Job Posting - Development Associate, Fund & Food Appeals

Organizational Profile

The North York Harvest Food Bank is the second-largest food bank in Toronto, distributing more than 1.4 million pounds of food last year through 60 neighbourhood programs. An independent, charitable organization, it envisions a community where all members are able to meet their food needs. In 2009, more than 160,000 food hampers were provided to people living in northern Toronto, an area bounded by Hwy. 27, Steeles Avenue, Victoria Park Avenue, and St. Clair Avenue/Eglinton Avenue. North York Harvest receives 90% of its operating revenue through strategic and diverse fundraising appeals.
 

Position Summary

The Development Associate, Fund & Food Appeals will be the primary force in developing and implementing strategies and initiatives aimed towards securing new and increased: (1) food and fund giving from community groups such as service clubs, faith groups, local small businesses, employee associations, professional associations, and special event food drives; (2) food donations from community food drives conducted by corporations and schools; and (3) food donations by the food industry. The incumbent will employ his or her seasoned fundraising/sales skill set to optimize the synergies between these target markets.

The Development Associate will work under the direction and guidance of the Development Officer/Senior Manager and in tandem with the Development Team.

The Development Associate will reach specific fund and food raising performance targets by employing and offering the donor or prospective donor a toolkit of targeted opportunities such as giving through renewed or new financial support, conducting a traditional food drive, launching a Virtual Food Drive (VFD), and taking part in a Sort & Learn Team Building experience.

This position may be especially busy during the fall and into the Holiday season.

Reporting Relationship: The Development Associate, Food & Fund Appeals reports to the Development Officer/Senior Manager.

Hours: 37.5 hours/week including some weekend or evening hours.


Key Accountabilities

1. Leadership. Provides leadership and direction to this position to ensure that fund and food appeals are developed and implemented within the overall strategic direction of NYH.

2. Fund & Food Raising. Grows the funds and food raised for these specific fund- and food-raising targets, including by:

  • Maintaining, organizing, and stewarding existing partnerships
  • Prospecting, cultivating, and developing new relationships with these donors utilizing a variety of proven fundraising techniques and practices
  • Supporting donors by supplying information, resources and materials, including food drive tools and assisting with logistics planning as well as attending at the donor’s premises for cheque and donation presentations as required
  • Developing and employing excellent research and prospect clearance techniques
  • Determining the best approach to employ in varying situations
  • Developing new food industry relationships for in kind corporate food donation giving
  • Stewarding and managing the school-oriented Donation Nation program both in terms of the number of schools participating and food raised
  • Reaching all accountable fund and food targets.

3. Records. Produces complete and accurate records of donors, prospects and leads as well as food donated in a timely fashion, including by:

  • Inputting data regularly into Raiser’s Edge and other software and doing so with accuracy
  • Generating prospecting and solicitation reports that can be used in a variety of situations and for a variety of audiences as needed
  • Preparing and distributing thank you letters and other acknowledgements for the food and fund participants.

4. Stakeholder Relationships. Generates and maintains active, professional and cordial relationships with stakeholders, including by:

  • Securing and stewarding existing and new fund and food donors
  • Ensuring the timely and courteous scheduling of pick ups and deliveries with food donors
  • Fairly and accurately representing and articulately communicating the organizational messages and the mission, vision and value statements of NYH to external stakeholders.

5. Team work. Contributes to a supportive and inclusive team that works together efficiently, effectively and respectfully, including by:

  • Actively contributing to a well-functioning development department
  • Working closely with the communications manager in promoting NYH and its work
  • Liaising with the operations, community engagement, and volunteer departments to facilitate the smooth pick up of food donations and scheduling of sort groups and educational workshops
  • Communicating regularly with all other NYH departments
  • Working inclusively with volunteers as needed.

6. Events and Activities. Assists with the coordination of large-scale seasonal food drives.

7. Other related duties as assigned
 

Qualifications

  • Possess a B.A. or equivalent experience
  • A minimum of 3-5 years of fundraising experiences ideally cultivating corporate and community support
  • Experience with and affinity for working in a medium-sized non-profit, charitable environment
  • Proven track record in prospect research techniques and outcomes which positively impacted on securing financial support
  • Experience with Raisers Edge preferable, or equivalent database, as well as strong computer skills
  • Demonstrated successful experience and comfort with making donation requests both in writing and verbally
  • Ability to discern prospective funders’ interest and ability to give either food, funds or both
  • Knowledge of hunger, food security or social services is a definite plus
  • Self-directed and task-oriented
  • Adept at time management, planning, prioritizing, multi-tasking and follow-through
  • Outstanding written and oral communications
  • Ability to work both as part of the fundraising team as well as across departments, and with volunteers

North York Harvest Food Bank is committed to employment equity and encourages applicants from equity seeing groups.

Please forward cover letter and resume to jobs [at] northyorkharvest [dot] com, attention Gloria Baldwin, Development Officer, no later than Thursday, August 5, 2010. Please both attach these documents to your email and insert them both in the body of the email. No phone calls please.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those to be invited for an interview will be contacted.