The Food Bank has an immediate opening for a motivated, hardworking, and passionate Development Officer – Grants and Foundations to join our team. This role will be responsible for a variety of key areas within the development program, generating revenues of more than $3 million annually.

Closing Date: July 22, 2022
Salary Range: $68,000 – $85,000
Employment Type: Full-Time
Job Experience: Junior

Website: https://thefoodbank.humi.ca/job-board

Do you believe everyone should have access to healthy food, and that food can be a powerful tool for connecting people and building better health and a stronger community? Are you looking at making a difference with a well-respected non-profit organization? Are you self-driven and self-disciplined?

Last year, our employees were part of a team that helped serve over 34,620 people through our Community Food Assistance Network. We are proud to have acquired, coordinated, and distributed to our Community Food Assistance Network over 4.7 million pounds of food, providing 250 food hampers and 1830 community meals each day.

The need for food in the Waterloo Region is greater than ever and we are growing to our team to meet this need and help ensure no one in our community goes hungry.

A career at The Food Bank goes beyond meaningful work. Employees can challenge themselves, learn new skills and work with an amazing group of motivated, passionate individuals who come together to make up our strong, driven employee team.

The Food Bank has an immediate opening for a motivated, hardworking, and passionate Development Officer – Grants and Foundations to join our team. This role will be responsible for a variety of key areas within the development program, generating revenues of more than $3 million annually.

The Position

Reporting to the VP, Philanthropy & Partnerships, the Development Officer – Grants and Foundations is a key member of the development team at The Food Bank of Waterloo Region. The Development Officer – Grants and Foundations leads the full relationship of fundraising opportunities related to grants and foundations (plan, design, implement, evaluate) in partnership with the development team to grow the overall portfolio revenue.

The short-term responsibilities of this role may change from year-to-year, as priorities of The Food Bank change, and will be detailed in the Development Officer‘s annual work plan.

Responsibilities and Duties

Administration of Grant and Foundations Fundraising Opportunities (80%)

• Research and write grant applications and oversee grant application process
• Assisting with the completion and submission of all reporting, both financial and narrative, as required by the terms of each grant
• Tracking reporting requirements and timelines as specified within grant applications
• Maintaining current and historical project and grant financial records
• Assisting with the development, implementation and maintenance of processes relating to financial management of grant and foundation opportunities
• Troubleshooting actual and potential challenges related to grant administration
• Monitoring activities for compliance and creates processes and documentation to meet grant requirements
• Ensure compliance and eligibility as expected with respect to grant and foundation opportunities
• Analyzing, interpreting, advising, and communicating grant regulations and requirements to Food Bank Staff
• Assisting with purchasing initiatives to ensuring purchases meet grant eligibility requirements and proper purchasing process as outlined by the grant and The Food Bank
• Assisting with the collection, tracking, and reporting of performance metrics for internal and external reporting purposes
• Work with the Marketing and Communications Team to ensure consistency, quality, accuracy, and timeliness of all grant communications.
• Work with the Marketing and Communications Team to ensure consistency of branding and messages for external communications (Annual Communication Plan).
• Work closely with the Donation Coordinator(s) to ensure data integrity, maintaining records in Raiser’s Edge, including the development and implementation of protocols to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the data.
• Conduct regular, personal, and meaningful interactions with priority foundations and prospects through written communications, events, face-to-face meetings and conversations.

Stewardship (10%)  

• Develop, implement, and ensure adherence to a stewardship matrix for grant and foundation opportunities within your portfolio, ensuring a consistent and engaging donor journey across all channels
• Work closely with the marketing team to create stewardship materials and ensure alignment with The Food Bank’s brand

Other (10%)  

• Participate in activities, initiatives, and special projects as requested.
• The Development Officer plays an active role in inspiring and fostering a collaborative environment for team effectiveness, including:
• Assist staff team members in creating and implementing relationship development strategies designed to maximize financial support for The Food Bank.
• Participate in team and staff activities, with responsibility to present donor development updates, campaign summaries, and lunch ‘n learn presentations based on professional development opportunities.
• Contribute as project member for cross-organization projects to achieve aggressive business development and fundraising targets.

Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum of three-five years’ experience in a non-profit organization, foundation, and/or higher education institution with progressively responsible experience in successful fundraising and business development experience.
• Effective proposal writing skills and proven success in completing grant applications.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including professional writing, public speaking, and presentations.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices associated with fundraising.
• Familiarity with direct response marketing.
• Successful track record in targeting significant funding opportunities at corporate, private and foundation levels.
• Demonstrated skills in building relationships with partners, donors, and prospects.
• Strong project management skills demonstrating ability to prioritize, coordinate, and meet deadlines on multiple deliverables.
• Effective interpersonal skills, demonstrating a strong capacity to work independently and collaboratively, under minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Raiser’s Edge database experience is an asset.
• Knowledge of online tools for donor, community engagement including web based fundraising applications, email subscription services, ecommerce, B2B etc., an asset

Education

• Degree or diploma with vast array of course work in fundraising, not for profit management & data analysis is preferred. Certification or pursuit of certification as CFRE is an asset.

Required Skills and Attributes

• A passion and commitment for the work of the not-for-profit sector in delivering essential community services. An understanding of the issues of hunger and poverty are an asset.
• Planning/Organization/Project Management. Exceptional project management skills that move projects forward, set goals and priorities, create/implement action plans/budgets, document, evaluate, and learn
• Professional and self-confident in interactions at all levels.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities.
• Ability to cultivate and maintain strong (well-rounded) relationships with stakeholders (donors, the public).
• Demonstrated creativity, problem-solving skills, strong initiative, and the ability to work flexibly and cooperatively.
• Excellent interpersonal skills (political acuity), particularly in a customer service-oriented environment.
• Superior written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy including strong proofreading skills.
• Ability to manage issues through to resolution.

Working Conditions

The Food Bank is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8:30am – 4:30pm. It is expected that all team members will be prepared to work flexible, and sometimes irregular, hours to ensure that the objectives of the organization and our commitments to volunteers, members, and the community are being met.  To meet the growing and changing needs of the community, hours of work may include up to two evenings a week and/or two weekends a month.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region provides employees with a flexible and progressive benefit package which accommodates for hours worked above and beyond and strives to address the personal time needs of each employee.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We believe that diverse teams perform better and that fostering an inclusive work environment is a key part of growing a successful team. We welcome people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

The Food Bank of Waterloo Region is committed to accessibility and to protecting the human rights our job applicants during the recruitment process. Should at any point throughout the recruitment process an applicant require accommodation or communication in an alternative format because of a disability please contact Human Resources at 519-743-5576. We are committed to providing accommodation or alternate formats upon request within a reasonable time period in a mutually agreed upon format.

No phone calls please. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.