Executive Director-Lowe's Foundation

Lowe's; Mooresville (NC); On-site; USD 140,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Lowe’s Foundation in Mooresville, North Carolina seeks an Executive Director to lead the foundation, shape national skilled-trades strategy, manage governance and grantmaking, and collaborate across Lowe’s leadership. You will drive strategic priorities, allocate resources responsibly, and partner with external organizations to scale workforce solutions.

The role requires visionary leadership, extensive nonprofit experience, and a track record of driving measurable outcomes through strategic

Qualifications

• 12 years of general experience in philanthropy, foundation/nonprofit leadership, social impact, workforce development, or related fields.
• 7 years of experience leading people and cross-functional teams.
• Experience advising and partnering with Boards of Directors, executive leadership and other senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing significant budgets, philanthropic portfolios or investment allocations and translating financial information into strategic decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization credibly with Boards, C-suite leaders, corporate partners, nonprofit executives and external audiences.
• Exceptional written, verbal and public-speaking skills, with the ability to translate complex strategy and impact into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Lowe’s Foundation and provide strategic and operational stewardship of the organization, advancing its mission and ensuring alignment with the priorities established by the Lowe’s Foundation Board of Directors.
• Develop, execute and continuously evolve the Foundation’s national skilled-trades strategy, ensuring philanthropic investments, programs and partnerships advance long-term workforce-development goals and measurable impact.
• Lead execution of the Board-approved strategic plan, establishing short- and long-term priorities, organizational objectives and operating plans to deliver the Foundation’s mission and strategic goals.
• Serve as the primary management liaison to the Lowe’s Foundation Board of Directors, leading Board meeting routines and providing timely, accurate and decision-ready information to support effective governance, informed decision-making and fulfillment of fiduciary responsibilities.
• Ensure sound Foundation governance, regulatory compliance and risk management in partnership with the Board, Legal, Finance, Audit and other appropriate functions, including oversight of policies, controls, grantmaking compliance and third-party risk.
• Provide executive oversight of the Foundation’s financial strategy, annual budget and resource allocation, ensuring responsible stewardship of Foundation assets and deployment of philanthropic capital against Board-approved priorities and high-impact opportunities.
• Lead the Foundation’s grantmaking strategy and signature skilled-trades initiatives, including program design, partner selection, due diligence, grant administration, grantee engagement and ongoing evaluation.
• Evaluate and evolve the Foundation’s philanthropic portfolio, using research, data and outcomes to scale proven approaches, strengthen nonprofit capacity, address gaps within the skilled-trades ecosystem and evolve or sunset investments based on impact and strategic relevance.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, connecting Foundation strategy, philanthropic investments, grantees and workforce-development expertise to coalition priorities, member engagement and opportunities for collective action.
• Build and steward senior-level external relationships and cross-sector partnerships with corporations, employers, nonprofits, education and workforce organizations, industry associations, funders and other stakeholders to expand the Foundation’s reach and scale effective workforce solutions.
• Serve as a senior external voice and thought leader for the Lowe’s Foundation, representing the organization at industry forums, conferences, advisory bodies and other strategic platforms and positioning the Foundation as a national convener and catalyst in skilled-trades workforce development.
• Lead the Foundation’s impact measurement and learning strategy, establishing clear outcomes, performance measures and Board- and executive-level reporting to demonstrate impact, inform investment decisions and continuously strengthen Foundation strategy.
• Partner across Lowe’s, including Corporate Communications, Marketing, Events, Legal, Government Affairs and other functions, to advance Foundation priorities, strengthen reputation and storytelling, and execute strategic external engagement, events and partnership opportunities.
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing Foundation team and operating model, establishing clear accountability, developing talent and future leaders, and ensuring the capabilities, resources, processes and external partners required to execute the Foundation’s evolving strategy.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Governance

Fundraising

Budget management

External partnerships

Program leadership

Board liaison

Impact measurement

Communication

Policy/regulatory compliance

Job description

Do your Best Work in Mooresville

This position is based at our headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. Our corporate office is a space where you can collaborate and do your best work. Take a walk, grab a bite (or a cup of coffee), work out or get a check-up - we invest in you so you can find your inspiration.

Your Impact

The Executive Director serves as the leader of Lowe’s Foundation, with accountability for the Foundation’s strategy, governance, philanthropic investments, operations, financial stewardship, external partnerships and measurable impact. The Executive Director develops and executes the Foundation’s national skilled-trades strategy, leads its grantmaking and signature initiatives, and ensures the Foundation’s resources are deployed to scale effective solutions and strengthen the skilled-trades workforce ecosystem. This role also provides strategic leadership for the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, connecting the Foundation’s philanthropic investments, grantee network and workforce-development expertise to a national cross-sector effort that brings together corporate, education, workforce and ecosystem partners to drive collective action and measurable outcomes. Serving as the primary management liaison to the Lowe’s Foundation Board of Directors, the Executive Director partners with Lowe’s executive leadership and represents the Foundation with corporate leaders, nonprofit executives, funders, workforce and education leaders, and other key stakeholders. The Executive Director positions the Lowe’s Foundation as a national leader, convener and catalyst for innovation and impact in skilled-trades workforce development. The Lowe’s Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) organization governed by an independent Board of Directors and bylaws.

What You Will Do

• Lead the Lowe’s Foundation and provide strategic and operational stewardship of the organization, advancing its mission and ensuring alignment with the priorities established by the Lowe’s Foundation Board of Directors.
• Develop, execute and continuously evolve the Foundation’s national skilled-trades strategy, ensuring philanthropic investments, programs and partnerships advance long-term workforce-development goals and measurable impact.
• Lead execution of the Board-approved strategic plan, establishing short- and long-term priorities, organizational objectives and operating plans to deliver the Foundation’s mission and strategic goals.
• Serve as the primary management liaison to the Lowe’s Foundation Board of Directors, leading Board meeting routines and providing timely, accurate and decision-ready information to support effective governance, informed decision-making and fulfillment of fiduciary responsibilities.
• Ensure sound Foundation governance, regulatory compliance and risk management in partnership with the Board, Legal, Finance, Audit and other appropriate functions, including oversight of policies, controls, grantmaking compliance and third-party risk.
• Provide executive oversight of the Foundation’s financial strategy, annual budget and resource allocation, ensuring responsible stewardship of Foundation assets and deployment of philanthropic capital against Board-approved priorities and high-impact opportunities.
• Lead the Foundation’s grantmaking strategy and signature skilled-trades initiatives, including program design, partner selection, due diligence, grant administration, grantee engagement and ongoing evaluation.
• Evaluate and evolve the Foundation’s philanthropic portfolio, using research, data and outcomes to scale proven approaches, strengthen nonprofit capacity, address gaps within the skilled-trades ecosystem and evolve or sunset investments based on impact and strategic relevance.
• Provide strategic leadership for the Building Futures Skilled Trades Coalition, connecting Foundation strategy, philanthropic investments, grantees and workforce-development expertise to coalition priorities, member engagement and opportunities for collective action.
• Build and steward senior-level external relationships and cross-sector partnerships with corporations, employers, nonprofits, education and workforce organizations, industry associations, funders and other stakeholders to expand the Foundation’s reach and scale effective workforce solutions.
• Serve as a senior external voice and thought leader for the Lowe’s Foundation, representing the organization at industry forums, conferences, advisory bodies and other strategic platforms and positioning the Foundation as a national convener and catalyst in skilled-trades workforce development.
• Lead the Foundation’s impact measurement and learning strategy, establishing clear outcomes, performance measures and Board- and executive-level reporting to demonstrate impact, inform investment decisions and continuously strengthen Foundation strategy.
• Partner across Lowe’s, including Corporate Communications, Marketing, Events, Legal, Government Affairs and other functions, to advance Foundation priorities, strengthen reputation and storytelling, and execute strategic external engagement, events and partnership opportunities.
• Build, lead and develop a high-performing Foundation team and operating model, establishing clear accountability, developing talent and future leaders, and ensuring the capabilities, resources, processes and external partners required to execute the Foundation’s evolving strategy.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12 years of general experience in philanthropy, foundation/nonprofit leadership, social impact, workforce development, community relations or related fields.
• 7 years of experience leading people and/or cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience advising and partnering with Boards of Directors, executive leadership and other senior stakeholders.
• Experience managing significant budgets, philanthropic portfolios or investment allocations and translating financial information into strategic decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization credibly with Boards, C-suite leaders, corporate partners, nonprofit executives and external audiences.
• Exceptional written, verbal and public-speaking skills, with the ability to translate complex strategy and impact into compelling narratives for diverse audiences.

Preferred Skills/Education

• 10 years of functional experience leading complex strategies, teams, partnerships and significant philanthropic investments.
• 5 years of building strategic community, corporate and cross-sector relationships and networks.
• Experience leading multi-stakeholder partnerships, coalitions, collective-impact initiatives or workforce-development ecosystems.
• Experience developing impact measurement frameworks and using data, evaluation and research to inform strategy and investment decisions.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams in complex, matrixed organizations.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE 100 home improvement company with total fiscal year 2025 sales of more than$86 billion. Lowe’s employs approximately 300,000 associates and operates over 1,750 home improvement stores, 540 branches and 120 distribution centers. Lowe’s is a core value S&P 500 equity stock and a dividend aristocrat. Based inMooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing, improving community spaces, helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts and providing disaster relief to communities in need. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Lowe’s is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law.