Job Description
General Description:
The Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations provides enterprise‑level leadership of institutional fundraising, aligning corporate partnerships, foundation relations, and grants strategy with the Food Depository’s growth plan to significantly increase higher‑level, multi‑year revenue. The role partners closely with the CPO, CEO, Development leadership, and cross‑functional teams (Finance, REBA, MarCom, Community Impact, Volunteer Management, Events) to drive data‑informed portfolio strategies, holistic corporate engagement, co‑designed foundation partnerships, within a culture focused on relationships and sustainable growth.
Core Responsibilities
Translate organizational priorities into compelling institutional funding opportunities and ensure alignment with the overall fundraising growth model.
Personally manage a select portfolio of high‑value corporate and foundation relationships to secure six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
Identify emerging funding trends, opportunities, and partnership models to expand and diversify revenue streams.
Prioritize and support strategies for top donors and prospects, engaging CPO and CEO intentionally to drive deeper relationships.
Lead complex, multi‑year proposal, sponsorship, and grant strategies; align solicitations with measurable impact, enterprise priorities, and budget needs.
Ensure StratusLIVE database is fully utilized for activity tracking, donor journeys, and performance dashboards; model excellent portfolio hygiene and data discipline across the team.
Monitor KPIs, revenue projections, and portfolio performance to inform strategy and CPO-level reports
Advise senior leadership and Finance staff on institutional revenue projections and budgeting based on pipeline and known opportunities
Create multi‑year account plans for top corporate partners, with clear goals, engagement calendars, and cross‑team roles; host partner briefings and convenings.
Elevate foundation engagement by convening co‑design sessions, site visits, advocacy briefings, and cross‑sector roundtables, continuing to position GCFD as a thought partner on systems change, equity, and outcomes.
Maintain a shared library of customizable materials that reduce burden on frontline staff and accelerate time to ask.
Qualifications Minimum requirements
Strategic, enterprise thinker; adept at cross‑functional influence and change leadership.
Relationship‑centered fundraiser and coach; excellent communicator with strong proposal/storytelling skills.
Data‑driven operator with strong planning, prioritization, and performance management skills.
Deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and community‑centered philanthropy.
Other Requirements Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends for donor meetings and events; ability to travel locally for partner engagements.
Leadership Competencies
Strategic & Analytical: Integrates market trends, internal data, and program strategy to shape institutional plans.
Cross‑Functional Collaborator: Orchestrates work across Development, Finance, REBA, MarCom, Programs, Events, and Volunteer Management.
Inclusive, Empowering Manager: Builds capacity, clarifies goals, and nurtures a high‑performance, mission‑aligned culture.
Results‑Oriented: Holds teams accountable to KPIs; prioritizes high‑value activity and continuous improvement.
Benefits:
The Senior Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations provides enterprise‑level leadership of institutional fundraising, aligning corporate partnerships, foundation relations, and grants strategy with the Food Depository’s growth plan to significantly increase higher‑level, multi‑year revenue. The role partners closely with the CPO, CEO, Development leadership, and cross‑functional teams (Finance, REBA, MarCom, Community Impact, Volunteer Management, Events) to drive data‑informed portfolio strategies, holistic corporate engagement, co‑designed foundation partnerships, within a culture focused on relationships and sustainable growth.
Core Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership & Revenue Growth
Translate organizational priorities into compelling institutional funding opportunities and ensure alignment with the overall fundraising growth model.
Personally manage a select portfolio of high‑value corporate and foundation relationships to secure six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
Identify emerging funding trends, opportunities, and partnership models to expand and diversify revenue streams.
Prioritize and support strategies for top donors and prospects, engaging CPO and CEO intentionally to drive deeper relationships.
Lead complex, multi‑year proposal, sponsorship, and grant strategies; align solicitations with measurable impact, enterprise priorities, and budget needs.
- Team Leadership & Talent Development
- Provide leadership, coaching, and performance management for the Director of Corporate Relations and the Director of Foundation Relations & Grants.
- Support organization‑wide change management that embeds a shared performance culture and philanthropy mindset with shared accountability across Development teams.
- Foster a high-performing, data-driven, and relationship-centered team culture.
- Provide skip-level oversight to a team of eight, including relationship managers, a senior grants manager, and a grant writer.
- Data, Analytics & Pipeline Management
Ensure StratusLIVE database is fully utilized for activity tracking, donor journeys, and performance dashboards; model excellent portfolio hygiene and data discipline across the team.
Monitor KPIs, revenue projections, and portfolio performance to inform strategy and CPO-level reports
Advise senior leadership and Finance staff on institutional revenue projections and budgeting based on pipeline and known opportunities
- Holistic Corporate & Foundation Engagement
Create multi‑year account plans for top corporate partners, with clear goals, engagement calendars, and cross‑team roles; host partner briefings and convenings.
Elevate foundation engagement by convening co‑design sessions, site visits, advocacy briefings, and cross‑sector roundtables, continuing to position GCFD as a thought partner on systems change, equity, and outcomes.
- Case for Support & Donor Messaging
Maintain a shared library of customizable materials that reduce burden on frontline staff and accelerate time to ask.
Qualifications Minimum requirements
- 10+ years of progressive leadership in institutional fundraising and grants management with demonstrated success in securing and growing six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
- Proven experience leading high‑performing teams and managing complex corporate/foundation partnerships, including multi‑year, multi‑stakeholder engagements.
- Strong fluency with fundraising analytics, CRM usage (preferably StratusLIVE or similar), pipeline management, and data‑informed forecasting.
- Knowledge of and relationships within Chicago’s corporate and/or foundation community; familiarity with food security/human services preferred.
- Proven ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with executive leadership.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to effectively communicate complex qualitative and quantitative information.
- Proficiency in MS Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Strategic, enterprise thinker; adept at cross‑functional influence and change leadership.
Relationship‑centered fundraiser and coach; excellent communicator with strong proposal/storytelling skills.
Data‑driven operator with strong planning, prioritization, and performance management skills.
Deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and community‑centered philanthropy.
Other Requirements Ability to work occasional evenings/weekends for donor meetings and events; ability to travel locally for partner engagements.
Leadership Competencies
Strategic & Analytical: Integrates market trends, internal data, and program strategy to shape institutional plans.
Cross‑Functional Collaborator: Orchestrates work across Development, Finance, REBA, MarCom, Programs, Events, and Volunteer Management.
Inclusive, Empowering Manager: Builds capacity, clarifies goals, and nurtures a high‑performance, mission‑aligned culture.
Results‑Oriented: Holds teams accountable to KPIs; prioritizes high‑value activity and continuous improvement.
Benefits:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
- Employer-paid life and disability insurance
- Employee Assistance Program
- 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
- Generous paid time off
- Parental leave
- On-site gym
- $3,000 annual employer-paid ThrivePass lifestyle and wellness benefit program
- $250 employee referral bonus