The Greater Cleveland Food Bank (“GCFB”) is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having provided over 40 million meals in 2016 to hungry people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties. The organization’s mission is to ensure that everyone in these communities has the nutritious food they need every day.

GCFB does this through both food distribution and SNAP outreach efforts. As the central clearinghouse for donated and rescued food, the Food Bank solicits, collects, sorts, and distributes nonperishable food, fresh produce, perishable and frozen food, and prepared meals to local hunger centers and other nonprofit agencies. The Food Bank operates a community food distribution center that last year provided over 36.9 million pounds of food and other critical grocery products to more than 700 local food pantries, hot meal programs, shelters, mobile pantries, programs for the elderly and other nonprofit agencies. In addition, GCFB prepares nutritious meals in its Food Bank Kitchen and takes hundreds of calls daily in the Help Center, referring low income callers to local agencies and also signing-up eligible Northeast Ohioans for the SNAP program and other benefits. Last year, through its SNAP outreach efforts, GCFB provided application assistance resulting in 13.5 million meals for eligible people in Northeast Ohio, representing 26% of the total meals provided by the organization.

The organization has over 120 employees, and operates a 120,000 sq.ft. distribution center in Cleveland. GCFB has total revenue from food programs and operations of over $89+MM budget, representing over $70MM in food program revenues, and almost $18MM in agency revenues from the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign, grants and donations and agency and government fees. The Food Bank’s efforts were aided by the assistance of over 15,000 volunteers donating the equivalent time of over 40 FTEs to the agency. The GCFB is among the 20 largest food banks in the nation and is an active member of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and the nationwide Feeding America organization and is designated as the local coordinating agency for the Harvest for Hunger campaign.

More information about the organization can be found on its website: www.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org

Position Description:

The Vice President of External Affairs develops strategies, organizes, and directs all ongoing work and special projects for fundraising, communications, advocacy, volunteer services and public relations for the organization by performing the following duties personally or through subordinate staff.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

· Prepare, with the President & CEO, board of trustees and leadership team, the formulation of short and long-range goals. Identify resources to meet organizational funding objectives.

·Work with direct reports to develop and oversee annual plans including revenue and expense projections for each functional area.

·Work with CEO and board as appropriate to leverage resources to help engage the community in the fight against hunger.

·Oversee and provide staff support to the External Affairs Committee.

·Oversees activities of the Harvest for Hunger campaign, providing strategic guidance to staff on key issues and supporting key volunteers.

·Inform and educate development staff, board and potential donors of special programmatic needs of the Food Bank in an effort to raise funds for special initiatives.

·Serve as relationship manager on key donor accounts, soliciting their support of the Food Bank and our work.

·Develop and grow the Tomorrow’s Harvest planned giving program.

·Ensure that development staff have adequate resources and plans in place for insuring that both long and short term individual, corporate, foundation and special event fundraising goals are achieved.

·Direct the public education and advocacy efforts of the Food Bank to meet the goals of the strategic plan and influence public policy around issues of hunger at the local, state and federal levels.

·Provide oversight to research priorities, helping identify and prioritize opportunities and ensuring that information is shared with key audiences.

·Oversee and provide guidance to work of the Advocacy Committees (staffed by director of advocacy).

·Provide strategic direction to the volunteer services department in an effort to increase the quality of the volunteer experience as well as the value of the services volunteers provide.

·Oversee external communications of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank including: news releases, media interviews, and media pitches as well as social media efforts.

·Provide editorial direction for newsletters and other publications (fact sheet, annual report, website, brochures, and grant proposals).

·Represent and serve as a spokesperson for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank to the community to the media, volunteers and donors.

·Provide any necessary guidance to staff for special events such as the Taste of the Browns and Market at the Food Bank.

·Establish policies, systems, and procedures while appointing, leading, evaluating, and managing the external affairs team.

·Oversee development, communications, advocacy, outreach and volunteer services budgets.

·Provide accurately timely reporting and data for internal needs as well as external constituencies (Feeding America’s Quarterly Pulse Report, Network Activity Report, etc.) and annual audit.

·Provide oversight to restricted gifts, ensuring they are being used in accordance with donors wishes and original intent.

Education:

Master's degree (M. A.) or equivalent; or four to ten years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Previous nonprofit development and management experience required.

Professional Qualifications:

The ideal candidate is currently serving a leadership role of a successful and complex nonprofit organization that is comparable in mission of human services. Experience with a large food bank organization is strongly preferred.

Alternative experience could include: a key leadership position in a related nonprofit or private sector leadership experience with a background that demonstrates commitment to nonprofit organizations as well as business experience in advocacy, development and public relations.

•Four plus years of strong leadership in a complex human service organization

 Mission-focused: demonstrated commitment to organization’s mission to feed the hungry.

• Resource development: experience with varied funding sources including state and federal grants, private donors, foundations and corporate philanthropy.

• Fiscal management: experienced in developing, managing, and dealing with budgets of at least $5 million.
• Management: demonstrated success in managing and developing strong staff members through a team-oriented management style focused on achieving results, continuous improvement, and performance excellence.

• Planning: experience successfully working with staff to develop and implement strategic vision and tactical plans.

• Board relationships: Involvement with Board of Directors and Board committees.

• Diversity: experience working with diverse groups; promotes diversity programmatically.

• External relationships: developed effective relationships with other community “players” including local, state and federal officials and organizations, nonprofit organizations, businesses and other provider and donor organizations. 

• Community relationships: active in other community-based organizations.

• Negotiation: able to effectively negotiate “win-win” solutions to issues and conflicts.