The Principal Gifts Officer is a critical member of the Strategic Giving team, playing a pivotal role in developing and executing a best-in class principal gifts program to cultivate the relationship between the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s most transformative donors and their areas of philanthropic interest. This position will manage relationships and develop cultivation and solicitation strategies for a portfolio of principal gift donors and prospects capable of considering a gift of $150,000 or more annually.
They will collaborate with Senior Director of Strategic Giving, Chief Development Officer, and other organizational leadership to develop donor strategy and personally solicit gifts from donors in portfolio while performing all relationship-based and operational functions required to close principal gifts. This includes developing personal engagement plans and mission-based partnership opportunities for consideration by individual philanthropists and family foundations, in partnership with the Strategic Gifts, Corporate Foundation Relations, and Stewardship & Operations teams.
The Principal Gift Officer will create and deliver donor strategy documents, briefing memos, stewardship and cultivation reports, gift request proposals and other donor materials required in the donor relationship management cycle for principal gifts donors and prospects. Collaborate with Corporate and Foundations team on strategies for high-net-worth donor intersections, including C-suite executives and family foundations. The candidate will have a strong command of fundraising principles, including direct solicitation experience and experience supporting a capital campaign. They will be able to demonstrate a proven fundraising track record that includes directly soliciting, negotiating, and closing six-to-seven-figure gifts.
Key Responsibilities and Essential Functions:
Senior major gift responsibilities
Manage a major gift portfolio of 50-75 prospects with a focus on qualification and discovery towards gifts of $150,000+.
Embodies an entrepreneurial spirit and high level of sophistication in creating new philanthropic communities among high-net worth and C-Suite level donors and foundations.
Drive the creation of a 12- to 24-month strategic plan for each Principal Gift donor/prospect that will serve as a foundational communication plan for each donor and be accountable for execution of these plans for effective moves management in alignment with the team’s strategy, goals and vision.
Leads cross-functional work groups to track donor management and movement, provide structure and regular communication to leadership, and collaborate to develop transformational giving opportunities
Plan and implement outreach and cultivation activities, to enhance prospect identification and move solicitation and stewardship processes forward; conduct in-person or virtual visits with prospects and donors per year.
Have a comprehensive understanding of development and GCFD priorities to support donor work, match the interest of prospects/donor
Recognition and stewardship
Oversee appropriate recognition opportunities for major donors, which may include special events, targeted print and online publications, or program engagement.
Collaborate with other development team members on cultivation and stewardship activities as needed.
Administrative
Prepare comprehensive and sophisticated documents including but not limited to; briefings for leadership and colleagues; gift opportunity presentations, gift proposals, budget forecasts, etc.
Updates donor records in a timely matter with relevant data including contact reports, demographic updates, and other similar types of pertinent information.
Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
Demonstrated Major Gifts experience within a non-profit organization, educational institution or other environment of similar complexity. 5 – 10 years of experience in Major Gift Fundraising preferred.
Must be especially comfortable with cold outreach, boldly following lead, and employing creative strategies to develop relationships among high-net work individuals and foundations
Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit and close six and seven figure gifts
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleague
Enthusiastic contributor to the Strategic Giving team and the broader Food Depository community.
Understanding and commitment to embrace equity, diversity and inclusion in fundraising practices.
Highly organized & detail oriented.
Adaptable and flexible in fast-paced environment, able to multi-task and handle several priorities simultaneously.
Demonstrated initiative and willingness to take on new projects.
Proficiency in MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
Development database experience.
Exposure:
General office environment; limited exposure to warehouse environment.
Hybrid work schedule of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in office required.
Interacts with GCFD staff, Board Members, financial donors, volunteers and general public.
Occasional local travel depending on donor meetings and events; evening and weekend hours are required. (Travel reimbursement provided.)
