Director of Donor Engagement

The Rome Group

Missouri

On-site

USD 80,000 - 120,000

Full time

10 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision coverage

HSA/HRA/FSA

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off and holidays

Disability & Life Insurance

Employee assistance program

Wellness programs

Job summary

Operation Food Search is seeking a Director of Donor Engagement to lead annual, legacy and special fundraising projects. You will engage individual donors, learn their passions, and craft personalized strategies. The role reports to the Chief Development Officer and supervises a Donor Engagement Manager to be hired mid-2027.

Key duties include growing donor portfolios, maintaining program knowledge, and coordinating prospect research to optimize engagement across the giving cycle.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required.
5-7 years of fundraising experience.
Proven success in donor cultivation and stewardship.
Experience with individuals donors and volunteers desired.

Responsibilities

Grow a portfolio of donors and extend long-term engagement.
Maintain knowledge of OFS programs and funding priorities.
Record donor interactions and manage CRM data.
Lead donor cultivation and stewardship events as needed.
Collaborate with leadership on legacy giving strategies.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations

CRM experience

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Donor Perfect

Blackbaud

Job description

Director of Donor Engagement

About Operation Food Search

Founded in 1981, Operation Food Search (OFS) is a hunger relief organization that provides food, nutrition education and innovative programs in order to reduce food insecurity and increase equitable access to food. We serve 200,000 people every month through a network of more than 600 partners in 24 counties in Missouri and Illinois. We use a combination of immediate food assistance and supportive services, while also working on long-term solutions and systemic changes to help solve the problem of hunger.

Our Mission

Our Mission is to heal hunger with innovative and collaborative solutions that provide food today and help create a hunger-free tomorrow.

Our Vision

Our Vision is a region where everyone has equitable access to the food they need to lead healthy lives.

Our Service Pillars

Our Service Pillars are:

Meet the Immediate Need

Meet the Immediate Need for food for children, individuals and families by providing high-quality nutrition through our distribution network.

Build Nutrition IQ

Build Nutrition IQ empowers people with skills, knowledge, and confidence to cook healthy, affordable meals at home.

Champion Change

Food is Medicine programs build an evidence base for policy change and policy/advocacy work build political will for a hunger-free Missouri.

Position Summary

Operation Food Search is looking for a passionate and experienced fundraiser who is ready to engage with a community of dedicated supporters who care about solving hunger. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Director of Donor Engagement will play a key leadership role in annual, legacy, and special project fundraising efforts. With a particular focus on working with individual donors throughout the giving cycle, the Donor Engagement Officer will learn the individual passions and motivations of donors and create a customized, personal approach to every donor interaction. The Director of Donor Engagement will have one direct report, a Donor Engagement Manager, to be hired mid-2027.

Essential Functions

Grow a portfolio of donors through identification, qualification, cultivation and stewardship. Approach donor strategy with the longevity of the organization as well as the donor’s immediate intent in mind, integrating planned, endowment, and long-term stewardship plans as part of the solicitation and cultivation process.
Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of OFS’s programs and funding priorities.
Record donor interactions, relationships, and other relevant information in CRM.
Conduct and/or coordinate prospect research to create strategies for engaging individual donors.
Lead donor cultivation and stewardship events as needed.
Create donor affinity groups and engage those groups in OFS’s mission.
Leads engagement with third parties doing fundraising on behalf of OFS.
Partner with CDO on expanding legacy giving through creative stewardship strategies, marketing and resulting data findings.

Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree required
5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising
Demonstrated success in donor cultivation, stewardship, and relationship-building activities
Experience working specifically with individual donors and key volunteers

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Passion for OFS’s hunger relief mission
Goal and data focused, energetic professional with a track record of building strong donor relationships
Excellent communication skills and a drive to consistently exceed donor expectations
Ability to develop strong working relationships across OFS, cultivating a collaborative environment and enhancing team effectiveness.
Strong computer skills with MS Office: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams
Knowledge of CRM systems like Donor Perfect or Blackbaud
Detail-oriented, organized, and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced non-profit environment

Special Requirements

Occasional travel required for meetings, events, and conferences
Flexibility in working hours for occasional special events after-hours or weekend activities
Willingness to cover other OFS duties that don’t fall under regular job duties

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Sedentary inside office work with limited exposure to weather conditions

Benefits – FT Positions