Major Gifts Officer

Position: Major Gifts Officer

Organization: Food Forward, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Hours: Full-Time

Location: North Hollywood, CA (this position is currently a hybrid office/work from home)

Organization Overview:

Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same. Fruits and vegetables are collected from backyard fruit trees, farmers markets, growers, and wholesalers and then provided free of charge to people experiencing food insecurity through more than 250 hunger relief partner organizations that serve communities across the region. See foodforward.org. Our core values are posted below.

Position Overview:

Food Forward is seeking a second Major Gifts Officer to join the Development team, stewarding a growing universe of supporters and expanding the individual giving program. The Officer will work closely with the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and the current Major Gifts Officer to develop strategies and implement research, relationship-building, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.

The ideal candidate will have a positive, “can-do” attitude and can work collaboratively with staff and volunteers in a diverse and fast-paced environment; is highly self-motivated, proactive, and organized, with exceptional attention to accuracy; is flexible and can manage multiple deadlines simultaneously; exercises sound judgment in handling confidential donor information; and has a keen passion for food justice and strong alignment with Food Forward’s core values. The candidate will demonstrate their ability to write persuasively and have excellent interpersonal communication skills to engage a wide range of donors.

Success in Year One:

In their first year, the Officer will be expected to:

– Work with the current Major Gifts Officer to increase the major donor revenue line by 20% to $2M+ in 2026

– Engage CDO and CEO to implement specialized cultivation plans for key donors; secure three to five new $5k+ major donors, as well as upgrades within the portfolio

– Co-create a moves-management system for solicitation and stewardship of the defined donor portfolio

– Report key performance indicators monthly to CDO; contribute to quarterly reports for leadership

– Collaborate with the annual giving team to create a plan for the cultivation of mid-range and grassroots donors to ensure a pipeline for major gift growth; effectively maximize new wealth screening tools

Core Responsibilities:

Planning and project management

– Manage systems for donor solicitation and stewardship by the CEO, CDO, board, and other volunteers, including research, briefing materials, and scheduling

– Maintain data-driven understanding of donors to identify opportunities for growth and enhance the program

– Work with CDO to develop annual fundraising goals, work plans, budgeting, and cashflow reporting

– Manage donor information, including vetting research, connections, meeting notes, and correspondence; work with the team to ensure confidentiality and data integrity.

Donor cultivation and stewardship

– Work with the CEO and CDO to build relationships with donors, ensuring personal attention and service

– Spearhead pipeline growth, including engaging leadership, board, and advisors to funnel prospects

– Produce appeals and other correspondence in alignment with organization messaging and brand guidelines; work with the communications team on marketing collateral; execute virtual and in-person donor events

– Oversee major gift recordkeeping and acknowledgements with development staff for compliance and stewardship

Other support

– Keep informed of Food Forward's public messaging and programs to ensure accurate donor communications

– Occasionally work evenings or weekends for special events, which may require Southern California travel

– Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

– At least seven years’ work experience including at least three years’ experience in developing nonprofit donor outreach programs, ideally including personal solicitation, events, mail and digital campaigns, donor management systems, or working with giving circles and advisors

– Experience with portfolios of donors in the five-to-seven-figure giving level is highly desired

– Demonstrated success in project management

– Experience working with constituent management systems (CRMs) or donor databases; Salesforce background is preferred

Application Deadline: Rolling interviews starting July 2025

Desired Start Date: Mid to late Summer

Salary: $92,000 - $98,000

Benefits:

Medical, Vision, Dental, and Life/Voluntary Insurance coverage

FSA/Dependent Care, Pet insurance

Retirement plan with up to 4% employer matching

Generous paid-time-off policy and holiday allocation

Cell phone and internet monthly allowance

Hybrid work schedule

How to Apply:

Submit a resume and cover letter https://bit.ly/4nFZYfM Include in the body of the cover letter 1) Where did you discover this listing, and 2) If you were a variety of produce what would you be and why? The subject line should read: Major Gifts – (Your Name). No phone calls. Please follow these instructions to ensure that we process your application.

Food Forward is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strongly encourages individuals from underrepresented groups, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with protected class backgrounds, to apply. We value the individuals that we hire and look forward to creating a positive work environment for all identities.

CORE VALUES:

– COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Working together, we inspire and are inspired by the people in the communities we serve.

– EQUITY AND INCLUSION We cultivate a diverse workforce that nurtures equity and inclusion.

– FOOD JUSTICE We share the abundance of fresh produce and prevent food waste because everyone deserves access to fresh and nutritious food.

– INTEGRITY We are honest, accountable, and authentic in our words and actions.

– JOYFULNESS We embrace a creative, spirited, and fulfilling environment

Position: Major Gifts Officer

Organization: Food Forward, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit

Hours: Full-Time

Location: North Hollywood, CA (this position is currently a hybrid office/work from home)

Organization Overview:

Food Forward fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce, connecting this abundance with people experiencing food insecurity, and inspiring others to do the same. Fruits and vegetables are collected from backyard fruit trees, farmers markets, growers, and wholesalers and then provided free of charge to people experiencing food insecurity through more than 250 hunger relief partner organizations that serve communities across the region. See foodforward.org. Our core values are posted below.

Position Overview:

Food Forward is seeking a second Major Gifts Officer to join the Development team, stewarding a growing universe of supporters and expanding the individual giving program. The Officer will work closely with the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and the current Major Gifts Officer to develop strategies and implement research, relationship-building, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.

The ideal candidate will have a positive, “can-do” attitude and can work collaboratively with staff and volunteers in a diverse and fast-paced environment; is highly self-motivated, proactive, and organized, with exceptional attention to accuracy; is flexible and can manage multiple deadlines simultaneously; exercises sound judgment in handling confidential donor information; and has a keen passion for food justice and strong alignment with Food Forward’s core values. The candidate will demonstrate their ability to write persuasively and have excellent interpersonal communication skills to engage a wide range of donors.

Success in Year One:

In their first year, the Officer will be expected to:

– Work with the current Major Gifts Officer to increase the major donor revenue line by 20% to $2M+ in 2026

– Engage CDO and CEO to implement specialized cultivation plans for key donors; secure three to five new $5k+ major donors, as well as upgrades within the portfolio

– Co-create a moves-management system for solicitation and stewardship of the defined donor portfolio

– Report key performance indicators monthly to CDO; contribute to quarterly reports for leadership

– Collaborate with the annual giving team to create a plan for the cultivation of mid-range and grassroots donors to ensure a pipeline for major gift growth; effectively maximize new wealth screening tools

Core Responsibilities:

Planning and project management

– Manage systems for donor solicitation and stewardship by the CEO, CDO, board, and other volunteers, including research, briefing materials, and scheduling

– Maintain data-driven understanding of donors to identify opportunities for growth and enhance the program

– Work with CDO to develop annual fundraising goals, work plans, budgeting, and cashflow reporting

– Manage donor information, including vetting research, connections, meeting notes, and correspondence; work with the team to ensure confidentiality and data integrity.

Donor cultivation and stewardship

– Work with the CEO and CDO to build relationships with donors, ensuring personal attention and service

– Spearhead pipeline growth, including engaging leadership, board, and advisors to funnel prospects

– Produce appeals and other correspondence in alignment with organization messaging and brand guidelines; work with the communications team on marketing collateral; execute virtual and in-person donor events

– Oversee major gift recordkeeping and acknowledgements with development staff for compliance and stewardship

Other support

– Keep informed of Food Forward's public messaging and programs to ensure accurate donor communications

– Occasionally work evenings or weekends for special events, which may require Southern California travel

– Other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:

– At least seven years’ work experience including at least three years’ experience in developing nonprofit donor outreach programs, ideally including personal solicitation, events, mail and digital campaigns, donor management systems, or working with giving circles and advisors

– Experience with portfolios of donors in the five-to-seven-figure giving level is highly desired

– Demonstrated success in project management

– Experience working with constituent management systems (CRMs) or donor databases; Salesforce background is preferred

Application Deadline: Rolling interviews starting July 2025

Desired Start Date: Mid to late Summer

Salary: $92,000 - $98,000

How to Apply:

Submit Resume and Cover Letter.https://bit.ly/4nFZYfM Include in the body of the cover letter 1) Where did you discover this listing, and 2) If you were a variety of produce what would you be and why? The subject line should read: Major Gifts Officer – (Your Name). No phone calls. Please follow thes e instructions to ensure that we process your application.

Food Forward is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strongly encourages individuals from underrepresented groups, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with protected class backgrounds, to apply. We value the individuals that we hire and look forward to creating a positive work environment for all identities.

CORE VALUES:

– COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Working together, we inspire and are inspired by the people in the communities we serve.

– EQUITY AND INCLUSION We cultivate a diverse workforce that nurtures equity and inclusion.

– FOOD JUSTICE We share the abundance of fresh produce and prevent food waste because everyone deserves access to fresh and nutritious food.

– INTEGRITY We are honest, accountable, and authentic in our words and actions.

– JOYFULNESS We embrace a creative, spirited, and fulfilling environment