Senior Director, Principal and Major Giving

THE ORGANIZATION

Feeding Westchester is looking for people with the passion, courage, and creativity to create meaningful change in the lives of others. As a member of the Feeding America network of food banks and Westchester County's leading hunger relief organization, we moved nearly 22 million pounds of food to agencies and partners across Westchester County, including food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, and schools last fiscal year. We supplied 17 million meals to children, families, and seniors, mobilized 11,000 volunteers, and raised over $17 million in donations and government support to help end hunger.

Feeding Westchester's mission is to nourish our neighbors in the fight against hunger. As the heart of a network of more than 200 partners, we source and distribute food, and other resources, to communities across Westchester. We envision a community where all people have access to the food they need today, and the fundamental resources to build a better tomorrow.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Feeding Westchester has an exciting opportunity for a passionate and mission driven Senior Director, Principal and Major Giving, reporting to the VP, Development, Marketing and Communications. The Senior Director, Principal & Major Giving will be a key leader on the Development team at Feeding Westchester. This individual will develop and execute strategies to secure transformational philanthropic support (6 and 7-figure gifts) from individual donors, while also overseeing the mid-level program, recurring donor and direct response programs. The Senior Director will play a pivotal role in ensuring that donors experience meaningful engagement with the organization, resulting in deeper relationships and increased philanthropic commitment. As the Senior Director, you will serve as the primary architect and catalyst for Feeding Westchester's principal gifts strategy, focusing on building a sustainable pipeline of 7-figure donors who can help realize the organization's vision of ending hunger in the community. This role directly manages the Director, Individual Giving, Senior Manager Donor Relations, and collaborates with the Director, Marketing and Communications, Director, Development Operations and Senior Director, Corporate, Foundations & Community; and works closely with the Leadership Team including the CEO.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Principal & Major Gift Fundraising

1. Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-net-worth donors capable of making 6 and 7-figure gifts.
2. Build tailored cultivation and solicitation strategies to strengthen donor engagement, close significant gifts, and meet (or exceed) annual revenue targets.
3. Develop and drive strategies to secure 7-figure+ philanthropic commitments that will transform Feeding Westchester's capacity to serve the community.
4. Collaborate with the CEO, VP of Development & MarCom, Board members, and other executive leadership to engage in high-level donor conversations and proposals.
5. Help drive possible 8-figure Comprehensive Campaign, details TBD

1. Mid-Level & Mass Market Fundraising

1. Supervise the Senior Manager, Donor Relations in the growth of the Monthly Donor program and Direct Response
2. Supervise the Director, Individual Giving managing and growing Mid-level, P2P, and Planned Giving efforts
3. Working with Director of Marketing and Communications, optimize the Individual Donor Journey

1. Program Leadership and Management

1. Oversee and refine the pipeline from mid-level and major donors to principal giving, ensuring a systematic approach to cultivating key donors toward 7-figure+ contributions.
2. Oversee the mid-level donor program, ensuring donors have consistent engagement opportunities and a clear pipeline pathway to higher-level giving.
3. Maintain and refine systems to track progress of donors through cultivation cycles, leveraging best practices and data-driven approaches.

1. Strategic Planning

1. In partnership with the VP of Development, develop annual and multi-year fundraising goals, budgets, and strategies for individual giving programs.
2. Identify trends, forecast long-term revenue opportunities, and set priorities that strengthen the food bank's ability to serve the community.
3. Collaborate with the Marketing & Communications teams to ensure messaging and donor-facing materials effectively convey the organization's mission, needs, and impact.

1. Leadership and Team Development

1. Manage a team of fundraising professionals, providing clear goals, mentorship, and performance feedback.
2. Foster a cohesive, results-oriented culture by creating a supportive environment that encourages professional growth, innovative thinking, and shared accountability.
3. Implement ongoing training, professional development, and engagement opportunities for staff and volunteers.

1. Relationship Building and Collaboration

1. Serve as a critical external-facing ambassador for Feeding Westchester, representing the organization at events, conferences, and donor meetings.
2. Build collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders, including Programs and Operations, to articulate the funding impact and make compelling cases for support.
3. Partner with the Volunteer Services team to convert volunteers into long-term supporters.

1. Performance Analytics and Reporting

1. Track progress specifically on principal gift prospects, reporting on pipeline development, 7-figure solicitations, and actualized gifts.
2. Monitor and report on metrics, including donor pipeline growth, major gift forecasts, donor retention rates, and ROI on various fundraising channels.
3. Utilize CRM and analytics tools to optimize donor cultivation strategies, inform decision-making, and refine solicitation efforts.
4. Prepare regular reports, presentations, and updates for senior leadership and the Board on individual giving progress.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive fundraising experience, with a proven track record of closing 6 and 7-figure gifts from individual donors.
• Demonstrated success designing strategies that led to 7-figure philanthropic commitments from high-net-worth individuals.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field (e.g., Business, Marketing, Nonprofit Management) or equivalent work experience. Advanced degree or CFRE certification a plus.
• Experience working on 8 figure Capital or Comprehensive Campaigns is a plus.
• Strong supervisory experience, with the ability to hire, train, mentor, and retain high-performing development professionals.
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire a range of stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker adept at developing and executing results-driven fundraising plans and budgets.
• Proficiency in CRM and fundraising software (e.g., Raiser's Edge, Salesforce, or similar), as well as reporting tools.
• Familiarity or experience with hunger relief or other social services preferred; passion for the mission of ending hunger is essential.

Required Knowledge/Skills

• Strong project management and organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail; ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Expertise with Excel a necessity; Very comfortable working with numbers, creating spreadsheets.
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem solving with strong decision-making capability.
• Resourceful team player, with emotional maturity and ability to be effective independently.
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions.
• Results-driven, with a focus on both individual and team success.
• Collaborative leadership style, effective at building rapport across diverse teams.
• Adaptable, resourceful, and innovative, with the ability to thrive in a dynamic nonprofit environment.
• High integrity and ethical standards, demonstrating dedication to Feeding Westchester's mission.
• Valid driver's license and use of a vehicle to ensure ability to travel independently for Feeding Westchester business.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift, carry, and set up a variety of promotional materials including electronics, materials in boxes, and table top screens (weighing up to 50 pounds).
• Ability to operate equipment such as pallet jack, metal cart, etc.
• Ability to pack, unpack and put away various materials.
• Prolonged standing, walking and bending in addition to sitting in front of a computer.
• Ability to access, research, read, review, enter and retrieve information from computer, hard copies and desk top publishing systems.
• Ability to give regular communications in person, writing, by email and by telephone
• Ability to travel independently in the daytime and evening to regional and national destinations.
• Ability to access all work sites of the agency.
• Ability to work in below 0F temperatures for short periods of time.

Working Conditions

• Working inside a warehouse environment and Feeding Westchester offices.
• Working outside in all weather conditions in all Westchester communities
• Travel throughout Feeding Westchester service area.
• Ability to work irregular or extended hours.

ABOUT US

Feeding Westchester provides a competitive benefits package including paid time off, Medical/Dental/Vision coverages, 403(b) retirement plan with discretionary employer contribution, company-paid Life and LTD insurances, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and other ancillary benefits. Feeding Westchester is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services or any other category protected by law. Feeding Westchester is committed to continually working to ensure we have an equitable and inclusive environment in place to support our diverse team. We strive to create professional growth paths for all who want them and a just culture that will support both internal collaboration and the work we do for our local community.

SALARY RANGE: (based on experience) $160-170k (Based on experience)