Manager of Donor Engagement 

Reports to: Director of Development Payroll type: salary (exempt)

Days/hours work:  Full time, Monday-Friday (8:00-4:00 PM),  flexible

Desired timing of hire: Immediate

About La Soupe

Founded in 2015 by Chef Suzy DeYoung, La Soupe is a nonprofit with a mission to reduce food waste and food insecurity across the Greater Cincinnati Region. La Soupe's chefs and volunteers use rescued food to create delicious, healthy meals to share with partner agencies who distribute those meals to clients facing food insecurity. La Soupe's culinary education classes address the root causes of food insecurity by creating ways for people to access the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make nutritious meals. La Soupe's Nourish program provides soups and nutritional interventions for heart health and diabetes to Share Partners, who offer wraparound health services for vulnerable communities. With the support of dedicated volunteers, La Soupe has rescued over 4 million pounds of food and shared over 2.5 million restaurant-quality servings since its inception.

Overview 

The Manager of Donor Engagement is  responsible for our donor base, to include the full stewardship cycle of attracting new donors, caring for current donors and ensuring retention through thoughtful engagement. This role will inform and assist in shaping strategies, structure and processes for the breadth of the department along with building and cultivating relationships in all funding streams to advance the organization’s fundraising goals. This position requires an organized,  strategic thinker with experience in donor stewardship. 

Duties include:

  • Fostering strong and successful relationships internally and externally

  • Segmenting donors into portfolios based on giving history, interests tailored engagements

  • Support fundraising efforts, including the annual campaign, spring “friendraiser’ and large-scale fall event

  • Responsible for communicating with donors, volunteers, community organizations, corporations, and foundations, specifically within a given portfolio 

  • Establishing and maintaining a strong donor/gift acknowledgement and recognition process in part through donor tracking using the donor management database system, Little Green Light

  • Collaborate with Volunteer Engagement Team to increase understanding of the donor/volunteer overlap and SWOT a volunteer specific funding ask

  • Some grant writing & managing, along with applicable Foundation engagement

  • Assist in cross departmental collaborations to establish and represent goals for outright and planned giving

  • Work with the Communications Team to create collateral materials, funding asks, donor recognition/benefit opportunities

Fundraising

Inform the development, optimization and execution of a strategy to meet the 3 year forecast for revenue from donations and grants.  Areas that have historically been part of our fundraising plan are: 

Relationship Building

  • Personally engage with key donors, building and maintaining strong, long-term relationships.

  • Assist in developing personalized cultivation and stewardship plans for major donors, ensuring a high level of satisfaction and connection to the organization.

  • Foster a collaborative and positive team culture that emphasizes creativity, innovation, and excellence in donor relations.

  • Work closely with the Communications team to develop compelling and personalized content that resonates with donors.

  • Collaborate with other departments to ensure a unified approach to donor engagement and seamless communication.

Annual & Major Gifts

  • The annual fundraising campaign that includes both direct mail and digital outreach

  • Optimizing awareness through various social media outlets

  • Individual and Corporate

  • Acquisition, Cultivation, Retention

  • Develop relationships with potential partners

  • Creation of special campaign appeals

  • Further develop and sophisticate a Major Gifts Program building on the donor base from the capital campaign and the annual donors.  Identifying, qualifying, soliciting, closing and stewarding major gifts with a focus on high net-worth individuals

  • Creating strategic requests and reports for donors by working with stakeholders to integrate the overall department goals and plans.

Foundations & Grants

  • Support the Grants Program through the cultivation of key present grantors, and submitting well-written grant requests and reports.

  • Work with Communications and Program team members to ensure proper recognition of donors and the impact of their gifts

Data Analysis 

  • Utilize data analytics to evaluate the effectiveness of donor engagement strategies and make data-driven recommendations for improvement.

  • Prepare regular reports on donor engagement activities, outcomes, and future plans for senior leadership.

Professional Skills:

  • A Bachelor’s Degree and 5-7 years direct experience in leadership roles in Development.

  • Experienced team player and team leader.  

  • Demonstrates progressive experience and responsibility in raising awareness and support through cultivation and stewardship of La Soupe’s supporters

  • Offers a strong, successful history in non-profit fundraising and development, grant writing, donor relations and Board interaction.

  • Possesses outstanding communication skills both verbal and written.

  • Ability to build and execute strategic plans for fundraising through the Moves Management process

  • Organized, self-starter who is flexible, responds quickly, and thinks strategically.

  • Knowledge of the Greater Cincinnati Community


Compensation: Commensurate with experience $55,000 - $70,000 range

Benefits:

  • Paid Holidays, Free Lunch, Free parking

  • Health Insurance with company contribution. Family health insurance, and employee vision, and dental are provided at employee cost.

  • 401(k)plan - no match,  life insurance and AD&D

  • Sick days and PTO after 90 days of employment

  • Get to work with best crew in the city while helping communities

La Soupe is committed to work-life balance and will consider candidates interested in hybrid, and other flexible arrangements that meet the needs of both the agency and the candidate.

Equal opportunity: La Soupe, Inc. values a diverse and inclusive work environment where every team member matters. All qualified applicants for this position will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

www.lasoupe.org

Send resume and cover letter to: Jackie Bouvette, Director of Development, at jackie@lasoupe.org