JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Institutional Giving leads corporate, foundation, and grants revenue for Northwest Arkansas Food Bank (NWAFB). This role sets strategy, manages a targeted portfolio, and oversees team members and partners to drive multi‑year institutional support that advances NWAFB's mission. The Director directly supervises the Corporate Relations Officer and the Annual Giving Officer and provides day‑to‑day oversight of the third‑party grants consultant. The Director also oversees NWAFB's Corporate Council to engage business leaders in strategic partnership.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES, FUNCTIONS, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Develop, lead, and implement a multi-year institutional giving strategy that aligns with NWAFB's strategic priorities and revenue goals.
• Set measurable goals, KPIs, and forecasts across corporate, foundation, and grants portfolios; regularly assess progress and adjust strategies accordingly.
• Translate organizational priorities-including programs, capital projects, events, and innovation initiatives-into compelling, fundable cases for support.
• Serve as a member of the Development Leadership Team, contributing to department-wide planning, budgeting, and cross-functional alignment.

Corporate and Foundation Relations

• Lead the corporate giving program, including major corporate gifts, sponsorships, cause marketing, and program-directed funding.
• Design and oversee sponsorship strategies for major campaigns and events (e.g., Flavor of Giving, Game Show Battle NWA, Corporate Food Drive Challenge), ensuring alignment between partner value and organizational goals.
• Cultivate and manage a portfolio of high-value corporate and foundation partners to secure multi-year, high-impact support through gifts, sponsorships, and in-kind contributions.
• Oversee cause-marketing and third-party fundraising efforts, ensuring appropriate approvals, brand compliance, financial tracking, and ROI analysis.
• Lead the Corporate Council, recruiting and engaging members, setting agendas, and leveraging Council activity to advance revenue, visibility, and volunteer engagement.

Grant Development and Management

• Oversee institutional funding strategies for private, corporate, and aligned government foundations.
• Direct the work of the external grants consultant, ensuring excellence in prospecting, proposal development, budget preparation, compliance, and reporting.
• Partner with internal teams (Programs, Finance, Marketing) to ensure grant proposals and reports are accurate, data-informed, and mission-aligned.

Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Directly supervise the Corporate Relations Officer and Annual Giving Officer, setting SMART goals, conducting regular check-ins, and fostering professional growth and accountability.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement within the Development team.
• Partner with Marketing/Communications on recognition plans, asset delivery, and sponsor visibility across digital, print, and on-site channels.
• Coordinate with Events and Volunteer Engagement to deliver exceptional partner experiences that drive loyalty and renewals.
• Collaborate with the Development Operations Manager to ensure data integrity, accurate recordkeeping, and real-time visibility of pipelines, forecasts, and performance dashboards.

Data, Reporting, and Analysis

• Maintain the institutional giving master calendar, including deadlines for LOIs, proposals, renewals, reports, and stewardship activities.
• Develop and monitor dashboards for prospect pipelines, revenue forecasts, retention, and sponsorship ROI.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly performance reports for leadership, identifying trends and opportunities for growth.

Other Duties

• Serve as an ambassador for NWAFB at community events, meetings, and partner engagements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to support the Development Department and organizational success.
• Exhibit exemplary attendance and punctuality.
• Comply with company policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION & RELATED EXPERIENCE

• A bachelor's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business, Communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and education is required.
• CFRE certification or an advanced degree is preferred.
• Preferred: 5+ years' experience in corporate or foundation giving; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and training. Experience in a food bank or complex nonprofit setting is a plus.
• Demonstrated success managing staff and/or consultants; experience leading cross-functional projects and meeting deadlines.
• A valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and the ability to be covered under the organization's auto insurance are required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated dedication to advancing the mission of addressing hunger, showing empathy and understanding toward those in need.
• Successful in leading, inspiring, and developing team members to achieve departmental goals.
• Expertise in institutional fundraising, including corporate philanthropy, sponsorships, cause marketing, and foundation grants.
• Strong writing skills for proposals, budgets/narratives, and reports; ability to communicate impact clearly and concisely.
• Portfolio and pipeline management: identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward partners across the full lifecycle.
• Data fluency and forecasting; ability to develop KPIs and dashboards and use insights to guide strategy.
• Proven collaboration with executives, funders, and internal stakeholders; high reliability and professionalism.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Donor Perfect or similar), Microsoft Office/Google Workspace, and project management tools.
• Skilled in using Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, and other relevant software for effective data management and communication.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS

The position is responsible for supervising the Corporate Relations Officer and the Annual Giving Officer, and overseeing the Grants consultant (outside vendor). Additionally, the Director of Institutional Giving will interact daily with coworkers, donors, corporate representatives, foundation staff, volunteers, vendors, and the general public.