Director of Philanthropic Engagement

Director of Philanthropic Engagement

MANNA Food Bank - Asheville NC

MANNA Food Bank seeks an accomplished and visionary fundraising leader to strategically grow and strengthen our comprehensive development program. The Director of Philanthropic Engagement will advance MANNA’s mission by activating, coaching, and empowering a team of experienced development professionals while personally modeling exceptional relationship management with donors, partners, and volunteers.

This leader will guide a robust portfolio that includes volunteer engagement, mid-level and major giving, planned giving, institutional giving (corporate and foundation), donor relations, and new donor acquisition. The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in driving philanthropic strategy, cultivating high-value relationships, and managing high-performing teams to achieve ambitious revenue goals that support both immediate needs and long-term sustainability.

Mid-Level Donor Manager, Grants Manager, Corporate Engagement Manager, Donor Relations Manager, Development Assistant, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator and internal or external volunteers assigned.

• Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary development team, ensuring alignment across operations, individual giving, institutional giving, and volunteer engagement.
• Foster a high-performance culture that emphasizes collaboration, professional growth, accountability, and innovation.
• Drive departmental strategy as a key contributor to organization-wide fundraising goals and the Strategic Plan for Development.
• Oversee departmental communication, reporting, goal setting, and work‑plan alignment in a complex, multi‑faced development environment.
• Conduct effective staff coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluations.
• Provide strategic oversight for the major and planned giving program, ensuring the cultivation and stewardship of donors capable of annual gifts of $1,000+.
• Partner with the Chief Development Officer to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high‑impact donors and prospects.
• Personally manage a select portfolio of major and planned giving donors, modeling best practices in relationship‑based fundraising.
• Integrate planned giving strategies into ongoing major donor engagement and long‑range fundraising plans.
• Guide year‑round programs for mid‑level donors, major donors, corporate giving, foundation grants, and new donor acquisition—developed in partnership with the Marketing Department.
• Ensure thoughtful stewardship practices and exceptional donor experiences across all donor segments.
• Oversee the planning and execution of donor cultivation and appreciation events.
• Strengthen and expand volunteer recruitment and engagement to support development initiatives and deepen community investment in MANNA’s mission.
• Monitor department budgets, data tracking, reporting systems, and performance metrics.
• Oversee donor‑facing processes including gift acknowledgement, online donation processing, and donor database accuracy (Donor Perfect).
• Develop, document, standardize, and review departmental SOPs related to donor engagement, data entry, reporting, and stewardship at least biannually.
• Attain full proficiency in the strategies and workflows supporting MANNA’s Direct Marketing program.
• Represent MANNA to donors, prospects, partners, and community stakeholders with professionalism, integrity, and deep knowledge of food insecurity issues.
• Provide compelling public speaking, presentations, and hunger education for diverse audiences.
• Serve as a positive and collaborative member of the MANNA staff and volunteer community.

• Bachelor’s degree plus minimum of 7 years of major gift and planned giving experience with a proven track record of success in resource development.
• Previous supervisory experience preferred with proven effectiveness in leading a team of development practitioners.
• Excellent relationship building and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills both oral and written.
• Strong track record in major gift and planned giving strategy, experience and results.
• Strong understanding of…