Stewardship Officer

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.The Opportunity:The Stewardship Officer is responsible for advancing Northern Illinois Food Bank’s donor stewardship strategy and executing high-quality communications that drive retention, trust, and long-term engagement. This role plays a critical part in the Food Bank’s financial success by ensuring donors feel valued, understand their impact, and are inspired to give or engage again. This position will help design and implement a comprehensive, multi-channel stewardship program that supports the full donor journey, with a strong focus on both first-time donors and donor retention. The Stewardship Officer will collaborate across teams to create meaningful, segmented stewardship experiences triggered by key donor actions.Through both strategy development and hands-on execution, this role will help evolve stewardship at the Food Bank from strong acknowledgment practices to a more robust, impact-driven, and increasingly automated yet personalized donor experience, from first gift to planned gift.This full-time position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva), generally Monday through Friday during core-work hours 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some nights and weekends may be required.Duties and Responsibilities:Develop, manage, regularly evaluate and refine our donor stewardship strategy, including segmentation and communication cadence of various segments of donors, in collaboration with Annual Fund, Strategic Gifts, Database, CFO, and Marketing teams, to align with donor retention goalsSupport Corporate Foundation Organization team on executing their stewardship strategy.Implement stewardship journeys based on donor triggers such as giving, initiating an online fundraiser for the Food Bank, volunteering, and event participation.Write and manage donor-facing stewardship communications across direct mail, mail, email, phone, and social media.Coordinate donor welcome packets.Assist with weekly acknowledgment letter fulfillment by updating letters quarterly, continually revisiting fulfillment process to identify opportunity for impact sharing, and acting as a back up to Philanthropy Operations team around acknowledgement letters.Manage production processes of stewardship and cultivation pieces including printing, mailing, and vendor coordination.Monitor stationery inventory and stewardship materials.Execute outreach campaigns to Feeding America-generated warm prospect lists twice annually.Engage with donors via phone and email to support donor inquiries.Utilize our donor CRM software, RE NXT, to track and monitor donor touchpoints.Perform other related duties, responsibilities, and special projects as assigned or required.Why Join Us:Make a Difference: Every role at Northern Illinois Food Bank directly impacts the lives of those we serve.Flexible Work Environment: We value work-life balance and support hybrid work models.Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy medical, dental, vision, paid time off, and more. This starting range for this position is $55,645 - $59,123/annually, based on skills and experience.Growth Opportunities: Invest in your career with professional development, career mapping, and leadership training.Inclusive Culture: Join a diverse, collaborative team that values equity and belonging.How to Apply:Are you ready to make a difference? Apply online at Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter that highlights your passion for our mission and your relevant skills.Northern Illinois Food Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented diverse workforce where all employees feel a sense of belonging and contribute to a culture that values differences, ideas, and experiences. We intentionally seek out diverse perspectives and skills on our teams, knowing that it makes us stronger as an organization and better equipped to serve our neighbors in need. We encourage individuals from historically under-represented communities and individuals with lived experience of hunger to apply.Who You Are:You’re driven, compassionate, and excited to bring your unique skills to a purpose-driven organization. You have a strong commitment to our mission and:Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.2–4 years of experience in fundraising, stewardship, or communications.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Excellent project management and organizational skills.Ability to work on multiple projects at once.Experience working independently and collaboratively across teams.Proficiency in Microsoft 365; experience with CRM (specifically Raiser’s Edge) and email platforms preferred.Detail-oriented with strong accuracy and follow-through.Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.We welcome applicants who are bilingual #J-18808-Ljbffr Northern-Illinois-Food-Bank