Chief Development & Donor Engagement Officer

Mississippi Food Network; Jackson (MS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Professional Development Opportunities

Job summary

Mississippi Food Network seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead private fundraising, donor engagement, and development operations. You will drive annual revenue, diversify funding, and partner with the CEO, board, and community partners to advance MFN’s mission.

The role requires leadership of major gifts, foundations, and corporate partnerships, with experience in grant strategy, reporting, and donor communications, while modeling MFN’s values and standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent required; CFRE or advanced degree preferred.
• 7–10 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience.
• Experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Experience managing staff, budgets, vendors, and CRM/reporting systems.
• Excellent writing, public speaking, interpersonal, analytical, and project management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies to achieve revenue goals.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors, corporate partners, foundations, and other funding sources.
• Lead donor relationship-building to increase retention, engagement, and revenue.
• Oversee programs: major gifts, annual giving, corporate partnerships, grants, digital fundraising, planned giving.
• Direct institutional fundraising efforts including grant strategy, proposal development, and reporting.
• Ensure donor communications and annual reports are compelling and brand-aligned.

Skills

Donor relations

Grant writing

Public speaking

Project management

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Advanced degree

CFRE preferred

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Mississippi Food Network seeks a Chief Development Officer to lead private fundraising, donor engagement, and development operations. You will drive annual revenue, diversify funding, and partner with the CEO, board, and community partners to advance MFN’s mission.

The role requires leadership of major gifts, foundations, and corporate partnerships, with experience in grant strategy, reporting, and donor communications, while modeling MFN’s values and standards.