Donor Relations Manager - Major Gifts

At Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, we're committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our organization grows and succeeds when all members of the community, where we live and serve, have a seat at the table to help us ensure all of our neighbors have enough to eat. We invite candidates from all diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to race, gender, sexual orientation, abilities, etc., to join our team.

Job Summary:

The Donor Relations Manager is a strategic and intellectually curious professional who builds authentic relationships between donors and the Food Bank. As a frontline fundraiser, the Donor Relations Manager closes outright and deferred gifts in the $5K and above range. In addition, the Donor Relations Manager oversees the Philanthropy Team’s strategy to grow and sustain a robust individual donor pipeline by collaborating with colleagues on mid-level strategy and supervising the work of the Donor Relations Specialist(s). They operate in a team environment with Strategic Philanthropy Advisor(s) and Donor Relations Specialist(s)  under the Director of Major and Planned Giving as part of the Philanthropy Team within the External Affairs Department. The Donor Relations Manager adheres to the highest ethical standards, espouses an empathetic disposition, and demonstrates perseverance and respect for neighbors whom we support.
 

The incumbent should demonstrate a passion for social good and philanthropic engagement, have a proven record of soliciting and securing major and planned gifts, possess supervisory experience, provide outstanding customer service, see fundraising as a collaborative effort, and be able to build positive relationships with internal and external customers. 

Key Responsibilities Frontline Fundraising

• Personally solicit meaningful outright and deferred gifts from individual and family foundation donors and prospects in the $5K and above range.
• Manage a portfolio of 80+ qualified and prospective major gift donors.
• Work with assigned board members on their personal engagement with the Food Bank
• Achieve annual fundraising and activity goals that result in long-term fundraising growth over time.
• Participate in all aspects of the gift cycle:

            - Gather data, research, and qualify prospects

            - Initiate contacts with potential major and planned giving prospects 

            - Develop appropriate cultivation strategies involving programmatic staff, executive team, and board members that move     

               potential donors in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation

            -  Plan and make compelling personal solicitations 

            -  Create and execute stewardship contacts with donors

• Offer prospect strategy counsel to the executive team, Philanthropy staff and others who are managing portfolios.
• Monitor all prospect contacts to ensure positive and purposeful donor relations.

Mid-Level Strategy

• Supervise the Donor Relations Specialist(s) including coaching and conducting quarterly portfolio and annual performance reviews.
• Partner with Philanthropy Team leadership to set annual mid-level giving strategy with a focus on deepening relationship building and growing the individual donor pipeline.
• Set and evaluate progress to goals for the mid-level and major gift discovery programs.
• Stay abreast of mid-level giving best practices and take an iterative approach to enhancing engagement with this donor segment.

Other Philanthropy Duties

• Utilize the DonorPerfect database to track donor interactions, cultivation plans, and proposals and keep records up to date.
• Attend professional development activities that broaden knowledge and perspective of major and planned giving techniques.
• Take leadership role, as assigned, in External Affairs’ annual department workplan activities.

Qualifications

• Persistent, thoughtful and ethical 
• At least 5 years’ experience in a major/planned gift environment with evidence of successfully building relationships that have led to increased philanthropic support over time.
• Track record of successfully closing major ($5K or above) and/or planned gifts using strategic cultivation activities.
• 1-2 years’ direct supervisory experience; can substitute experience serving as a mentor, overseeing volunteers or interns, or as an exemplary individual contributor in a frontline fundraising team environment. 
• Data-informed decision-making mindset.
• Ability to travel locally to meet with supporters and work outside typical hours as needed.
• Excellent interpersonal skills both in person, virtually and by phone, with high professionalism.
• Familiarity with and interest in staying up to date on advanced philanthropic vehicles such as gifts of non-cash assets and estate planning.
• Ability to complete assignments and achieve goals with little supervision. Fantastic customer service ethic and high expectations for quality.
• Excellent communication skills, including writing, proof reading skills, and speaking.
• Proficient using the latest versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, and mail merges, donor database systems, email and web searches.
• Bachelor’s degree, masters preferred; significant work experience can substitute for the degree.
• Valid driver’s license
• Act 33 & 34 Clearances 

Disclaimer The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all responsibilities, duties, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.