General Description/Position Summary:
The Director of Donor Development leads the strategy, execution, and growth of the organization's annual giving program to advance the St. Louis Area Foodbank's mission of ending hunger in our community. This role is responsible for driving revenue through direct and digital fundraising campaigns, managing donor data systems and analytics, overseeing the annual fund campaign, and strengthening donor retention – particularly through the stewardship and growth of the monthly giving program.
The ideal candidate is a strategic, data-driven fundraising professional with deep experience in direct response and digital fundraising, strong vendor and consultant management skills, and a passion for building meaningful donor relationships. This individual works both independently and collaboratively to ensure efficient, high-performing philanthropy operations, with a strong focus on continuous improvement. This role requires an organized, critical-thinking leader who can implement systems, enhance processes, and deliver results within tight time constraints.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Annual Fund Strategy & Execution
Develop and implement a comprehensive annual fund strategy to grow unrestricted revenue.
Plan and execute integrated, multi-channel fundraising campaigns (direct mail, email, digital, and social).
Develop and implement strategic, data-driven tactics to identify, engage, and cultivate next-generation donors by leveraging innovative outreach methods, digital platforms, and relationship-building strategies to grow long-term philanthropic support.
Create and manage a campaign calendar to ensure timely and coordinated appeals.
Monitor performance metrics and adjust strategies to maximize revenue and ROI.
Prepare campaign performance reports and present insights to senior leadership.
Direct Mail & Digital Campaign Management
Manage direct and digital donor campaigns in partnership with external consultants and vendors.
Oversee campaign timelines, budgets, segmentation strategies, and execution.
Proof and approve campaign materials to ensure accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment.
Manage donor lists, segmentation, and targeting strategies to optimize engagement and response.
Analyze donor response data and campaign performance metrics to inform future strategy.
Serve as primary liaison to direct mail vendors, ensuring cost-effective production and quality control, and on-time delivery.
Consult and collaborate with the Director of Marketing and Communications to secure content approval and ensure cohesive messaging across channels.
Implement testing strategies (A/B testing, segmentation refinements) to improve response rates and donor acquisition.
Database Management & Analytics
Oversee donor database integrity, ensuring accurate gift processing, coding, segmentation, and reporting.
Develop and maintain dashboards and reports to track key fundraising metrics (retention, acquisition, upgrade rates, lifetime value).
Use data analytics to inform strategy, identify trends, and uncover growth opportunities.
Establish and maintain data governance best practices in collaboration with finance, operations, and technology partners.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evolving charitable giving vehicles-including Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), IRA charitable distributions, cryptocurrency, BillGo, Zelle, and other emerging payment platforms-and analyze their impact on individual giving patterns to inform fundraising strategies and donor engagement efforts.
Monthly Giving & Donor Stewardship
Lead strategy to grow and retain the monthly donor program.
Develop and implement targeted stewardship plans to increase donor retention and lifetime value.
Create personalized touchpoints, impact communications, and upgrade strategies for recurring donors.
Monitor donor retention rates and implement proactive engagement initiatives to reduce attrition.
Ensure timely acknowledgment and recognition of donors at all levels.
Leadership & Collaboration
Lead, manage, and develop assigned Philanthropy staff by setting clear expectations, providing coaching and feedback, supporting professional growth, and ensuring accountability for performance and results.
Collaborate across departments to align fundraising efforts with organizational priorities.
Support board and leadership engagement in annual fund activities.
Prepare regular reports and presentations for leadership and the Board of Directors.
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree and at least 7 years of demonstrated success in institutional fundraising, business development, or marketing.
At least 5 years of experience in a supervisory or managerial role
Prior budget responsibility experience.
Solid understanding of fund development principles and ethics.
Excellent digital/computer skills - solid knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite of tools and experience using data management and CRM tools such as Raiser's Edge NXT.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to tailor messaging to varying audiences.
Strong time management skills - the ability to handle interruptions, meet deadlines, maintain focus on tasks, produce accurate work, and manage multiple projects with attention to detail.
Ability to take initiative and work independently and as part of a team.
Must be able to pass pre-employment drug screening and criminal background checks.
Work Environment
Monday – Friday onsite at the SLAFB facility and in the community as needed.
Hybrid option is available up to 2 days per week after successful completion of the first 90 days and in accordance with the Foodbank's Remote Work Policy.
Special events and other projects related to this position may require occasional evening and/or weekend hours and work.
Competitive pay commensurate with experience
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) plan
403b plan with robust company match
Comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, group company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and more!) We work hard, play hard and change lives – so apply to join our Foodbank Family!
Apply on our website: https://stlfoodbank.org/about/employment-opportunities/
The Impact You'll Make At the St. Louis Area Foodbank, we are working to build a stronger bi-state region by nourishing people, empowering communities, and transforming systems. With the dedicated partnership of nearly 600 hunger-relief programs and local agencies – including soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and residential programs – we are responding to hunger in communities across 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois by distributing food to more than 400,000 people every year. Since opening in 1975, and with the tremendous support and generosity of this community, the St. Louis Area Foodbank has grown to become our region's largest food distribution charity dedicated to feeding those in need. Together, we are feeding people and working to address the root causes of hunger for lasting impact every day. About the St. Louis Area Foodbank:
The St. Louis Area Foodbank (SLAFB) is a member of Feeding America, which is a national network of 200 food banks all working together for the common goal of ensuring equitable access to nutritious food.
This nationwide network offers us a variety of resources, like food, funds, best practices, and gives our work a much bigger, louder voice than we could hope to have on our own.
The St. Louis Area Foodbank supports 26 counties – 14 in Missouri and 12 in Illinois – thus serves, supports and stewards a diverse group of stakeholders across our region, as well as serves as a member of Feeding Missouri (the 6 Feeding America Food Banks in Missouri) and Feeding Illinois (the 7 Feeding America Food Banks in Illinois).
As a food bank, we collect food from a variety of sources, such as manufacturers, retail stores, farmers, and individual donors.
We then store, sort, and repackage that food at the highest safety standards and finally distribute that food to our network of agencies and programs, which work directly with people in the community.
We facilitate the movement of food safely and efficiently and offer the kinds of resources and support to our partner agencies that a single food pantry or shelter could not hope to access on its own.
VISION: A nutritionally secure Missouri and Illinois.
MISSION: Building a stronger bi-state region by nourishing people, empowering communities, and transforming systems. What We Can Offer You: Beyond a great mission, dedicated team members, and an incredible opportunity to truly make a difference in our community, you will be generously rewarded for your contributions including:
Social Responsibility Statement:
You are welcome at the St. Louis Area Foodbank (SLAFB) for who you are. At the SLAFB, we strive to empower our team to embrace and celebrate who they are. We cultivate a fair work environment that fosters belonging and respects and values people with varied backgrounds, demographics, identities and disabilities. Doing so strengthens our organization, cultivates a culture where everyone feels valued and can bring their best selves to the SLAFB. This enables us to nourish people, empower communities, and transform systems. At the SLAFB, we cultivate a respectful and empowered workplace that embraces a broad range of lived experiences and viewpoints. We are committed to building a team that reflects the neighbors and communities we serve in the bi-state region to enhance engagement and connectivity with all key stakeholders.
This job description does not list all the duties of the job. Performance of other duties may be requested. Evaluations will be in part based upon performance of the tasks listed in this job description. St. Louis Area Foodbank has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not an employment contract.
Revised February 2026