ABFE | Coconut Grove, FL

Vice President of Major Giving, Food For The Poor

The Organization

Founded in 1982, Food For The Poor (FFTP) is one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, and does much more than feed millions of hungry children and families living in poverty primarily in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. Thanks to its faithful donors, the organization’s programs are providing housing, healthcare, education, clean water, emergency relief and micro-enterprise assistance, in addition to feeding hundreds of thousands of people each day. FFTP donors have built more than 87,700 safe and secure homes for the destitute. In the first six months of 2020, FFTP built 1,129 homes for families in need of safe shelter. Since inception, the charity has provided more than $16.6 billion in aid.

Position Overview

Food For The Poor

Vice President of Major Giving

Coconut Grove, FL

Food For The Poor is at a pivotal time in its 38-year history. Under the inspired leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ed Raine, who has reinvented the charity’s culture with the institution of greater transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and team empowerment, FFTP is energized and unified and responding with urgency to the challenges facing the world with the COVID-19 pandemic at the immediate forefront. This unprecedented global crisis has accelerated FFTP’s embrace and adoption of technology and remote work. The charity is close to making its budget despite the significant disruption, being buoyed by a legion of faithful donors responding to the urgent needs of the 17 countries that FFTP supports in the Caribbean and Latin America. As part of this dynamic organizational change, FTTP has restructured its Development Division and combined Major Giving, Foundations, Legacy and Gift Planning, Donor Relations, Support Services, and Special Events under one umbrella. Where they had previously been siloed, this change will create greater efficiencies and a more collaborative environment to better serve the charity’s many donors, significantly grow revenue to support FFTP’s plethora of programmatic offerings, and ultimately touch and transform the lives of FFTP’s millions of beneficiaries.

In the first half of fiscal year 2020, Food For The Poor had raised in excess of $49 million in net revenue, with over $10 million from Major Giving.

Amid this favorable context, Food For The Poor seeks a seasoned and motivated fundraising professional, who possesses a desire to make a positive impact and create change for the impoverished of the world, for the role of Vice President of Major Giving (VP). Reporting to the Executive Vice President (EVP) & Chief Development Officer, the VP will lead the Major Giving Department and oversee a team of 26 (comprised of Field Advisors focusing on gifts of $10,000 and above and Inside Advisors focused on midlevel donors). The VP oversees major gifts, major annual giving, foundations, and legacy and gift planning. Key priorities for the VP include leading donor discovery, implementing strategies to create and strengthen donor relationships, enhancing levels of engagement with current and prospective donors, strengthening the awareness of FFTP’s vital mission, and ultimately aligning external funding with the financial needs of the organization.

Required qualifications and experience:

A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree and strong academic credentials that add credibility for the organization’s stakeholders are preferred.
A minimum of seven to 10 years of experience in progressively responsible development leadership positions, which includes work in all functional areas (individual giving, institutional giving, annual giving, planned giving, stewardship, board relations) and participation in a major capital campaign (planning, implementation, management, and successful conclusion), preferably within a nonprofit organization, educational institution, or other environment of similar complexity. Experience within international relief and faith-based organizations is a plus.
Demonstrated ability to provide management oversight, leadership, and direction with at least five years of significant supervisory experience, including experience creating and managing a budget. A strong record of leading by example, adhering to the highest ethical standards, and of recruiting and developing exceptional people and fostering a transparent work environment where collegiality is a key to success.
A demonstrated track record of successful frontline fundraising in a complex, nonprofit setting with multiple stakeholders; managing change; and working across divisions and with the most senior levels of leadership.
Hands-on experience with five and six-figure gifts and greater, including cultivation through solicitation and stewardship, as well as experience working with annual giving strategies for grooming the next generation of annual leadership and major gift donors. Success in securing gifts from both defined and undefined constituencies.
Particular strength in developing strategic and comprehensive fundraising plans, executing against plans to achieve goals and objectives, developing fundraising strategies, and creating and managing a budget is critical.
Experience in facilitating and securing planned gifts; demonstrated ability to develop financial strategies for high net worth individuals. Strength in planning, focusing, and improving planned giving marketing and prospect development strategies.
Ability to develop trust and strong collaborative working relationships with various groups and constituents, including high-level donors, corporate leaders, public officials and dignitaries, volunteer leadership, senior administrators, and development staff.
Significant experience identifying, working with, supporting, and motivating volunteers, and an appreciation for their role in building an effective development program.
Demonstrated ability to extract and analyze data to make effective, efficient decisions about program strategy and process. Experience with Donor Direct and/or other donor-related software. Experience preparing and communicating analysis and reporting on revenue and growth trends to a variety of audiences.
Ability and willingness to travel.
Commitment and devotion to the mission of Food For The Poor; an empathetic disposition and strong desire to serve the poorest of the poor in developing countries. Ability to engage and inspire as a senior representative of this critically needed, life-changing and life-saving charity.
A grounding and adherence to faith and a strong personal belief system. Comfort level in a Christian, prayerful, organizational culture.

Food For The Poor is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against or permit the harassment of any employee or applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as covered veteran or any other protected category in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws in any aspect of employment opportunity. Food For The Poor’s policy of equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination extends to recruitment, employment, advancement and promotion, compensation and benefits administration, leaves of absence, training and development, and other personal actions.

Food For The Poor has retained Diversified Search to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) should be directed electronically to:

Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.
Managing Director
Practice Leader – Development & Philanthropy
Diversified Search
The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 49th Floor, New York, NY 10174
gerard.cattie@divsearch.com | 212.542.2587

How To Apply