Strategic Planning Director jobs in Vermont

Description

Position Purpose:

The Director of Strategic Giving will lead a team of effective fundraisers and be responsible for developing and implementing collaborative and effective strategies to help fund Vermont Foodbank’s mission and strategic direction. They will articulate the Vermont Foodbank’s values, needs and vision to key stakeholders, cultivating support for the organization’s mission and impact through significant financial support. They will be an effective frontline fundraiser.

 The position requires that candidate has personal transportation and is able to conduct travel state-wide to meet with donors and Vermont Foodbank staff. It is a full time, hybrid position based out of one of our 3 Vermont Foodbank offices (will be required to attend in-person meetings in Barre and Rutland as-needed).  

This position, in collaboration with the CPO and other departmental leaders, will synthesize and translate VF activities and goals into fundable projects. They will facilitate and execute the packaging and messaging of major giving opportunities in various formats, including solicitation of individuals, corporate partners, and private foundations and through multi-year campaigns as-required. Conversely, the Director of Strategic Giving will also keep the organization appraised of donor trends, concerns, and available potential interest and capacity. 

They will lead a state-wide team in creating strategies for transformative fundraising, developing authentic relationships with donors, and growing philanthropic resources for VF. That team works to: sustain and increase the number of $2,500 donors (individuals, corporate partners, government and private foundations); grow the size, frequency and impact of donations; and deepen donor engagement. The Director of Strategic Giving will maintain a portfolio of key donors and prospects as well as have equal focus on leading and resourcing a team and building and sustaining fundraising strategy. They will work with the team to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward supporters, fulfilling donor interest and facilitating the retention and upgrade of donors in their giving and engagement. 

With the CPO, they will support the grant manager/s in the fiscal management and reporting of private and government grants; coordinating with finance and program staff to ensure proper tracking, utilization and reporting for grants. 

This position reports to the Chief Philanthropy Officer and supervises the Major Gift Manager, the Corporate Philanthropy Manager, and the Grants Manager/s. This position works closely with the entire philanthropy team and other staff to inspire and engage people to take action against hunger and poverty. They work closely with the donors services and the marketing and communications teams to develop and coordinate fundraising and stewardship activity.

The Director of Strategic Giving will be a skilled relationship builder, compelling communicator and a strategic thinker, with proven success developing major gifts fundraising plans and closing major gifts. They will engage with supporters with authenticity, trust, confidence, and professionalism. Their approach to fundraising will center equity and they will seek to learn about, identify and address systems of inequity and oppression embedded in non-profit funding models and/or organizational fundraising practices. 

Building equity, inclusion and racial justice work into Vermont Foodbank’s organizational practices is everyone’s responsibility, and it requires the commitment and collaboration of every employee and team. Therefore, everyone is expected to honor diversity, contribute to an inclusive organizational culture, and leverage their own personal agency and scope of influence to center equity.

Supervisors are expected to be unequivocally committed to enabling equity work throughout the organization by practicing inclusive and transparent management and by helping to reshape positions, priorities and goals, and budgets to better center equity.

Requirements

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Planning & Strategy

• Translate VF’s strategic direction (including mission, vision, goals and strategies) into compelling funding offers for use in annual giving, special initiatives and planned giving. Develop messaging and requests, in coordination with Philanthropy Team, that focus on the needs of VF and that engage, retain and motivate major donors. 
• Lead the organizational alignment of short- and long-term strategy for revenue generation from the major donor segment (individuals, corporate partners, government and private foundations), including pipeline development of donors at leadership gift levels and management of capital campaigns. 
• Define and track performance measures for major, corporate and foundation donor
• Work with Marketing and Communications team to develop coordinated donor pipeline strategy, including strategy support for annual solicitations through direct mail and digital campaigns and through ongoing stewardship activity.
• Cultivate a thorough, working knowledge of VF’s goals, mission, and community needs in order to articulate and package organizational priorities for stakeholders. Work with program and operations staff to generate strategic funding opportunities.
• Oversee efforts which ensure major donors are informed of key organizational initiatives and impact through continuous and relationship-oriented communication.
• Collaborate with direct marketing and grant staff to ensure fundraising channels are aligned.

Fundraising & Relationship Management

• Manage a right-sized caseload of key donors and prospects. Cultivate and steward relationships and solicit financial support. 
• Create relationship and revenue goals for each donor based on history of giving, research, and personal knowledge of interest and capacity. Create a foundational communication plan for each donor and faithfully execute that plan. Support team in doing this work.
• Secure financial support through both in-person/virtual solicitations and written proposals. 
• Work across departments to obtain information in order to create offers and report back on how the donor is making a difference.
• Ensure that strategic giving team: maintains accurate donor records and captures contact activities in the database; ensure that gifts are acknowledged in a timely way, that pledges are accurately documented, and that gift commitments are fulfilled.

Leadership

• Develops, motivates, and supervises an effective team, with an emphasis on collaboration and partnership, whose priorities and performance are consistent with the organization’s mission, vision, strategic direction, and values. Responsibilities include hiring and onboarding, performance and workload management, goal setting, conflict management, establishing back-up plans and cross-training, coaching and personal/professional development planning.
• Provide collaborative leadership and management of major gift fundraising efforts. Ensure the team is resourced for successful identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of donors.
• Assign and draft donor communications for the CEO, CPO, board members and other high-level volunteers. Prepare and resource team members for meetings with current and prospective major donors, and oversee follow-up.
• Recruit and manage fundraising consultants as-needed. 
• Contributes to fostering a culture of continuous learning and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Prioritizes staying informed about the work, needs and priorities of the organization.
• Represents and advocates for the needs of the team, donors and other stakeholders to Chief Philanthropy Officer.
• Collaborates with CPO on organizational budgeting and establishing annual and multi-year funding goals with corresponding plans.

Other

• This position will occasionally be required to travel to other Foodbank locations and to attend required meetings, trainings, etc. Some out-of-area and overnight travel may be expected
• Help identify individuals for board candidacy
• Participate in department and full staff meetings
• Maintains current knowledge of industry best practices and ethical fundraising
• Represent the organization at key donor and stakehold events
• Some nights and weekends required

Other Functions:

• Assist in developing annual department strategic plan and budget in conjunction with team.
• Participate in management-level meetings and planning sessions and attend Board meetings when requested.
• Participate in committees, events, and workgroups as required.
• Assist with special events as required.
• Work cooperatively and be able to communicate effectively with staff and volunteers to meet and sustain Foodbank goals.
• Positively contribute to an organizational culture of safe and secure food handling, warehousing, and distribution.
• The Foodbank relies on volunteers every day to fulfill our mission. All Foodbank employees must support our culture of philanthropy by treating every volunteer with appreciation and respect.
• In instances of a federal, state or locally declared emergency, Vermont Foodbank is typically considered an essential service and emergency responder; all of its employees may be called in to perform regular or emergent duties.
• Other duties as assigned by the Chief Philanthropy Officer

Skills/Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and/or abilities an individual needs in order to perform this job successfully. 

Education and/or Experience:

• Minimum education requirement: Bachelor’s degree or comparable work experience.
• Minimum five years’ experience in nonprofit development with a focus on individual giving. Track record of successfully managing high-level relationships with a proven record of soliciting major gifts.
• Experience managing a team/employees preferred

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent organizational skills and follow through.
• Excellent listening, communication, emotional intelligence and customer service skills. 
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential matters in an appropriate and professional way.
• Able to prioritize and work on multiple projects at once, and adapt well to changing priorities.
• Able to solicit gifts.
• Able to thrive in a role that is both autonomous and highly collaborative.
• Commitment to the highest levels of ethical fundraising.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion with an inherent drive to correct racial injustices and advance internal anti-racist initiatives.

Language Skills:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Technical/Computer Skills:

• Must have strong computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, teleconferencing applications, and familiarity with database management. Comfort using wealth screening software.
• Experience with Blackbaud’s Raiser's Edge strongly preferred, or other donor database.

Certifications/Licenses/Registrations:

• A valid Vermont Driver’s License.
• 3-year motor vehicle report (MVR) showing a clean driving record. 

For Supervisory/Management Employees Only

How many employees will this position supervise?     

• 3

What type of positions will this supervisor direct?

• Major Gifts Manager, Corporate Philanthropy Manager, Grants Manager/s

What types of administrative or budgetary responsibilities are required in this position?

• Budgetary accountability - partners with manager and peers to develop revenue and expense budget for department and in ongoing monitoring and forecasting.
•  Assist in developing annual department strategic plan and budget in conjunction with team.