Director of Development and Communications

Cultivate KC

Position:Director of Development and Communications 
Reports to:Executive Director
FLSA:Full-time, 40 hours per week, Mon-Fri, occasional weekend work, as needed
Rate: $75,000-$85,000 annually, based on experience; health benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan option, four PTO days annually usable at start (pro-rated by quarter in the first year based on hire date), two weeks of vacation accrued during first year, increases to three weeks at year two, plus paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year's.

Position Summary
This position is responsible for raising funds and mobilizing public support for a healthy, local food system. The Director of Development and Communications works in collaboration with the Executive Director, the leadership team, the Board of Directors and our staff to accomplish the goals of the organization.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Leadership Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Executive Director (ED), Director of Finance & Administration, and the Board of Directors to chart the organization’s future growth and strategic decisions.

• Serve on the staff Leadership Team (Directors Team) which provides analysis and develops actions on key issues, makes recommendations and provides reports to the Board of Directors, and supports the Executive Director on high level policies, issues, and concerns as needed.

• Lead the development and communications team in planning, implementation, and evaluation of fundraising and communications activities. The team includes three direct reports, the Development Manager, Communications Manager, and Community Engagement Manager, whose responsibilities include various communications and grant activities, the Executive Director, and occasional short-term interns.

• Recruit, train, and engage volunteers for the annual Midtown Hoedown event, staff the board-level Development and Communications Committee, and any other short-term committees involved in fundraising. Provide staff leadership and support to maximize committee effectiveness and productivity.

• Participate in other organizational committees assigned/volunteered for.

Development Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of development plans on an annual basis in partnership with the staff and leadership teams.

• Identify, cultivate, and deliver significant gifts from a diverse base of supporters (individuals, corporations, foundations, government) working in collaboration with the ED and Board. 

• Lead on development and management of our annual Dig In! and Midtown Hoedown fundraising events.

• Communicate regularly on progress towards goals and work with the ED, the Director of Finance and Administration, the staff, and the Board of Directors to ensure revenue and fundraising targets are met.

Communications & Public Engagement Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of an annual communications plan in partnership with the staff and leadership teams.

• Implement and provide oversight in creation of SOPs to execute development and communications tasks for Cultivate KC.

• Assess CKC’s communications collateral material and respond to emerging needs. 

• Organize staff writing assignments to help execute yearly communications plan and fund development needs as they arise.

Under the supervision of the Director, the development and communications team are responsible for: 

• Bi-monthly newsletters and as-needed email updates;

• website and social media account management;

• design work, planning and event management for development-driven events; and  

• fielding media requests;

The work is primarily performed by the Communications Manager, with support from the Community Engagement Manager. Design and event management are often supported through volunteer labor or independent contracts. 

This position supervises the Development Manager, Communications Manager, Community Engagement Manager, interns, pro bono and paid development/communications contractors.

Placement Criteria

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• 5 years of relevant experience in fundraising, development, sales, or non-profit administration;

• A proven track record of raising funds from a variety of sources including but not limited to individual giving, corporate giving, sponsorships, and grants with an emphasis on soliciting mid-level and major individual giving:

• Skills at cultivating individual donor relationships by identifying donor priorities and matching to organization mission; 

• Extensive experience planning and executing fundraiser events;

• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on building relationships;

• Experience developing and implementing strategy;

• Knowledge of donor database software (Salesforce preferred);

• The ability to consistently meet deadlines and motivate others to do so in a collaborative environment; and

• A high-level attention to detail.

While not required, we would prefer a candidate who also has:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent education;

• Familiarity with charitable giving in the Kansas City region; and

• Familiarity with Kansas City’s food system, or the desire to learn.

Physical Demands
Must be able to work well with others and demonstrate effective listening; job will require both independent work and working with groups.

Work Location
This is a hybrid position, although meetings will frequently need to take place in Kansas City. Cultivate KC maintains office space at 4049 Pennsylvania Ave in Kansas City, MO and at 1017 N. 6th St. in Kansas City, KS. Both spaces can be used to complete work tasks. 

Workplace Culture

At Cultivate KC, we:

• Collaborate,

• Care for each other, our work, and our community,

• Promote a healthy balance between our work and our personal lives,

• Are adaptive, creative, open to learning,

• Take time for organizational self-reflection,

• Practice transparency with each other and with those we serve.

• Agree that food systems work should be fun and bring joy to ourselves and our communities.

To Apply

Please send 1) a cover letter indicating your interest in working with Cultivate KC and the experience you bring to the position 2) a relevant writing sample (examples: grant narrative, annual report, solicitation letter, etc.) and 3) your resume to View email address on info.npconnect.org.

Timeline

We hope to offer the position by mid-September of 2026.

Job Type: Full Time