The Organization
Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Thanks to donations and support from businesses, government organizations and individuals like you, the Feeding America network of food banks, pantries and meal programs serve virtually every community in the United States — 40 million people, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors.
Position Overview
Work. Serve. Thrive.
Imagine a place where your talent can make a meaningful difference in peoples’ lives. Working at Feeding America is a uniquely rewarding experience in which our employees work together as vital parts of a much larger mission. We are innovative, mission-focused, diverse, collaborative, values-driven and focused on results.
We are a national, nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, our mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger.
The Opportunity
The Vice President, Foundation Relations reports to the Chief Development Officer (CDO). The VP directs Feeding America’s efforts to build and steward partnerships with charitable foundations, developing the foundation relations strategy and supervising a team of foundation relationship managers. The VP will serve on the Development Leadership Team.
Salary Range: $135,000 to $170,000+ Based on Experience
Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and execution of a national Foundation Relations strategy and annual operating plans focused on renewal and growth among existing foundation partners, and cultivating new transformational donors committed to Feeding America’s long-term vision to end hunger.
- Develop, monitor and evaluate fundraising pipeline to ensure that donor cultivation and solicitation activities are appropriately aligned and prioritized in order to meet or exceed annual revenue goal and plans; analyze revenue and Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports to track progress against goals.
- Provide donor engagement and solicitation strategy guidance to relationship managers to cultivate and grow foundation relationships.
- Develop and evaluate Foundations team talent to build leadership and functional competencies and ensure strong succession planning; recruit, hire and onboard new staff, as needed, with commitment to attracting diverse fundraising talent to the organization.
- Build productive, collaborative relationships with network food bank leaders to create linkages between partner giving at national and local levels; support Development team’s efforts to build similar network relationships across all revenue streams; contribute to Strategic Capacity development offerings to the network.
- Research, identify, and build thought partnerships (aligned with Communications and External Affairs) with organizations focused on hunger, race equity, health, climate change, and other sectors where there are clearly identified synergies with Feeding America’s mission and strategic goals. Partners may include other non-profits, corporations, academia, community-based organizations and educational institutions.
- Collaborate with key functional leaders including programs, government relations, research, strategic capacity and supply chain in the execution and stewardship of national foundation grants to ensure that partnership goals are achieved.
- Represent Foundations in strategy and planning meetings with internal Feeding America teams, network food banks and donor partners in formal and informal settings including preparing and delivering presentations to a variety of audiences.
- Participate on special projects, working groups and task forces, as needed including developing and providing guidance on grant proposals.
- Establish and continuously improve internal processes and procedures to maximize the effectiveness and productivity of frontline fundraisers in engaging and stewarding existing donor partners.
- Develop and monitor Foundations team expense budget.
- Travel: between 20% – 40%.
Foundational Requirements
- Mission Focused – Demonstrates a commitment to Feeding America’s mission through word and action. Is committed to keeping people facing hunger at the center of our work and strives to translate this commitment into action on a daily basis. Willing to advocate for people facing hunger and serve as an ambassador for Feeding America inside and outside of work.
- Embraces Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Demonstrates a personal commitment to valuing different backgrounds and life experiences through word and action. Takes personal actions to build an inclusive culture that ensures everyone can fully contribute based on their unique talents, skills and perspectives and feels welcomed and valued. Commits to driving equitable solutions to address root cause issues by incorporating an equity framework in their daily work. Committed to continuous personal EDI development.
Required Leadership Competencies
- Establishes Vision & Crafts Strategy: Develop strategic initiatives and create a supporting portfolio of projects that drives execution of organization strategy and operating goals. Create process and structure to build organization alignment and drive effective strategic execution. Build initiatives and projects to solve complex problems and address long term challenges/opportunities.
- Translates Strategy to Operational Goals: Translates organization strategy into SMART goals down to the team and individual level. Support highest and best use of organization resources and maximizes efficient use of department resources to deliver against strategic goals. Empowers teams to execute against agreed upon projects with approved resources. Monitors strategic progress and provides transparent feedback to all levels of the organization.
- Leverages Functional Expertise: Leverages industry and functional expertise to shape strategic and operational decisions. Tracks latest practices and innovations and ways these could improve processes within the organization. Identifies potential challenges or threats and develops plans to respond.
- Collaborates Internally & Externally: Understands and promotes process and structure to facilitate collaboration. Identifies key stakeholders and ensures collaboration occurs between departments, across the Network and with external partners through words and actions and by removing barriers when necessary. Collaborates and models positive engagement resolving issues and elevating conversations to focus on mission and what’s best for the people we serve.
- Communication Effectively: Frames communication strategically for a broad range of audiences including staff, network food bank members, donors and other key audiences. Adjusts message and content based on insights gained through deep individual listening and perceptive observation of group dynamics. Communicates clearly and effectively through verbal and written communication across individual, small group and large audience settings.
Required Technical Competencies, Experience & Certifications
- Experience setting foundation fundraising strategy and annual operating plans to cultivate new prospects, develop proposals and donor solicitations and donor stewardship.
- Experience in developing, monitoring and evaluating a pipeline of donor solicitations to ensure alignment with organizational priorities, team productivity and achievement of annual fundraising goals.
- Creative problem solver and collaborative leader who is willing to both lead and provide hands-on support to team-based fundraising efforts.
- Detail orientation, strong organizational and project management skills including ability to develop project plans, meet deadlines, and analyze and report progress against goals and business objectives. Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and work in a fast- paced environment.
Feeding America embraces a philosophy that recognizes and values diversity. Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their fullest potential.
How To Apply
Please click link to apply: https://app.jobvite.com/CompanyJobs/Job.aspx?j=oyFNgfw0