Essential Philanthropy Manager

The Maryland Food Bank (MFB) is a nonprofit hunger-relief organization dedicated to feeding people, strengthening communities, and ending hunger for more Marylanders by partnering with local organizations from the western mountains to the Eastern Shore. The food bank’s statewide network of food assistance brings enough resources together to provide more than 111,000 meals every day (over 40 million meals annually) to hungry children, seniors, veterans, and hard-working families, meeting the immediate needs of hungry Marylanders while simultaneously working to create pathways out of hunger. To learn more about the Maryland Food Bank, visit www.mdfoodbank.org.

The Maryland Food Bank embraces a philosophy that recognizes and values diversity. Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their fullest potential.

The primary objective of the role is to establish a robust pipeline of mid-level donors, ensuring sustained support for the organization's long-term needs while serving as a crucial link between the annual giving and major gift programs. Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Philanthropy, the Essential Philanthropy Manager will oversee all aspects of donor engagement within their portfolio, including identifying, assessing, nurturing, recognizing, soliciting donors, and collaborate closely with other team members to design strategic initiatives tailored to mid-level contributors (those donating $5,000 or more).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Effectively oversee and engage with an active portfolio of 75-100 mid-level donors, while crafting compelling proposals tailored to each donor’s priorities and aligning them with MFB's funding opportunities.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Philanthropy to develop and implement a comprehensive annual strategy for the mid-level donor segment.
• Implement innovative and engaging methods to consistently involve donors in the mission and communicate the impact of their generosity.
• Identify and qualify major gift prospects ($10,000+) by assessing mid-level donors to determine their capacity and inclination to contribute at the major gift level and develop an appropriate segmentation strategy accordingly.
• Sustain and enhance understanding of Maryland philanthropists and their networks to continually expand prospects for MFB midlevel donor segment.
• Consistently monitor and adhere to monthly tracking metrics and KPIs (key performance indicators) for their active portfolio of constituents.
• Maintain and document information on all relationships under management and ensure this information is properly archived.
• Accountable for serving as the ambassador of the Maryland Food Bank in the broader community, encompassing offsite donor speaking engagements and community outreach initiatives.

Experience & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred; relevant experience may substitute.
• 3+ years of fundraising and/or sales experience
• Demonstrated success in developing cultivation and solicitation strategies, preferably at the $5,000 level or above.
• Robust experience in Moves Management process, including pipeline development and measuring success.
• High-level proficiency in MS Office software, fundraising databases (Raiser’s Edge preferred), and Internet research.
• Demonstrates excellent organizational, time, and project management skills, adept at handling multiple projects, shifting priorities, and deadlines with agility and flexibility.
• A motivated self-starter who excels at working independently while fostering collaboration with others, showcasing initiative, and maintaining a positive attitude.
• Exhibits strong professionalism and work ethic, ensuring discretion and confidentiality in handling sensitive donor information.
• Flexibility to adjust hours to meet deadlines and needs of the organization, including availability to work occasional evenings and weekends and travel as needed.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule between onsite and remote work settings.