VP, Development
Feeding America
Chicago, IL
Anticipated Start Date: TBD
Description
At this moment of rising need and extraordinary potential, Feeding America is seeking a strategic, visionary, collaborative, and dynamic leader to serve as the Vice President, Development (Vice President). This role represents a uniquely meaningful opportunity to join an organization positively impacting tens of millions of people each year.
Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Vice President is a member of the Development Department Leadership Team and oversees a team of 16, with four direct reports, including the Senior Director, Development; Director, Planned Giving; Director, Strategic Gifts; and Director, Donor Stewardship.
The Vice President has primary responsibility for leading Feeding America’s individual Strategic Gifts program, including principal, major, annual major (high touch, mid-level) and planned giving donors and prospects and donor strategy and engagement efforts across Development, representing a ~$50 million portfolio. The Vice President leads and directs strategy and activities of the Strategic Gifts Team and partners closely with the Chief Development Officer for resource development strategy across the enterprise. This leader conceptualizes, guides, and delivers mission-based engagements for Feeding America’s high-capacity individual donors and prospects.
Additionally, the Vice President works to ensure the team is delivering against the organizational Strategic Vision and is an active member of the Department leadership team along with Vice Presidents from Corporate & Foundations Relations and Philanthropy Operations. This leader builds the Feeding America National Office’s (FANO) individual donor pipeline by ensuring that appropriate donor identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities are aligned and executed for donors to consider renewed, increased, and new investments in Feeding America’s mission and works collaboratively across the organization and the network while centering the needs of people facing hunger.
Location & Travel
The successful candidate must be based in or willing to relocate to Chicago, Illinois, and will be expected to be in the Feeding America office 2-3 days per week. Additionally, the successful candidate will be willing and able to do a moderate amount of domestic travel (~20-30%).
Requirements
Key responsibilities of the Vice President include:
Help develop, direct, and execute comprehensive organizational fundraising strategies that enable Feeding America to fulfill its mission and deliver its strategic outcomes. Help lead the broader Development team as an active member of the Development Department Leadership Team (DLT).
Set and oversee the implementation of the annual operating plan for the Strategic Gifts and Donor Engagement team; develop and manage the annual Strategic Gifts and Donor Engagement revenue and expense budgets.
Lead donor engagement strategy for highest ROI low, medium and high-touch efforts such as webinars, convenings, salon dinners and more.
Lead some enterprise strategic projects that span across various disciplines including Strategic Gifts but likely to include additional teams across the organization.
Supervise, train, and coach Strategic Gifts and Donor Engagement staff, including an estimated 4 direct reports and a team of 16 to meet the annual Strategic Gifts fundraising goal.
Partner with Philanthropy Operations leadership to ensure strong portfolio management and establish and track key performance indicators, analytics and external fundraising trends.
Build relationships with network member food bank leaders to advance fundraising and create collaboration between national and local giving.
Develop moves management and communication strategies that deepen relationships and increase giving from Strategic Gifts donors.
Manage a portfolio of relationships with 10-20 principal individual donors and prospects ($150,000+/year donors), including highest capacity new donor/prospect relationships.
Oversee Feeding America’s planned giving program including marketing and frontline fundraising strategies to drive significant growth in both planned giving revenue and long-term expected planned giving revenue.
Develop strategies with the CEO, CDO, ET (Executive team), senior staff, and board to engage Strategic Gifts donors.
Participate in regular relationship management meetings with the CDO. Work collaboratively to ensure management of the Strategic Gifts pipeline and consistency in messaging and coordination of fundraising asks among all philanthropy streams.
Help develop, lead, and guide stewardship efforts such as individual donor giving societies, affinity groups and recognition programs.
Represent Development team in internal and external meetings; prepare and deliver presentations to a variety of audiences.
Requirements
While it is understood that no candidate will offer every desired skill, quality, and characteristic, the following offers a detailed, aspirational view of the ideal candidate profile:
An Expert in Fundraising and Development
Brings strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, including principal, major, annual, and planned giving programs, as well as campaigns • Has demonstrated success in principal gifts fundraising; campaign leadership experience is preferred
Skilled at developing comprehensive donor strategies, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Understands how to engage and inspire diverse funders and build long-term, values-aligned relationships
Highly Strategic, Results Oriented, and Leads with Accountability
A visionary thinker who can effectively navigate periods of change and translate high-level strategy into effective, actionable plans
Motivated by possibility; a self-starter who drives ambitious goals forward with discipline and focus
Anchors decisions and actions in Feeding America’s values, even in moments of complexity or pressure
Uses data, experience, and enterprise insight to make informed decisions—and actively owns and communicates them
Fosters innovation and adaptability by creating space to experiment, learn from mistakes, and course correct
Takes personal accountability for results, demonstrates a learning mindset, self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-regulation.
An Inspirational and Collaborative Leader
Builds, develops, and retains high-performing, mission-aligned teams, and fosters a culture of accountability
Brings exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively across all levels of staff, the network, volunteers, donors, and prospective donors
Communicates with authenticity and clarity, inspiring connection to mission and shared purpose
Prioritizes people, providing timely, constructive feedback and supporting continuous growth
Creates inclusive, healthy environments where staff feel supported, valued, and energized by the work
A Commitment to the Mission and Values of Feeding America
Lives into Feeding America’s values, centering neighbors and embracing a network-first mindset
Champions enterprise decision-making and aligns team goals and resources accordingly
Maintains a balanced focus on short- and long-term goals while holding firm to mission and values
Embeds equity in actions and decisions, proactively addressing disparities and centering those most impacted
Invests in their own personal learning journey—deepening understanding of equity, power, and inclusion to support an environment where all can thrive
Salary and Employee Benefits
The salary range for the Vice President, Development is $216,000 - $248,000 and will be based on the successful candidate’s skills and experience. In addition, there is a target bonus of 10%. This is a permanent, full-time, exempt position and is eligible for Feeding America’s comprehensive benefit package.
How to Apply for this Job
About the Organization
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.
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