Community Development Manager at Midwest Food Bank – Normal, Illinois

Faith in Action: Lead Local Growth. Advance a National Mission.

Step into a high-impact role where your work directly fuels hope and change. As Community Development Manager, you’ll partner closely with the Executive Director to strengthen and grow a national, faith-based organization at our Bloomington/Normal location. This is your opportunity to be part of something bigger, building connections, multiplying resources, and expanding a mission that reaches far beyond the local level.

Pay starting at: $57,000 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Flexible schedule
• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance

SUMMARY & MISSION STATEMENT:

Midwest Food Bank (MFB) is faith-based nonprofit organization with domestic and international operations. MFB operates with $95M in assets and an annual operating budget of $20M to distribute more than $548M in food and disaster relief supplies to 2,400 partner agencies. The Normal, Illinois division operates with $22M in assets and an annual organizational operating budget of $2.1M to distribute over $96M in food to 463 agencies.

It is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition; and providing disaster relief. Our vision is to serve those in need with excellence, providing physical and spiritual nourishment.

JOB ROLE PURPOSE & SUMMARY:

We are seeking an enthusiastic and outgoing Community Development Manager to join our Normal team and large volunteer base. The ideal candidate will thrive on people interaction, possess a positive personality, and actively contribute to our Christian faith-based culture and mission.

The role reports to and works in close collaboration with the onsite Executive Director. The Community Development Manager will refine and execute the fundraising strategy for the annual operating budget. Leveraging the resources of an established and national nonprofit brand, this role will be responsible for the donor development locally working with granting foundations, businesses, churches, and households.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Lead and execute fundraising efforts to support the organization’s ongoing operating budget.
• Develop and implement donor development & acquisition strategies across foundations, businesses, churches, and individuals.
• Pursue grants for MFB via research, relationship building, grant submission and grant reporting.
• Create and guide community outreach strategies to maximize engagement and resource effectiveness.
• Design giving programs for all donor levels, including major gifts, planned giving, and recurring donations.
• Strengthen donor relationships through personalized cultivation, acknowledgment, and recognition strategies.
• Plan and oversee fundraising events to drive engagement and revenue.
• Cultivate a Christ-centered culture that builds meaningful relationships and appreciation for donors.
• Expand funding and visibility through grant management, speaking engagements, media outreach, and community partnerships.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Model MFB’s six core values: Communities-embracing everyone, Integrity-honesty and transparency, Safety-in everything we do, Service-sharing God’s blessings, Teamwork-we, not I and Volunteers-empowered to lead and serve.
• Foster a Christ-centered culture; develop positive relationships and appreciation for volunteers, employees, partner agencies, and community and business contacts.
• Ensure compliance with all MFB policies, procedures, and rules and with all contractual obligations, regulatory standards, and relevant laws.
• Recruit, identify, train, and continue to nurture volunteers in support of job role.
• Network with peers locally and nationally and across the MFB organization.
• Execute other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in marketing or business.
• Five years prior experience working with community relations, development and fundraising.
• Proactive, organized, and a team player.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to positively influence the community while maintaining a strong brand image.
• Proven ability to work to develop initiatives and execute on strategic projects through teamwork.
• Strong professional communications, verbal, written, and customer service skills.
• Office 365 and Salesforce or other database management software proficiency preferred.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• This position will have an office at the Normal division with much of the time spent in the community with donors and donor prospects.
• Commitment to participate in training including development of professional skills, education on MFB’s policies and procedures, etc.
• Periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer in an office setting; periods of movement in a warehouse setting.
• Minimal out-of-state travel, as needed, with infrequent evening and weekend obligations.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job role. Midwest Food Bank, NFP reserves the right to modify activities, duties, and responsibilities at any time with or without notice.