Director of Philanthropy

San Diego, CA, United States

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter comprise the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego County. Last year, the SDFB distributed 44 million pounds of food, and the Food Bank serves, on average, 400,000 people per month in San Diego County.

Mission

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and its North County Food Bank chapter provide nutritious food to people in need, advocate for the hungry, and educate the public about hunger-related issues.

About the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank

Founded in 1977, the San Diego Food Bank is one of the oldest in the U.S. It has steadily grown to become the country's fourth largest independent food bank, serving a community of over 3.4 million people in San Diego County. As the community's primary safety net for hunger, it provides and efficiently recovers and redistributes fresh, frozen, canned, and boxed food to those in need. Last fiscal year, SDFB provided nutritious food to 400,000 San Diego County residents monthly, distributing 43.5 million pounds of food (including 30% fresh fruits and vegetables).

The Food Bank operates several hunger-relief and resource programs including:

The Neighborhood Distribution Program

Emergency Food Assistance Program

Senior Food Program

CalFresh Outreach Program

Diaper Bank Program

Food to Nearly 500 Nonprofits Feeding Programs

Nutrition & Wellness Program

Food 4 Kids Backpack Program

College Hunger-relief Program

Food Bank University

Fresh Rescue Program

Period Supply Program

SDFB receives food from a variety of sources,

including locally-run food drives, the USDA, growers, retailers, and wholesalers. Approximately 11,000 people volunteer at the Food Bank's warehouse annually, and the labor savings costs help them more effectively fulfill their mission.

As one can see from the list of feeding programs, SDFB has become the food safety net to many demographics in San Diego and especially the working poor. Food insecurity will continue to rise and, as a pioneer in the industry, SDFB has taken on the responsibility to address this. Some innovative solutions include:

Commissioning a customized machine that can convert truckloads of staple products, like rice into small-packed bags at mere cents on the dollar.

Breaking down waste food and converting it into manure and pig feed for farmers.

The Opportunity

With the continuing increase in demand for food, SDFB recognizes it is imperative to increase its level of philanthropic support. To do so, SDFB has brought in new leadership to advance this effort with Chief Advancement and Communications Officer, Kimberley Layton. With some strategic new hires in the department, including a new Vice President of Development (currently being recruited by Sterling Search) to oversee all its development, Layton is also seeking a new position - a Director of Philanthropy.

For many years, SDFB's fundraising has consisted primarily of direct mail, special events, grants, and a very successful spring Gala which raises over $1 million annually and attracts key affluent and influential individuals from all over San Diego. Before Covid, SDFB was raising approximately $7 million annually.

SDFB is embarking upon an aggressive capital campaign shortly which will provide them with the capacity to double the number of San Diegans they are currently feeding to 800,000 a month. This is an ambitious goal for the organization, and they have taken the necessary steps to the success of this vision. SDFB recently completed a Business Plan that models and projects its growth over the next 10 years, and this informational report can be used to answer questions that major donors might have.

The Director of Philanthropy will report to the Vice President of Development and have a "blank canvas" as they will lead the first major gift efforts. SDFB has screened and tiered thousands of its current direct mail donors, and the Director of Philanthropy will have a robust set of donors from which to build their major gift pipeline. The Director of Philanthropy will apply best practice fundraising, will be experienced in building relationships and stewarding donors, and will understand best practice moves management/portfolio management.

This is a phenomenal opportunity to join a team that is at the beginning of its journey into major and ultimately principal gift fundraising. As it is a brand-new role, the new Director of Philanthropy will be able to partner with the Vice President of Development in bringing their experience to the best practices and systems for a robust major gift program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Partner with board, staff and volunteers in identification, advocacy, introduction, cultivation, and solicitation toward securing major gift support;

Identify, engage, solicit and steward a pipeline of major gift prospects;

Solicit major gifts from individual supporters between $100-500k;

Provide leadership, creativity and acumen in identifying prospects;

Ensure regular and ongoing communications with prospects and donors in the major gifts portfolio;

Engage volunteers, board members, and staff in the fundraising process;

Maintain and build a portfolio of approximately 100-150 donor prospects for major and blended gifts;

Ensure customized moves management plans and key relationship management assignments are created and implemented for major and planned giving donors and prospects;

Utilize reports and strategic deliverables and tactics to facilitate moves management of prospects and to achieve goals;

Articulate the case for support, through oral and written means, so that donors engage and support the mission and vision of the SDFB;

Steward donors who show an interest in giving to specific projects by designing strategies to retain their interest;

Provide annual assessment of high impact board members, ambassadors and volunteers as well as alerts to any/all successes and challenging areas;

Provide timely, written reports regarding the outcome of cultivation and solicitation actions, and track activity;

Develop case for support documents, collateral, and other request materials as needed;

Promote the sharing of expertise and resources; model collegiality and accountability;

Assure implementation of timely donor acknowledgments, stewardship, and recognition.

Qualifications and experience A minimum of seven years of experience in major gift fundraising with a track record of success securing six-figure gifts;

Demonstrated success in growing a major gifts program, with working knowledge of the principles and practices of major gift fundraising;

Success in managing donor relationships through periods of engagement and growth, ensuring that donor and volunteer interests are in alignment with the mission and vision of the SDFB;

Experience in using budgets and program staff to achieve optimum quality and fundraising results;

Ability to conceptualize and implement a program for growth; flexibility to accommodate changing internal and external environments;

Organizational acumen, strategic sensibility, and ability to create and sustain a spirit of openness and accountability;

Ability to communicate persuasively and,

A Bachelor's degree

Special Skills and Knowledge Comfort level building and implementing strategic plans and working with ambitious fundraising metrics;

An entrepreneurial ability, with demonstrated success in devising solutions to resource needs through a combination of best practice and innovation;

Demonstrate behaviors in concert with SDFB's mission and values.

Salary range of $130,000 to 165,000 plus comprehensive benefits

Please send resumes to Sterling Search, Inc.

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