Major Gifts Officer

Food Bank’s Major Gifts Officer is responsible for achieving Food Bank For New York City’s individual giving fundraising goals by developing and implementing strategies for increasing repeatable, sustainable private gifts to the organization. Working with senior leadership, this position requires a high-energy, detail-oriented, hard-working leader who can build deep and lasting relationships with both donors and team members. Success in this position requires the ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of major donors and prospective donors. This includes creating portfolio and donor pipeline strategies and establishing measurable goals and objectives as part of a successful team. The successful candidate will also be reliable, coachable, and consistent in their follow through on commitments.

This might be a job for you, if you:

• Are sophisticated and comfortable dealing with prospects/donors and local philanthropists
• Use sound judgment in communications and one-on-one meetings with major donors
• Have thorough and specific knowledge of effective major gifts fundraising strategies and tactics
• Enjoy the challenge of creating major donor stewardship and solicitation strategies
• Devise creative upgrade strategies for your donors
• Have experience with multi-year pledges and planned giving strategies

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Collaborate with senior leadership and colleagues across the organization to influence and implement a comprehensive fundraising plan that increases revenue to support Food Bank’s strategic direction and mission to end hunger in New York City;
• Maintain a portfolio of major donors and prospects by proactively creating and implementing strategies for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors with the capacity to make 5- and 6-figure annual gifts and 6- and 7-figure leadership gifts;
• Conduct 75-100 face-to-face meetings with donors and prospects annually through one-on-one meetings, site visits/tours;
• Strategize on portfolio assignments and fundraising goals to maximize gifts to Food Bank; and
• Help ensure the success of Food Bank’s $2m+ annual Can Do Awards gala by working with board members, senior leadership, and the events team to recruit event leadership/honorees, sell tables and tickets, secure and pre-sell auction prizes and cultivating donors and prospects onsite.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES:

• Write customized proposals and presentations for major individual donors;
• Ensure that senior staff are supported in their donor relations work by developing strategy briefs and leading prep meetings;
• Work in close partnership with Institutional Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Volunteer Engagement, and Events colleagues to refer or share relationships by offering multiple channels for engagement;
• Help produce cultivation and stewardship events for prospects and donors at the mid- and major levels;
• Create monthly reports as required by management that accurately reflect activity and performance and assist in the preparation of department budget as needed;
• Represent the Food Bank at public functions as assigned/appropriate; and
• Perform all other duties as required.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUALFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, Internet, and Raiser’s Edge or comparable database

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong commitment to social justice/hunger issues;
• Minimum of five years progressive major donor experience, ultimately cultivating and soliciting donors for 5- to 7-figure gifts;
• Very strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to present at public platforms;
• Experience running fundraising and cultivation events for donors and prospects;
• Ability to set priorities, manage projects and meet deadlines; and
• A demonstrated ability to think creatively, particularly as applied to fundraising opportunities.
• Demonstrated commitment to Food Bank’s core values
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous process improvement