Sr. Development Officer, Major Gifts

Sr. Development Officer, Major Gifts

West Suburban Center - Geneva, IL 60134

Salary Range $73,744.00 - $86,757.00 Salary Position Type Full Time Category Development

Who We Are:

Are you ready to join a team where your talent creates lasting change? At Northern Illinois Food Bank, every day is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our Neighbors, so that everyone in Northern Illinois has the food they need to thrive! Together we are a dedicated and innovative team committed to ending hunger in Northern Illinois.

We embrace diverse perspectives, collaboration, and continuous learning, we celebrate successes, learn from challenges, and foster a culture of growth, optimism, and teamwork.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Northern Illinois Food Bank will embrace opportunities to stand in solidarity with our community and center the voices of those most impacted by systematic injustices. We affirm our commitment to anti-racism, to gender equity, to allyship, and to fairness as we work towards a hunger-free future and to create a better and more just world.

We're seeking motivated, high-potential candidates who are excited to grow their careers while helping solve hunger in Northern Illinois.

The Opportunity:

The Senior Development Officer is a senior individual contributor responsible for building and managing a portfolio of major-gift donors and prospects, generally at the $10,000+ level. The position develops personalized strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors whose philanthropy can advance Northern Illinois Food Bank's mission and strategic priorities.

Working closely with the Chief Philanthropy Officer, CEO, philanthropy colleagues, program leaders, and volunteers, the Senior Development Officer translates organizational priorities into compelling donor opportunities. The position exercises a high level of independent judgment in developing donor strategies, strengthening relationships, and advancing major gift opportunities.

This full-time position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva) location.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage a defined portfolio of current and prospective major donors, maintaining an appropriate balance of qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activity.
• Develop and execute written, donor-specific strategies with clear next steps, target ask amounts, timing, and internal partners.
• Conduct regular donor visits and meaningful interactions in person, virtually, and by phone; document activity and next steps promptly in the donor database.
• Qualify new prospects through research, discovery conversations, giving history, engagement, and philanthropic capacity, and recommend portfolio entry or disqualification as appropriate.
• Solicit major gifts independently and in partnership with the Chief Philanthropy Officer, CEO, board members, volunteers, and other organizational leaders.
• Prepare donor briefings, proposals, concept papers, solicitation letters, gift agreements, and stewardship reports in collaboration with philanthropy, finance, programs, and communications colleagues.
• Partner across the organization to understand funding priorities, develop credible cases for support, and connect donor interests with measurable opportunities for impact.
• Maintain accurate forecasts and a healthy pipeline; participate actively in moves management and prospect-review meetings and address stalled relationships.
• Achieve annual goals for revenue, donor retention, portfolio movement, meaningful interactions, solicitations, and other agreed-upon performance measures.
• Create thoughtful stewardship experiences that demonstrate impact, deepen trust, and position donors for renewed and increased support.
• Identify opportunities for blended, planned, campaign, and principal gifts and engage appropriate internal or external expertise when needed.
• Serve as a resource and mentor to gift officers by sharing effective practices, offering strategic counsel, and supporting a consistent donor-centered approach.
• Represent Northern Illinois Food Bank at donor meetings, tours, community gatherings, and special…