Senior Director of Development

MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 100,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental & Vision

Voluntary Life Insurance

403(b) Retirement

401(a) Retirement

PTO 15 days

Employee discount

Paid holidays

Career growth

Job summary

MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries is seeking a Senior Director of Development to lead our fundraising team and advance strategic funding through grants, government contracts, and foundations. This role requires strong leadership, grants management, and cross-department collaboration to support mission-driven outcomes.

The Senior Director will work closely with finance and program leaders to align funding with agency priorities, manage a high-performing team, and report to the CEO and Board.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master’s preferred.
• Experience in nonprofit development and fundraising.
• Strong grant writing and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop a comprehensive development strategy across grants, government contracts, and foundations.
• Identify and track grant opportunities and foundation funding aligned to agency priorities.
• Lead and mentor a development team, setting goals and monitoring performance.
• Collaborate with finance to align budgets with development plans.
• Oversee compliance and reporting for grants and contracts to meet funder expectations.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with funders and partners.

Skills

Grant lifecycle

Donor relations

Communication

Cross-functional

Project mgmt

Donor databases

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Senior Director of Development

Date: Oct 7, 2026

Location: Saint Louis, MO, US, 63103

Company: MERS Goodwill

Required Travel:50%
Position Type:Hourly Full-Time
Salary Range:$100,000.00 - $110,000.00

MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries is looking for an energetic, self-motivated, and professional Senior Director of Development to join our Fundraising team! The ideal candidate will support our mission, "Changing Lives Through the Power of Work!" and embody our core values of diversity, integrity, passion, professionalism, respect, and responsibility.

If you're seeking an opportunity that empowers you to achieve new goals while pursuing a mission-driven career, then this is the perfect fit for you.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree required.Master's degree preferred (Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Business, or related field.)

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in nonprofit development, grant writing/management, or related fundraising roles.
• Experience managing government contracts and/or foundation relationships strongly preferred.
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of the grant lifecycle, from prospecting through reporting and compliance.
• Ability to assess organizational capacity and align funding pursuits with strategic goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including grant writing and proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across departments and influence without direct authority.
• Strong project management, budgeting, and analytical skills.
• Experience with donor/grants management databases and tracking systems.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities

• Work with development team and internal stakeholders to create and execute a comprehensive development strategy encompassing grants, government contracts, foundation giving, and other revenue streams, in alignment with the agency's strategic plan and mission.
• Identify, research, and track applications for grant funding, government contracts, and foundation opportunities, maintaining a pipeline that reflects agency priorities and capacity.
• Evaluate prospective grants and funding opportunities against organizational competencies, program capacity, and strategic direction to determine fit before pursuit, avoiding commitments the agency is not positioned to deliver on.
• Lead, supervise, and develop a team of development staff, setting individual and team goals, providing coaching, and managing performance.
• Serve as a key contributor to the agency's strategic planning process, providing funding landscape insight and translating strategic priorities into development goals.
• Partner with the finance department on budgeting for the development function and on aligning grant/contract budgets with overall agency financial planning.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and operations leadership to assess organizational readiness and capacity before pursuing new funding, ensuring proposed projects can be successfully implemented and reported on.
• Oversee compliance and reporting requirements for awarded grants and government contracts, ensuring deliverables, timelines, and funder expectations are met.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with foundation program officers, government agency representatives, and other funding partners to strengthen the agency's funding pipeline.
• Prepare and present regular development performance reports, funding forecasts, and pipeline updates to the CEO and, as needed, the Board of Directors.
• Stay current on funding trends, government contracting requirements, and best practices in nonprofit development, bringing relevant insights back to the broader team.
• Other duties assigned.

Benefits

• Individual and family medical benefits for full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week.
• Individual and family dental and vision benefits on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours week.
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement + Employer Match after one year of employment for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 401(A) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• PTO Accrual up to 15 days based on hours worked.
• Employee store discount
• Paid holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities

MERS Missouri Goodwill is an equal-opportunity employer. MERS Goodwill does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or any other non-merit factor.

MERS Missouri Goodwill requires various background and records checks upon employment.

Nearest Major Market: St Louis