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The St. Louis Community Foundation Blog

Open Position: Director of Development

The St. Louis Community Foundation is the regional community foundation serving the St. Louis metropolitan area that has administered an average of $100 million annually in grants over the past five years.  With $550 million in assets, the Foundation sustains more than 850 funds which award grants and scholarships.  The Foundation recently adopted a new Strategic Plan focusing on Economic Mobility and Youth Connections and requires a dynamic individual to join a team of dedicated professionals to support this new philanthropic effort. Click here to view the Strategic Plan.

Reporting to the President/CEO, the Director of Development will embrace, model, and lead the Foundation’s development efforts to grow the Foundation endowment and raise revenue in alignment with the Strategic Plan. The Director of Development provides expertise and promotes relationship development with professional advisors, individuals, businesses, foundations, and nonprofit organizations, with a goal of building and growing charitable assets. The Director of Development embraces and models values of diversity, equity, and inclusion across all operations as we advance our mission.

Core responsibilities include:

  • Grow the Foundation endowment and raise revenue in alignment with the Strategic Plan
  • Identify and cultivate new and existing donors, establishing and growing funds, and engaging with professional advisors
  • Drive, deliver and evaluate the Foundation development strategies, policies and activities with a focus on relationship building and develop creative ways to raise awareness for new donors
  • Develop and manage relationships with individuals, families, fundholders, nonprofits, foundations, and corporate donors to make gifts to or establish funds at the Foundation
  • Implement a systematic and integrated donor relations program for fundholders, including donor education, opportunities for collaboration, legacy giving and other charitable giving education
  • Support Giving Strategies team efforts to develop and maintain relationships with professional advisors
  • Support the Donor Services team efforts to retain current donors and attract new fundholders
  • Cultivate fundholders to enhance their relationship with the Foundation, make continued contributions to their fund, plan a legacy gift, and/or successfully fundraise to grow a fund
  • Maintain working knowledge of issue areas, initiatives and community networks throughout the St. Louis region to support the Community Investment team as they guide donors and inform their grantmaking support
  • Conduct data analysis and information sharing that offer fundraising insights to aid in decision-making, strategic direction, long-range planning, and business modeling
  • Stay current on charitable giving tax law changes, philanthropy trends and opportunities to improve service offerings, including a dedicated family philanthropy program, and philanthropic advisory services for private foundations
  • Understand gift and fund options available for donors and evaluate proposed gifts in adherence to state and federal laws and Foundation policies
  • In collaboration with outside legal counsel and Finance team, serve as a subject matter expert for complex gift and fund issues
  • Manage and maintain excellent records on contacts, progression of a gift, communications, and fund agreements, ensuring that all associated and supporting documentation is accurate and timely
  • Collaborate with Donor Services and Finance departments on information tracking processes for gift acknowledgements, tributes, donors, funds, and planned gifts
  • Reports to: President/CEO

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

  • Ability to quickly position oneself as a credible, knowledgeable, and responsive resource for professional advisors involved in estate and charitable gift planning work
  • Experience in asset development, including illiquid, complex, and planned gifts
  • Ability to effectively communicate to small and large groups the benefits of the Foundation and the Strategic Plan
  • Working knowledge of planned giving vehicles and tax laws related to charitable giving
  • Ability to work as a collaborative and positive team member, willing to assist others when needed
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and analytical skills
  • Excellent time-management and organizational skills; the ability to handle a large and diverse workload; and manage multiple deadlines and tasks efficiently and effectively
  • A commitment to serve the community
  • Ability to be flexible and successful within changing environment and demands
  • Good judgment and decision-making capabilities
  • Evidence of dependability and effective work habits
  • Ability to perform occasional light lifting
  • Ability to travel
  • Ability to occasionally work evenings and weekends

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • JD, MBA, CFRE certification, or other relevant advanced degree preferred

Experience:

  • Experience of 5 or more years leading development strategy implementation
  • Extensive knowledge and 5 or more years of successful fundraising and development experience, with an emphasis on planned giving
  • Experience in implementing a successful planned giving and major gifts program

The starting salary for this position is $80,000.00, with adjustments commensurate with qualifications and experience. The Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. The Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to work with a committed and engaged team of philanthropic professionals.  Please direct all resumes and cover letters to: jstomer@stlgives.org no later than August 19, 2024.