Director of Individual Giving

At Second Harvest Heartland, we believe our differences make us stronger. We draw strength from the unique experiences of each and every employee and our community. We aspire to foster an inclusive culture – in the way we interact with each other and in every area of our work. We commit to advancing equity to make Second Harvest Heartland a better place to work, to be a better partner and to inspire a community where equity is a driver to ultimately end hunger.

Join our Development team as the Director of Individual Giving. This role is responsible for leading the individual fundraising team to meet or exceed annual fundraising goals. This individual will also manage a select portfolio of key donor relationships in addition to developing and implementing strategies to raise philanthropic funds in support of the organization.

The director must be able to build trusting relationships with prospects and seamlessly tie donor wishes with organizational needs by working closely with the executive leadership team, senior leaders, and colleagues across the organization. Second Harvest Heartland, one of the nation’s largest food banks, is a fast-paced organization with a clear roadmap toward future growth.

Work Schedule: Hybrid, Full-Time, 40 hours / week. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Create and execute department strategy and annual plan, regularly evaluating progress to goals, and adjusting as needed. 
• Oversee and support development officers’ fundraising plans and efforts, monitoring progress via metrics, the pipeline and revenue reports. 
• Collaborate with colleagues to develop synergistic strategies to optimize and develop relationships.
• Collaborate with Program staff to understand projects in need of funding. 
• Stay abreast of philanthropic, economic, social and community trends. 
• Work under the supervision of the Senior Director of Development to implement departmental initiatives and special projects, which may include operational improvements, special events, etc. 
• Develop and implement best-practice strategies for moving donors through the engagement pipeline and identifying new prospects.
• Partner with the Grants Officer to carry out strong grants program with national and local funders. 
• Track and report relationship management activity using the constituent relationship management system.
• Plan and implement major donor funding campaigns, events, and activities. 
• Execute materials, including briefing memos, proposals, and stewardship materials.
• Work with team to develop and implement comprehensive major donor, planned giving and family foundation recognition programs.
• Promote a collaborative environment where teamwork, creativity and open communication are consistently achieved.
• Supervisory responsibility includes development officers.
• Portfolio management including identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of a select group of donors and prospects.

Must Have:

• A combination of education and experience generally attained through a bachelor’s degree (Communications or related field) and a minimum of 7 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising experience with major gift fundraising and management experience required. 
• Ability to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gifts 
• Strategic and critical thinker with the ability to think holistically. 
• Demonstrated success in soliciting grants for health and human service-related organization(s). 
• Flexibility and experience in leading a major giving program and team. 
• Understanding of the actions required to build and manage a prospect pipeline.
• Demonstrated ability to establish, maintain and strengthen relationships with donors on behalf of an institution, and an understanding of the record-keeping and stewardship systems that support a successful donor relations program. 
• Ability to organize and prioritize fundraising activities effectively and to guide staff members in managing their responsibilities.
• Experience in Planned Giving, Endowment, Grants and Capital Campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to meet financial goals.
• Demonstrated exceptional customer service skills to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone is welcomed and valued.
• Intermediate to advanced skills with Microsoft Office, Office 365, and the ability to learn other computer software programs.

Nice to Have: 

• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Excellent writing, oral and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task, meet deadlines, and work with minimal supervision.
• Attention to detail and strong project management skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team.
• Ability to work with flexibility, efficiency, and enthusiasm, both individually and as part of a team in a fast-paced, high-demand environment.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, manage and follow through on multiple daily tasks and projects.
• Bilingual in other languages highly desired, (Spanish, Somali, Hmong).

Our Values:

• We deliver.
• We lead with our hearts.
• We innovate.
• We are all in this together.
• We believe our differences make us stronger.

Starting Pay Range: $105,000 - $115,000 USD annually or more / Dependent on Qualifications and Experience.

Second Harvest Heartland is an EEO/AA Employer. 

Benefits include: 9 paid holidays each calendar year, plus 4 extra well-being days, up to 160 hours of paid time off per calendar year, with the option to carry over up to 20 hours to the following calendar year, 8 hours of volunteer time off to serve community each calendar year, up to 6 weeks paid parental leave for birth and non-birth parents, and more! 

Second Harvest Heartland believes no one should ever go hungry, as our region produces more than enough food for everyone. Helping hungry neighbors find their next meal—so they can thrive at work, in the classroom and in their communities—is what drives Second Harvest Heartland, its partners and supporters. Beyond feeding hungry neighbors, Second Harvest Heartland believes in the importance of our work to help sustain our environment.