Philanthropy Officer

United Food Bank•Mesa, AZ

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a pivotal moment for United Food Bank. As we prepare for our next phase of growth—including an upcoming capital campaign—we’re seeking a Philanthropy Officer to join our fundraising team. At United Food Bank, philanthropy is rooted in partnership and long-term impact. The ideal candidate for this role is a thoughtful, strategic fundraiser who excels at building trust and engaging donors who want to make a lasting difference. This is your opportunity to advance our major giving efforts and make a meaningful contribution to the momentum behind our mission. Position Summary: The Philanthropy Officer manages and grows a portfolio of major gift donors through strategic cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. This role focuses on securing individual gifts of $5,000+ and advancing donor relationships using a structured moves-management approach. Responsibilities include developing individualized donor strategies, conducting donor meetings, preparing proposals and related materials, and documenting all activity in the CRM. The Philanthropy Officer serves as a subject matter expert in common charitable giving methods and proactively shares giving opportunities with donors as part of relationship-based conversations that deepen their engagement with our mission.

Requirements

Passion for alleviating hunger and serving the community
Commitment to the organization’s mission and values.
Bachelor’s Degree (BA) or equivalent combination of education and experience
Minimum of 3+ years of progressive fundraising experience, CFRE preferred.
Demonstrated success securing gifts of $5,000+.
Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to engage donors with professionalism and discretion.
Understanding of common charitable giving methods and comfort discussing them in donor conversations.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Comfortable working with senior leadership, Board members, and high-capacity donors.
Experience using a CRM system (e.g., Salesforce) to track outreach and engagement
Self-motivated, dedicated to accomplishing tasks, able to take initiative and solve problems.
Availability and willingness to attend evening or weekend events when needed
Valid driver’s license with reliable transportation and insurability required.

Nice To Haves

CFRE preferred

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of approximately 125–150 major gift donors.
Develop individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor.
Conduct regular in-person and virtual meetings to deepen relationships and understand donor interests.
Grow giving within an existing donor base and identify opportunities for increases.
Implement all phases of the major gift cycle, including qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Prepare personalized proposals, impact reports, and related materials to support gift requests.
Coordinate strategies involving organizational leadership when appropriate.
Understand common charitable giving methods, such as: Gifts of stock or appreciated assets, Donor-advised funds (DAFs), Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), Basic bequests or beneficiary designations.
Discuss these giving methods comfortably with donors to support philanthropic decision-making and deepen donor engagement.
Ensure timely fulfillment of stewardship activities, donor recognition, and follow-up commitments.
Support donor engagement opportunities, including occasional donor-focused events.
Participate in mission-related experiences and tours to connect donors with the impact of United Food Bank.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, strategies, and revenue projections in the CRM.
Use data to evaluate portfolio performance and support planning and forecasting.
Participate in regular portfolio and pipeline review processes.