FOCUS St. Louis
Position Description
Position: Director of Philanthropy
Reports To: President & CEO
Hours: Full-time
Supervises: Contract Grant Writer (part-time)
Our Mission
FOCUS St. Louis provides diverse leaders with the civic awareness and powerful connections needed to be collaborative changemakers who advance a thriving region for all.
Position Overview
The Director of Philanthropy serves as the full-time chief fundraising strategist for FOCUS St. Louis. This position is responsible for designing and implementing all aspects of our development efforts—including major gifts and individual giving, alumni relations and memberships, corporate and foundation relations, online campaigns, and special events.
The Director works collaboratively with the President & CEO, Board of Directors, Director of Marketing & Communications, and the Philanthropy and Engagement Committee to strengthen FOCUS’s culture of philanthropy, diversify revenue streams, and align fundraising goals with our strategic plan. The Director will also attend the Finance Committee meetings, as requested, to ensure alignment between finances, budgets, and fundraising and ensure goals are being met. This position will be responsible for raising $600,000+ in FY27 (approximately 50% of our budget), and our fundraising goal will grow each year, with a special focus on closing gifts beyond events and sponsorships.
We are seeking an individual with a high EQ who is dedicated to working within a collaborative culture. The Director of Philanthropy will help us grow our leadership impact throughout the St. Louis community and is a key hire for FOCUS St. Louis.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Nonprofit Management, or related field or equivalent experience in a fast-paced, self-driven role.
Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, with demonstrated success in donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
Proven record of securing individual major gifts ($5,000+), including managing corporate and foundation relationships.
Direct experience with individual giving, events, and fundraising platforms.
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification not required, but a plus.
Skills & Competencies
Strategic Fundraiser: Ability to design and execute a comprehensive annual plan to generate operating funds based on mission and metrics.
Relationship Builder: Skilled at engaging corporate and foundation partners, donors, FOCUS alumni, and volunteers. Truly cares about donors and their relationships with FOCUS and in the community.
Digital & Data Savvy: Working knowledge of donor CRM/database management programs (currently using Neon CRM) and online giving tools.
Compelling and Thoughtful Communicator: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting to diverse audiences with varying leadership experience.
Collaborative Leader: Works effectively with our team in a collaborative environment. Experience working with a nonprofit Board of Directors is important.
Results-Oriented and Organized: Meets, and exceeds, fundraising goals and is comfortable working in an environment of high accountability and creativity. Organized with attention to detail and a quick learner.
Entrepreneurial & Adaptive: Embraces innovation, flexibility, and continuous learning in a changing civic and philanthropic landscape.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Fundraising Leadership
Develop and implement a comprehensive annual development plan aligned with FOCUS’s strategic and financial goals.
Create and lead initiatives to expand individual, corporate, and foundation support.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors in collaboration with the President & CEO and Board leadership.
Supervise a part-time contract grant writer to ensure grant/foundation financial goals are being met and cultivation/stewardship is occurring in a timely manner.
Partner with the Director of Marketing & Communications so communications are dovetailed with fundraising initiatives.
· Strong project/organizational management skills, as well as the ability to handle multiple and varying tasks. Self-starter with the ability to set fundraising goals, priorities, timelines, and adhere to them.
Board & Philanthropy and Engagement Committee
· Support and educate the Board in their fundraising roles.
Staff liaison to the Philanthropy and Engagement Committee.
Events
The Director will oversee, plan, and implement the What’s Right with the Region Awards, Start with Leadership Conference, the Women’s History Month Breakfast, and other donor/alumni/Board gatherings.
Responsible for event sponsorship strategy and securing both cash and in-kind support.
Data Management & Reporting
Maintain accurate and timely donor records and financial tracking in the Neon development database.
Produce regular progress reports and dashboards for internal updates and Board reporting.
Create and manage the development budget and monitor fundraising performance metrics.
Team & Culture Building
Work closely with the Program Directors and Board to foster a culture of philanthropy throughout FOCUS.
PREFERRED ATTRIBUTES
· Knowledge of the St. Louis civic and local philanthropic landscape is helpful.
Demonstrated passion for leadership development, civic engagement, and community impact.
Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for events and/or donor meetings.
· Working knowledge of non-profit fiscal management and budgets.
Benefits and Time Off
FOCUS St. Louis offers an excellent benefits package, including 100% healthcare costs paid for staff, 3% retirement contribution, life insurance, and professional association dues paid (i.e., AFP). FOCUS is closed for 8 annual holidays as well as two weeks at the end of the calendar year. Our team works in a hybrid environment: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday onsite at the Brentwood office and Tuesday & Thursday remote. Additional PTO is accrued for vacation and sick time, starting with 19.5 days annually.
Salary Range
The salary range is $80,000-$100,000 and will be commensurate with the candidate’s background and experience.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Interested candidates can send cover letter, resume, and three professional references and salary requirements to Dr. Yemi Akande-Bartsch, President & CEO: YemiA@focus-stl.org. All inquiries will be kept strictly confidential. Please note Director of Philanthropy Position in the subject line. No calls please.
Note to Interested Candidates: We encourage you to apply even if you do not feel that you meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If this job excites you and aligns with your career aspirations, we strongly encourage you to apply. We will train and support the right candidate in this fundraising role so they can grow as FOCUS grows.
We celebrate diversity in gender, race, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, age, politics, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status.
FOCUS St. Louis is an equal opportunity employer.
Recognized as a national model for civic leadership development, FOCUS St. Louis provides diverse leaders with the civic awareness and powerful connections needed to be collaborative changemakers who advance a thriving region for all. The FOCUS continuum of civic leadership program are designed to meet participants where they are, from high school students to senior executives. As a neutral convener and facilitator, FOCUS brings together community members to deliberate on critical regional issues in a trusted, nonpartisan space. To learn about FOCUS St. Louis, please explore our website at www.focus-stl.org and @FOCUSSTL.
