Senior Development Officer

Job Title:

Senior Development Officer (SDO)

Reports to:

Executive Director

Position Term:

18-month Contract

Primary Location:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Workplace type:

Hybrid within greater GTA

Effective Date:

Immediate Opening

Your Opportunity

Food For The Poor-Canada (FFTP-Canada) works to alleviate poverty by building strong and prosperous communities across Latin America and the Caribbean. This is accomplished by securing financial support of our various programs and projects. Within this objective, the Senior Development Officer (SDO) is responsible to lead the continued development and execution of FFTP-Canada's fundraising strategy with an aim to increase our current donor base and supporting partners. Working under direction from the Executive Director (ED), the Senior Development Officer (SDO) is responsible to The SDO is responsible for individual and corporate fundraising of gifts. Primary responsibilities will include the identification, evaluation, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of individual, foundation and corporate donors by applying major and annual giving knowledge and experience to help maximize revenues. Role responsibilities include 85% fundraising, 10% program support and 5% administration.

Nature and Scope of Your Role

• Contacts: This is an external facing position, which requires significant amounts of networking and social engagement as this position represents FFTP-Canada. Must be comfortable working with a variety of stakeholders including executives, volunteers, industry partners, political and community leaders.
• Level of Responsibility: This position has specialized work with measured outcomes and functions in a constructive team environment, but equally requires the ability to progress initiatives and to work independently with minimal supervision. This is not a supervisory position but recommendations and/or guidance to colleagues is required.
• Decision-Making Authority: Independently makes decisions about prospect strategies, location and event strategies for engagement with guidance from the ED works and collaboratively international offices as required. Deadline pressures with demand for thoroughness and accuracy.
• Working Environment: Administrative office with regular working hours; some evening/weekend work may be required. Availability to travel within Canada, US, and possible travel to international locations may be requested.

Responsibilities Will Include

1. Proactively lead business development via major gifts portfolio and prospect management (85%)

Major Gifts Management & Prospect Development

• Develop and maintain a good working knowledge of FFTP-Canada and FFTP Inc.’s activities, fundraising priorities and progress.
• Using this knowledge, and in consultation with the ED, coordinates fundraising strategies for a portfolio of individuals, corporations and family foundations capable of making minimum gifts of $5,000.
• Research and identify new prospects both within and outside FFTP-Canada's existing donor base to support its programs.
• Manage regular face-to-face meetings and direct phone calls with major donors, prospects, partners and sponsors, towards meeting concrete and measurable goals including annual contact calendars and funding metrics.

Development Communications & Coordination

• Prepare fundraising communications including donor proposals, presentations, stewardship reports, acknowledgments, and other materials for donor engagement and relations.
• Connect with community stakeholders to promote FFTP-Canada, its mandate, present and future strategic plans.
• Identify and support the coordination of donor meetings with ED, board members and other volunteers or partners to assist in developing strong corporate and community relations.
• In collaboration with communications teams, coordinate special projects and campaigns through various platforms, including donor advised funds and employee matching opportunities.

Annual Giving & Mass Appeals

• Lead the growth of mass philanthropic engagement via annual giving and monthly donor programs.
• Provide strategic support to the ED and marketing agency to maximize opportunities for donor retention, upgrades and growing fundraising efforts via new donor acquisition.
• Manage all aspect of quarterly direct mailing and routine digital eblasts for annual support.

Legacy Giving

• Identify gift planning potential within the prospect pool and contribute to the development and implementation of plans to develop the planned giving pipeline for securing deferred and outright planned gift commitments.
• Manage enquiries related to estate planning, life insurance, and other vehicles for legacy giving.
• Plan and execute stewardship activities for planned gift donors.

General Donor Pool Management (applicable to all segments)

• Maintain/update the database to ensure that donor and prospect contacts and meeting notes and significant pipeline moves are accurately recorded.
• Provide a timely, thoughtful and professional response to all donor inquiries received by phone, mail and email, along with responses from surveys and appeals.
• Develop and maintain efficient communication and stewardship processes that ensures all donor segments, partners and prospects receive appropriate communication and acknowledgments.

2. Program Support (10%)

• Support the ED with the strategic development and launch of new Canadian-based programs.
• Establish and maintain relations with the corporate sector to support new Canadian programming.
• Remain aware of in-country activities and great working relations with international partners.
• Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of FFTP programs and projects and use this to present funding and/or partnership opportunities for major donors and prospects.
• Maintain calendar of project report due dates to ensure timely delivery to supporters and partners.

3. Administration (5%)

• Organize logistical aspects of 2-3 events per year, including drafting agendas, venue and guest contact, managing virtual platforms, minor management of technical aspects and post-event follow-up with event attendees.
• Participate in strategic, annual and operational planning to increase the FFTP-Canada visibility, recognition and support.
• Perform other tasks as required or as assigned by the ED.

Essential Qualifications

Education

• University degree or comparable combination of education and experience.

Experience

• 5-7 years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated success in implementing personalized donor engagement plans for both donors and prospects, including discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, recognition and stewardship at the major gift level.
• Successful record of accomplishment in the development of proposals and making a case for support to secure five-figure gifts for a non-profit.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Appreciation and understanding of international relief programs and ability to interpret and communicate programs and projects to a varied audience.
• Demonstrated relationship building skills, excellent time management and proven ability to meet competing deadlines in an organized manner.
• Knowledge of various nonprofit giving vehicles and platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently and effectively as part of a team.
• Proven competence in project management, multi-tasking, planning, analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, oral and writing skills including the expertise to create promotional materials and proposals.
• Competence in a variety of computer applications, including donor management fundraising software, spreadsheet, and word processing programs.
• Ability to speak and/or understand French an asset but not required.