Development Officer

About South Whidbey Good Cheer & The Opportunity

South Whidbey Good Cheer is evolving to meet growing community needs. With food bank visits consistently increasing over the past four years, we're expanding our capacity by investing in dedicated fundraising expertise. This newly created Development Officer position will establish the robust systems needed to support our mission sustainably into the future. This role will partner with our Co-Executive Directors to design and implement effective fundraising approaches that align with community-centric principles—work that is essential to our ability to continue fighting food insecurity and providing affordable goods through our food bank and thrift stores.

The right candidate will help build our resource development program from the ground up, creating the internal systems and strategies needed to support our services as we respond to growing community needs. While the Co-Executive Director will handle most external donor relationships, this position will focus on building the behind-the-scenes infrastructure that makes effective fundraising possible.

This role will work closely with our Outreach Coordinator to ensure that fundraising efforts are well-integrated with our community engagement and communications strategies. By partnering on storytelling, event promotion, and consistent messaging, these two positions will strengthen both our community engagement and financial sustainability.

We're seeking someone who brings grant writing experience and fundraising expertise, thrives in creating structure where it may not yet exist, and approaches development work with an equity lens. This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact by establishing sustainable funding systems while supporting our mission to serve an expanding community need.

Key Responsibilities

Program Development & Systems (40%)

• Create and implement strategic volunteer recruitment, retention, and appreciation plans in collaboration with the Executive Team
• Evaluate current volunteer management processes, identify gaps or inefficiencies, and implement standardized systems with clear documentation and training materials
• Develop volunteer position descriptions in collaboration with team leads
• Design and implement volunteer tracking systems that measure impact and engagement
• Maintain volunteer program documentation, policies, and procedures
• Create content for volunteer recruitment materials and communications

Volunteer Engagement & Support (30%)

• Respond to all inquiries about volunteering
• Conduct interviews, orientations, and tours for new and existing volunteers
• Match volunteers with appropriate roles based on skills, interests, and organizational needs
• Coordinate new volunteer training with appropriate staff members
• Build relationships between staff and volunteers, recognizing volunteers as potential donors
• Work with team leads to address any volunteer-related concerns
• Design and execute volunteer appreciation initiatives including monthly recognition programs, annual celebration events, milestone acknowledgments, and personalized appreciation strategies across all sites

Communication & Outreach (15%)

• Lead volunteer recruitment efforts in collaboration with the Outreach Coordinator
• Coordinate with the Outreach Coordinator on social media content featuring volunteer opportunities and impact stories
• Prepare public presentations about volunteer opportunities
• Maintain positive working relationships with volunteer partners
• Work with community groups and businesses to plan and implement group volunteer days
• Support and promote community events
• Serve as a connector between volunteers and the Development Coordinator by identifying and sharing information about volunteers who show interest in supporting the organization financially
• Provide volunteer success stories and impact metrics to support organizational communications

Administrative Support (15%)

• Maintain comprehensive volunteer database with accurate records of contact information, skills, availability, hours served, training completed, and engagement history
• Prepare monthly and quarterly reports analyzing volunteer metrics including retention rates, service hours, program coverage, and demographic information to inform strategic decisions
• Coordinate scheduling of volunteers for regular shifts, events, and special projects
• Schedule dedicated on-site presence at each location (food bank and both thrift stores) at least one full day per month to observe operations, strengthen relationships with site teams, and identify volunteer needs directly
• Provide occasional backup coverage when regular volunteers miss shifts
• Track volunteer appreciation supplies and manage related resources
• Ensure documentation of necessary volunteer forms (e.g., photo releases, waivers)

Qualifications Required

• 2+ years of nonprofit fundraising and grant writing experience
• Proven track record of successful grant applications
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Superior organizational abilities with meticulous attention to detail
• Experience with donor management systems, Salesforce/Little Green Light a plus
• Proficiency with Google Workspace

Preferred

• Experience with or knowledge of community-centric fundraising principles
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure to varied or disjointed processes
• Background in project management or process improvement
• Understanding of rural community dynamics and needs
• Experience in building fundraising systems from the ground up
• Comfort with collaborative decision-making processes

Ideal Candidate Qualities

• Self-motivated with ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Creative problem-solver who thrives in dynamic environments
• Passion for community-focused nonprofit work
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality and meeting deadlines
• Commitment to equity and inclusion in fundraising practices

Note to Applicants We recognize that no single candidate will possess all the listed qualifications. We strongly encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds with non-traditional experience to apply if you believe your skills and passion align with this role. We value lived experience and transferable skills as much as formal credentials. If you're excited about building sustainable fundraising systems that align with community-centric principles in a collaborative environment that supports our community mission, we want to hear from you.