Title: Donor Stewardship Manager
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Position Summary: The Donor Stewardship Manager is responsible for developing and strengthening relationships between Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland and its donors/prospective donors (especially individual donors) and for sharing the stories behind our mission. This individual manages the identification, creative engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for portfolios of leadership donors and develops short- and long-term goals and implements plans to increase financial support.
The fundamental role of the Food Bank’s frontline fundraisers is to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individuals and organizations to grow their support. Our purpose is achieved by building relationships rooted in trust, and through a variety of donor-centric strategies and tactics.
Work schedule: Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time
Reports to: Director of Development
Relationship Management and Development
- Identifies, manages, and maintains a portfolio of donors that includes individuals, religious organizations, and businesses.
- Strategizes, cultivates, and solicits donors for leadership gifts, monthly gifts, or to move donors to the next segment
- Regularly makes donor calls and visits
- Prepares the DOD, CEO, Board members, and others for donor meetings when appropriate
- Plans and coordinates regional opportunities for donor engagement, cultivation, and fundraising; this may include cultivation events, tours, educational forums, and volunteer experiences. Participates in the evaluation of these engagement strategies to identify improvements and generate new ideas.
- Collaborates with other development staff to create fundraising collateral and case statements (brochures, letters, articles, acknowledgments, webpage management, etc.) as needed
- Plan and execute meaningful donor touchpoints for each segment throughout the year, impact reports, program updates, storytelling, etc.
- Makes community presentations to various audiences
- Helps ensure timely and accurate gift accounting and acknowledgments, with a focus on customized or personalized stewardship for donors within portfolio. Participates in regular review of acknowledgement letters drafted for signature.
- Participates in the implementation of specialized campaigns and annual fundraising initiatives
- Manages systems and software to track and cultivate donors and prospects, including the donor database and wealth screening tools. Achieves database proficiency sufficient to extract basic reports, analysis of initiatives, and to monitor donor behavior
Portfolio Composition
- The portfolio will contain two individual giving segments; monthly donors and mid-level donors. Our monthly donor group, called the Supper Club, gives a monthly, recurring donation through our online giving platform. Our mid-level donor group is called the Heartland Society. They give an annual gift between $500 and $2,499.
- Organizational donors included in the portfolio are currently giving between $1,000-$4,999.
- Additionally, this position will steward religious organizations in our service area for increased giving and engagement.
Abilities, Knowledge, Skills
- Knowledge and demonstrated application of best practices in donor acquisition, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship as a generalist practitioner, with some experience in major gifts.
- Proven track record in successful fund raising
- Excellent customer service skills
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, and ability to speak in public in front of
- groups
- Ability to engage with many constituent types without judgment while instilling enthusiasm
- Ability to work in a complex environment with minimal supervision (independently) but as a member of a dynamic and supportive team, and a collaborator across departments
- Strong leadership ability, sound judgment and high professional ethics
- Skills in diplomacy, persuasion, decisiveness
- Strong organizational skills
- Proficiency with constituent relationship management systems
- Proficiency in database and file management and Microsoft Office
- Ability to analyze and problem solve
- Ability to work effectively and independently with volunteer
Education, Experience, and Other
- The position requires occasional work in the evenings and on weekends and a Kentucky driver’s license with a good driving record is required
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Minimum 3-5 years progressive experience in development required, including experience as a gift officer visiting donors
- Experience using constituent relations management (CRM) systems is required