Director of Development

Who We Are

Food Connect is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bridging the gaps in our food system to build healthier communities. We are passionate about leveraging technology and existing community efforts to bring about a more thoughtful, sustainable, and connected food system. There are amazing initiatives happening all over the world but so much momentum is lost when there is no easy way to connect and collaborate in real time. We are building solutions to help lower the barriers to collaboration and increase efficiencies in food distribution and collaboration to drive better health outcomes for communities and individuals.

Workday and Location

Monday - Friday from 9 am – 5 pm EST.

This position is a hybrid position with occasional travel and in-person meetings

Job Description

We are seeking a strategic and experienced Director of Development to

lead and elevate our fundraising and donor engagement initiatives, aiming

to secure $3–$8+ million in funding annually. This pivotal role is essential

for ensuring the long-term sustainability and expansion of our mission. The

Director will design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy

across multiple markets, fostering relationships with major donors,

foundations, corporate partners, and exploring innovative fee-for-service

models within the nonprofit sector. They will also partner closely with the

Regional Directors in each market, ensuring that local fundraising efforts

align with broader organizational revenue goals to maximize impact for the

communities we serve.

Fundraising & Revenue Growth

• Fundraisting Leadership: Develop and execute a robust, multi-channel fundraising strategy that includes major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, government grants, and innovative revenue-generating models.
• Market-Specific Support: Work closely with Regional Directors in each market to tailor fundraising strategies to local needs, leveraging regional networks to drive financial support.
• Major Donor & Corporate Engagement: Cultivate and steward relationships with high-net-worth individuals, philanthropic foundations, and corporate partners to secure transformative gifts.
• Government Grants & Contracts: Identify, apply for, and manage government funding opportunities, ensuring compliance and alignment with organizational goals.
• Innovative Revenue Models: Explore and implement fee-for-service models and other entrepreneurial funding strategies within the nonprofit sector.
• Collaboration & Leadership: Work closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, and senior leadership to align fundraising strategies with organizational objectives.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Oversee donor databases and reporting systems to track fundraising progress, measure impact, and refine strategies.

Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Set and manage KPIs for fundraising efforts, including donor acquisition, retention, and growth.
• Oversee Development Manager and lead department strategy towards organizational goals
• Oversee the execution of high-impact donor campaigns, events, and annual fundraising initiatives.
• Ensure donor stewardship best practices to maintain and grow long-term donor relationships

Job Requirements

• 10+ years of proven experience in nonprofit fundraising, major gifts, government grants and/or development.
• Successful track record of raising $3M+ annually through diverse revenue streams.
• Major gifts donor engagement experience.
• Deep knowledge of grant writing and institutional funding.
• Experience in securing funding from major foundations and corporate sponsors.
• Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and strategic planning skills.
• Strong leadership abilities with experience managing development teams.
• Ability to analyze and use fundraising data to drive strategy and decision-making.

Our Vision

Food Connect envisions a world where our food ecosystem thrives on real time, open-network collaboration and scalable distribution services to enable equitable access to healthy food resources.

Our Mission

Food Connect bridges the gaps in our food system through innovative technology and focused collaboration to build impactful, sustainable hunger relief solutions. We are committed to reducing food insecurity and improving food equity in real-time and working hand in hand with existing community organizations.

Our Values

• Awareness - You make wise decisions despite ambiguity
• Courage - You can be vulnerable in search of truth
• Passion - You care intensely about the people we service
• Curiosity - You re-conceptualize issues to discover solutions to hard problems
• Integrity - You demonstrate consistently strong performance so colleagues and clients can rely upon you and your word