraising, mobilisation or community engagement.
- Communication and public speaking. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with confidence speaking to churches and groups in a range of settings. Able to communicate complex issues with warmth, clarity and sensitivity and inspire people to participate.
- Relationship development and growth. A proactive approach to identifying and developing new relationships and re-engaging existing ones. Comfortable initiating contact, opening doors, identifying opportunities and following up consistently to move relationships towards deeper engagement.
- Listening and engagement. Skilled at listening to and learning from stakeholders, including through conversations, surveys, focus groups and other forms of consultation, and translating those insights into practical improvements.
- Planning and organisation. Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage a portfolio of relationships, competing priorities, travel, events and follow-up while delivering against agreed objectives.
- Collaboration. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across teams and disciplines, bringing together fundraising, communications, advocacy and mobilisation opportunities into a coherent experience for churches.
- Data and systems.



Comfortable using CRM systems and relationship data to record engagement, manage pipelines and follow-up, understand trends and inform priorities.
- Ability to travel. Willingness and ability to travel regularly to churches, meetings and events across Australia and to undertake occasional work outside standard business hours.

Desirable

- Church networks. Existing relationships or experience engaging with diverse Christian communities and networks, including migrant, diaspora and Pentecostal churches.

Key Stakeholders and Relationships

- External – Church leaders and congregations, denominational and ecumenical leaders and networks, synods, presbyteries, dioceses and councils, Christian organisations and networks, church volunteers and advocates, and other faith-based partners and stakeholders.
- Internal – Chief of Engagement, Mobilisation Strategist, Fundraising Manager, Communications and Content Manager, Supporter Data & Systems Manager, Head of Philanthropy, CEO, Global Solidarity team, and wider Act for Peace team.

Other Requirements

- Eligibility to work in Australia
- Commitment to the values of Act for Peace
- Commitment to abide by the principles, policies, and codes of conduct of Act for Peace
- Establish positive, collaborative relationships with the Act for Peace teams
- Capacity to undertake intermittent travel and work outside standard business hours (reasonably)
- Abide by industry norms – as set out in the Act for Peace accountability framework
- For our full Policies set please see: http://www.actforpeace.org.au/our-policies
- Commitment to Act for Peace requirements, including attendance at staff meetings; completion of all administration, finance and operational reporting requirements as per policy and/or line managers directive, adherence to program, HR and finance policies and procedures
- Respect for a multicultural and multi-talented workforce.

Safeguarding Requirements and Responsibilities

Act for Peace takes the prevention of fraud and of sexual misconduct and harassment, and child protection seriously. As part of our Safeguarding Policies (Child Safeguarding and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment);

- Employment is conditional upon the outcome of an Australian Federal Police Background check, as well as an equivalent police background check for any country in which the applicant has lived for more than 12 months during the last five years and for each country of citizenship.
- A working with children check may be required.
- Strict adherence to our Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding Policy, Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) Policy and the Privacy Policy is mandatory.

Work, Health, and Safety Responsibilities

Cooperate with all health and safety policies and procedures of the organisation and take all reasonable care that your actions or omissions do not impact on the health and safety of colleagues in the workplace.

What We Can Offer You

- Annual full-time salary of $110,000 + 12% superannuation.
- Salary packaging benefits: Access salary packaging options for mortgage/rent/ a debit card for up to $15,900 per FBT year and/or meals and entertainment up to $2,650 per FBT year
- Work-life balance you can rely on: Enjoy a 35-hour work week.
- Make a difference: Be part of an inspiring team working towards a more peaceful and just world.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you’re excited by the opportunity to create meaningful change, we’d love to hear from you! Act for Peace is an equal opportunities employer, individuals with lived experience of displacement are encouraged to apply.

Application closing date: 14th October 2026. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Company Overview

We believe all people are created equal, and we should love our neighbours as ourselves. Yet, right now, we’re living in a world of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Divisions are deepening, conflicts are escalating, and climate inaction is placing lives in peril. It means every day, more of us around the world are forced from our homes by violent conflict and disaster. For more than 70 years, Act for Peace has brought people together to respond to this injustice. Meeting urgent needs, advocating for change and backing displaced people to reclaim control of their lives. Founded by the Australian churches, we are a diverse collection of people united by a powerful conviction: to create a just and peaceful society, we must work together. It’s both the right thing to do, and the only thing that will work. That’s why we work in solidarity with long-term local partners; and collaborate with local, regional and global networks, academics, governments and the UN; to ensure people uprooted by conflict and disaster have a safe place to belong. OUR VISION A world where everyone belongs. OUR PURPOSE To create, together, a world where people uprooted by conflict and disaster have a safe place to belong. For more information about Act for Peace, including our strategic framework, principles and policies, please visit our website www.actforpeace.org.au

📌 Church Relationships Manager - Remote (Melbourne)
🏢 Employment Hero
📍 Melbourne