Director of Community and Donor Engagement

Position Summary
This role will be FoodCycle’s first Director of Community and Donor Engagement and has the exciting opportunity to expand the organization’s development strategies. Reporting to Executive Director, the Director of Community and Donor Engagement will design and execute FoodCycle’s first formal development and communication plan to support a growing $1.2 million operating budget.

The selected candidate should have at least 7 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including a demonstrated track record in major gifts, corporate and foundation partnerships and donor cultivation.

About FoodCycle
FoodCycle was founded in 2005 by volunteers who recognized the scale of food waste, its impact on vulnerable populations, and its contribution to climate change. With the mission to feed people, not landfills, FoodCycle has grown into an innovative operation, leveraging technology, electric vehicles, solar-powered refrigeration and mobile apps. Working with hundreds of businesses—including Whole Foods, Lazy Acres and Trader Joe’s, to name a few--we rescued more than 10 million pounds of surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, and with our nonprofit partners we delivered more than 8 million meals in 2024.

FoodCycle nourishes food-insecure communities by rescuing and redistributing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. Ultimately, our work reduces hunger, improves health, and addresses climate change related to food waste in landfills. At the heart of our mission is the simple belief: no one should go hungry while good food goes to waste.

Compensation and Benefits
The compensation for the Director of Community and Donor Engagement is $115,000 - $125,000 per year. This position is eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical insurance
• Paid holidays
• Paid vacation leave
• Paid sick leave
• Retirement plan

Essential Position Responsibilities
Fundraising and Community Building

• Create and implement a diversified fundraising plan that increases unrestricted funds and builds committed relationships and long-term major giving support.
• Cultivate and shepherd new donor relationships.
• Reach out to past and existing donors and businesses to strengthen and increase support.
• Build and strengthen relationships with food donors and nonprofit organizations.
• Build relationships with restaurants, chefs and related businesses that share “no-waste” philosophies, and partner on messaging, community programs and intimate donor cultivation activities.
• Inspire FoodCycle (volunteers, staff, etc.) to serve as ambassadors and fundraising partners.
• Provide on-site opportunities to current and prospective donors to experience food distribution events.

Communications and Events

• Develop and implement an agency-wide communication strategy and provide oversight of all donor and community communications.
• Lead and provide oversight on social media postings.
• Align messaging, storytelling, donor and community engagement strategies.
• Supervise social media manager.

Board Engagement

• Provide leadership and support to FoodCycle’s Board of Directors, including its development and finance committees and assist in board member recruitment.
• Work with the development committee to create and implement fundraising and community-building strategies.

Budgeting and Allocation

• Participate in the FoodCycle budget and monitoring process, projecting reasonable and realistic fundraising goals by funding category and other factors.
• Coordinate with the Finance team regarding appropriate gift allocations and financial reporting.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of progressive fundraising success, with an emphasis on unrestricted funds.
• At least 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Track record of annually raising at least $250,000 in unrestricted funds through individuals, grants and events.
• Bachelor's Degree and/or equivalent experience required.
• Commitment to issues of food insecurity and no-waste food production.
• Track record of cultivating and stewarding high-net-worth donors and philanthropic institutions.
• Experience coordinating large and small-scale donor engagement events.
• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• High degree of emotional intelligence and strategic thinking.
• Excellent attention to detail, highly organized, flexible, reliable and responsible.
• Strong organizational, time-management, and multitasking skills with the ability to prioritize and complete projects thoroughly and on time.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Ethical, responsible with the ability to handle sensitive information with discretion while maintaining a high degree of confidentiality.
• Computer proficiency with Donor Management software, MailChimp or other email platforms, Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Canva and Excel.
• Solid understanding of communications tactics and social media platforms.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.

How to Apply
Thank you for your interest in the Director of Community and Donor Engagement opportunity available with FoodCycle! Please submit your resume and cover letter for consideration. We are unable to accept direct inquiries about this position (i.e. phone calls, emails).