At this important moment in its history, Feeding America is seeking a top tier development professional to lead its partnership development.
The VP will set the new partnership development strategy and annual operating plans to deliver eight-figure annual revenue from new institutional partners, spanning philanthropic giving, focusing on corporate partnerships, cause marketing, donor employee engagement, in-kind support and other institutional engagement.
Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the VP will be a strategic and valued fundraising leader who will thrive working in a changing and complex environment.
An engaging collaborator, the VP will establish productive relationships internally and externally. As a member of the institution’s Leadership Team, the VP will challenge conventional thinking, explore transformational development opportunities, and help drive the organization toward the kind of partnerships required to solve hunger in America today and end hunger tomorrow.
A bold thinker and a strategic, yet hands-on executor, the VP will lead a best-in-class partnership development program. The VP will inspire and manage a team of high-performing fundraisers to build high-level relationships with corporate leaders and secure impactful, sustainable partnerships in support of Feeding America’s priorities. To enhance the effectiveness of new partnership building efforts, the VP will instill donor cultivation and stewardship best practices across the team.
Leading by example, the VP will develop, monitor and evaluate a pipeline of prospective donor partners across diverse industry sectors. Applying the spirit of co-creation, the VP will foster deep, collaborative relationships with foodbank leaders throughout the Feeding America network, to ensure alignment and mutually-beneficial donor engagement. The VP will refine processes guiding new partnership development and relationship management, including both proactive prospecting and inbound lead response.
The VP will represent the partnership development function in strategy and planning meetings with internal Feeding America teams, network food banks and new/prospective institutional partners. Of particular importance, the VP will collaborate deeply with colleagues in the Marketing, Communications and Philanthropy Operations Department, to build on an already powerful portfolio of Cause Marketing partnerships and elevate this brand awareness-building revenue source to new heights.
Competencies:
- Establishes Vision and Crafts Strategy – Ability in setting strategic direction and operating plans for partnership development and leading team to achieve or exceed short- and long-term revenue goals, including cultivation of multi-million-dollar partnerships.
- Translates Strategy to Operational Goals – Demonstrated experience in learning and understanding institutional strategic goals, articulating them to institutional partners and prospects, and collaborating with them to develop partnerships which support these goals.
- Leverages Functional Experience – Ability to lead by example as a primary relationship builder; ability to inspire and coach other fundraisers.
- Coaches and Develops Talent & Teams – Demonstrated experience in building strong teams through hiring, developing and retaining high-performing talent with particular sensitivity to principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
- Collaborates Internally & Externally – Ability to partner with and motivate cross-functional teams to achieve business objectives; demonstrated ability working with diverse stakeholder groups including food bank members, internal teams and institutional leaders across diverse sectors.
- Communicates Effectively – Ability to successfully communicate vision, strategy and operational goals to internal and external contacts using sophisticated verbal, written and presentation skills.
The ideal candidate will have the following qualities, skills and characteristics:
Relationship Builder and Collaborator
- Critical to success in this role, the VP will be skilled at building and sustaining excellent relationships across Feeding America. The VP will be a natural partner with a demonstrated ability to connect and build bridges. The VP will be inclusive, allowing for the building of consensus and recognition of teamwork at the national office and across the federated network of food banks. Building relationships and gaining insight from diverse groups of people in a variety of disciplines, the VP will weave together a strong narrative and consistent brand across the organization. A diplomatic and supportive professional, the VP will enhance Feeding America’s culture of collaboration. The VP will be a proactive communicator with the ability to lead through influence.
An Expert in Partnership Development
- The VP will be an experienced leader in the field of corporate partnerships and business development with a measurable track record of success. This leader will have a strong data and analysis orientation and a proven ability to use metrics to drive development decisions and achieve strategic objectives. The VP will have a demonstrated record of implementing direct fundraising initiatives including prospect identification, institutional cultivation and successful solicitation. The VP will embrace Feeding America’s culture and will have the character and confidence to expand the organization’s partnership program. This leader will lead with an entrepreneurial approach to expanding and deepening new and existing donor support.
Strategic Leadership
- The VP will have a proven record of converting strategy into effective execution. This leader will be an assertive and results-oriented leader with the ability to translate tailored strategies to donors, leading to awareness, understanding and appreciation for Feeding America’s objectives. A hunter and builder, the VP will absorb complicated programmatic concepts and lead a high-performing team to creatively envision new ways of engaging potential stakeholders beyond the traditional donor-grantee relationship. In order to achieve desired results and support strategic objectives, the VP will have the skills to effectively build, develop and retain the partnership development team, embracing principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in hiring, mentorship, teambuilding, network interventions and stakeholder engagement.
A Passion for the Mission
- The VP will have a passion for the mission of Feeding America and a commitment to ending hunger. The VP will embrace the core values of the organization and its commitment to transforming the lives of those in need. The VP will flourish in a mission-driven, business environment. This leader will be energized working in a national organization while continually innovating to help expand the reach of Feeding America. The VP will have a collaborative spirit and will be an empathic leader, treating others with respect. This leader will be an individual of unquestioned integrity, ethics and values; someone who can be trusted without reservation.