Donor Engagement Specialist

Donor Engagement Specialist Salary Range $33.69 - $35.65 Hourly Position Type Regular Full-Time Category Development Description Founded in 1974, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation and a trusted nonprofit leader in ending local hunger. The organization distributes nutritious groceries through a network of nearly 400 partners at drive-thru and walk-up sites across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Due to the prohibitively expensive cost of living in Silicon Valley, the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rise in inflation, Second Harvest is now serving an average of about 500,000 people every month. Second Harvest also connects people to federal nutrition programs and other food resources, and advocates for anti-hunger policies on the local, state and national levels. To learn more about how Second Harvest is responding to the incredible amount of need in Silicon Valley, visit . The Donor Engagement Specialist is a key member of Second Harvest's Donor Engagement team, delivering exceptional customer service that ensures donors feel valued, supported, and meaningfully connected to our mission. Serving as the front-line point of contact through the Donor Hotline, this role addresses a wide range of donor needs with professionalism, warmth, and care. In addition to frontline support, the Donor Engagement Specialist executes the Behavior-Based Stewardship program for Annual and Middle donors, thoughtfully expressing appreciation and sharing the impact of donor generosity. This role requires a consistent commitment to high-quality service, clear communication, and a donor-centered approach in every interaction. The ideal candidate brings strong administrative, communication, and technical skills, along with a genuine passion for customer service and relationship-building. We're looking for a proactive, solutions-oriented team member who asks thoughtful questions, quickly synthesizes information, and approaches challenges with empathy and efficiency. A successful Donor Engagement Specialist is curious, adaptable, and continually seeking ways to improve processes and enhance the donor experience. You’ll join a supportive, collaborative, and mission-driven team that values creativity, shared purpose, and community impact. This role offers more than day-to-day responsibilities—it’s an opportunity to help advance Second Harvest's commitment to ending local hunger by ensuring every donor feels seen, appreciated, and inspired. This job might be for you if: You are passionate about ending hunger. You are comfortable interacting with donors and have experience giving 'white glove' service. Can handle challenging relationships and situations with the utmost grace and diplomacy, discerning when to escalate a matter to management. You are an exceptional team player and communicator. You collaborate well with other departments including Marketing, Volunteer Engagement, Finance and Development Operations/Analytics. Enjoy building long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with donors. Responsibilities Donor Services & Frontline Support Serve as a frontline point person for the donor hotline, actively listening to donor needs and responding thoughtfully to questions and inquiries in accordance with published Standard Operating Procedures. Assist donors with making gifts over the phone and managing or updating recurring online gifts. Support donors with enrolling in community fundraising drives, setting up recurring plans, or making changes to donor plans as requested. Behavior Based Stewardship and Execution Generate and prepare Behavior Based Stewardship call sheets for Manager review, escalating any data issues for resolution. Execute the Behavior-Based Stewardship Program by making thank-you calls to express gratitude and share impact of donors' gifts. Call volume ranges from 50 to 100 or more calls per day, particularly during high-volume holiday periods. Accurately and promptly record all activity, notes, and donor record updates in Salesforce (SF), including preparing and submitting mass upload requests to capture bulk activities in SF. Prep Behavior Based Stewardship Postcard files for volunteer(s) weekly. Donor Inquiry and Case Management Manage and complete assigned Donor Inquiry cases thoughtfully and professionally within three business days. Provide back up coverage for Donor Inquiry Case load management and assignment as needed. Gift Resolution & Financial Coordination Work directly with Finance and donors to resolve gift errors and ensure gifts are successfully completed. Data Integrity & Systems Support Contribute to data integrity efforts by identifying duplicate records or donor data discrepancies and documenting corrections and related activity in Salesforce; submit requests to Development Operations when needed. Documentation & Process Improvement Produce and manage Standard Operating Procedure documentation related to areas of responsibility. Identify opportunities to improve processes or reports to support department goals and needs. Team Support & Special Projects Assist the Donor Engagement (DE) team as needed with donor tours, sorts and special events. Perform other duties and activities as assigned. The ideal candidate will possess the following professional qualifications: Exceptional customer service skills Excellent written and verbal communication skills Outstanding problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment Flexibility and adaptability are a must, understanding that priorities can quickly change Ability to multitask and prioritize effectively with attention to detail and accuracy. Experience evaluating and improving processes. Ability to establish great rapport with SHFB supporters and staff Computer proficiency, including MS Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, PPT) and SharePoint Experience with Go Fund Me Pro and Salesforce CRM software a plus Reports To - Senior Donor Engagement Manager Location - Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Cypress Warehouse 4001 N. First Street, San Jose, CA This is a hybrid position. Specifics of work location will depend on department need. An employee's regular remote work site should be within driving distance of one of Second Harvest's locations and must be within the state of California. Hours - Hybrid Seasonal Full-Time and Part-Time. Non-Exempt 40 hours/week August through March and 20 hours per week April through July, with some evening and weekend work as necessary. Compensation - $33.69-$35.65 is the wage range for this position. The hourly wage offer will be commensurate with skills and experience. Outstanding and generous health benefits program, 4-5 weeks of Flexible Time Off (vacation and sick), eleven paid holidays, and retirement plan. EOE Second Harvest is committed to being an equal opportunity employer which values diversity. All applicants are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be selected based on specific, role-related skills and qualifications. #J-18808-Ljbffr