Position Description: Senior Development Officer, Strategic Gifts 

  Date: June 2020 

  Classification: Exempt 

  Place in Organization: Reports to Director of Strategic and Legacy Gifts 

  Position Description 

The Senior Development Officer, Strategic Gifts is responsible for managing a portfolio of qualified prospects with capacity to make major gifts to the Food Bank. Responsibilities will include identifying prospects, developing individual donor strategies, meeting face to face and soliciting prospects and working cross functionally across organization to understand the funding needs of all departments. In addition, the Development Officer will coordinate the marketing of the Food Bank’s legacy giving program and will assist in planning outreach efforts for the Tomorrow’s Harvest Society.  

    

Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Actively manage a portfolio of current and potential individual donors (i.e. $5000+) 
• Through research and best practices, identify, cultivate and solicit individuals for general operating support, program support and endowment, rooted in our organizational case for support 
• Monitor and analyze portfolio performance 
• In conjunction with Strategic Gifts team, prepare proposals, solicitation letters and stewardship reports 
• Collaborate with the Individual Giving Team to thank and steward individual donors  
• Solicit gifts from major donors and prospects, both independently and working collaboratively with CEO, Board Members, and other Food Bank volunteers and staff. 
• Assist team with developing budget, goals, and performance measures for building the strategic gifts program and analyzing results. 
• Serve as coordinator of marketing efforts to promote legacy gifts by planning and preparing communication and events for prospects and current members of the Tomorrow’s Harvest Society. 
• Perform other duties and participate in special projects as needed.  

  Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience   
• At least five years of successful experience in fundraising specifically from individuals, including major and planned gifts. Experience with campaigns preferred. 
• The ideal candidate should have successful experience in developing cultivation and solicitation strategies and analyzing results of fundraising initiatives. 
• Experience participating in a Move Management/Prospect Review process, including pipeline development and measuring success. 
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication and listening skills, writing samples may be requested. 
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and eager to build major donor relationships. 
• Self-starter, energetic and a demonstrated record of completing assignments.  
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are required.  
• Proficiency with MS Office and Raiser’s Edge preferred. 
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and with discretion  

  

Work Environment 

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photo copiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.  

  Position Type and Expected Hours of Work 

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available during the "core" work hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and must work a minimum of 40 hours each week to maintain full-time status. Occasionally evening or weekend hours will be required for meetings or events.  

  Position Location 

This position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva) location. 

  Travel 

Local travel throughout our 13 county service area up to 25% of the time.  

  AAP/EEO Statement 

Northern Illinois Food Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer