Philanthropy Officer

About the role

This is a pivotal moment for United Food Bank. As we prepare for our next phase of growth—including an upcoming capital campaign—we’re seeking a Philanthropy Officer to join our fundraising team. At United Food Bank, philanthropy is rooted in partnership and long-term impact. The ideal candidate for this role is a thoughtful, strategic fundraiser who excels at building trust and engaging donors who want to make a lasting difference. This is your opportunity to advance our major giving efforts and make a meaningful contribution to the momentum behind our mission.

The Philanthropy Officer manages and grows a portfolio of major gift donors through strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This role focuses on securing individual gifts of $5,000+ and advancing donor relationships using a structured moves-management approach. Responsibilities include developing individualized donor strategies, conducting donor meetings, preparing proposals and related materials, and documenting all activity in the CRM. The Philanthropy Officer serves as a subject matter expert in common charitable giving methods and proactively shares giving opportunities with donors as part of relationship-based conversations that deepen their engagement with our mission.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio & Relationship Management
  • Manage a portfolio of approximately 125–150 major gift donors.
  • Develop individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor.
  • Conduct regular in-person and virtual meetings to deepen relationships and understand donor interests.
  • Grow giving within an existing donor base and identify opportunities for increases.
• Major Gift Strategy & Solicitation
  • Implement all phases of the major gift cycle, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
  • Prepare personalized proposals, impact reports, and related materials to support gift requests.
  • Coordinate strategies involving organizational leadership when appropriate.
• Charitable Giving Conversations
  • Understand common charitable giving methods, such as:
    • Gifts of stock or appreciated assets
    • Donor-advised funds (DAFs)
    • Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)
    • Basic bequests or beneficiary designations
  • Discuss these giving methods comfortably with donors to support philanthropic decision-making and deepen donor engagement.
• Stewardship & Donor Engagement
  • Ensure timely fulfillment of stewardship activities, donor recognition, and follow-up commitments.
  • Support donor engagement opportunities, including occasional donor-focused events.
  • Participate in mission-related experiences and tours to connect donors with the impact of United Food Bank.
• Data Management & Reporting
  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, strategies, and revenue projections in the CRM.
  • Use data to evaluate portfolio performance and support planning and forecasting.
  • Participate in regular portfolio and pipeline review processes.

Requirements

• Passion for alleviating hunger and serving the community
• Commitment to the organization’s mission and values.
• Bachelor’s Degree (BA) or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum of 3+ years of progressive fundraising experience, CFRE preferred.
• Demonstrated success securing gifts of $5,000+.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to engage donors with professionalism and discretion.
• Understanding of common charitable giving methods and comfort discussing them in donor conversations.
• Strong organizational