Executive Director

Executive Director

Salary Range $120,000.00 - $135,000.00 Salary/year

Description

Posted on behalf of Feeding Illinois: Northern Illinois Food Bank is not the employing organization. The selected candidate will be employed and compensated directly by the partner organization.

Who We Are:

Feeding Illinois is a statewide not-for-profit organization whose mission is to increase the availability of food and funds to Feeding America affiliated members in their united purpose to create a Hunger Free Illinois. The Executive Director is responsible for leading the organization's strategy, including carrying out the organizational goals and objectives, policies, procedures, and administration of the Association as approved by the Board of Directors.

The Opportunity:

The Executive Director will build on Feeding Illinois' strong foundation by fostering deeper collaboration among its member food banks, expanding resources, and helping to ensure the network's long-term sustainability. This leader will champion policy initiatives built on the priorities at the state and federal levels, cultivate relationships with funders and corporate partners, and strengthen statewide food distribution programs. The role requires a leader who excels at building trust and navigating policy, advocacy, and partnerships. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable engaging with legislators, government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and corporate partners, as well as working alongside food bank leaders to address complex challenges and build consensus among its members. In addition, the Executive Director will focus on strengthening Feeding Illinois' internal infrastructure to support sustainable growth and lasting impact. With a network built on trust, collaboration, and shared purpose, Feeding Illinois's next Executive Director must forge strong relationships with elected officials, state agencies, and private sector partners to advance a cohesive statewide strategy.

This Full-Time role is remote; candidates must be based in Illinois.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for raising food and funds, statewide networking and communication, public awareness about hunger issues, and advocacy efforts.

Leadership and Management:

• Recommend the development and oversee the implementation of strategic and operating plans; carry out the goals, objectives, work plans and policies authorized by the Board.
• Design, implement, monitor, and review programs, policies, and systems to enhance the operations and achieve the goals established by the Feeding Illinois Board.
• Implement a culture of continuous improvement and transparency between staff, Board and member representatives.
• Focus on building a culture that promotes collaboration, strong relationships with and strengthens performance of all Feeding Illinois members.

Develop Advocacy Work on Behalf of the Association Goals:

• Establish an annual advocacy plan, goals, and objectives; coordinate advocacy efforts, working with contracted lobbyists as appropriate.
• Establish and maintain professional relationships with members of the Illinois Legislature, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), and state government. Provide leadership and serve as the active chief spokesperson for Feeding Illinois.

Raise Food and Funds in a Coordinated Manner to Benefit all Members of the Association:

• In cooperation with the Board, oversee the development of a fundraising strategy to achieve the strategic plan of Feeding Illinois by identifying potential public and private funding sources for supporting the Association, including initiating grant writing, contracts, and special fundraising events/projects, ow working closely with other groups initiating and implementing fundraising efforts for the Association.
• Lead and grow the Farm to Food Bank Program and associated projects, including building and maintaining strong relationships with the Department of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, allied industry partners, growers, and processors to build long term support for agri-sourcing and local food initiatives.
• Assist the Board in developing strategies and procedures to increase food supply, including sharing food, identifying, and soliciting new food resources, soliciting donations, developing statewide food drives and effective distribution systems.

Statewide Networking and Communication:

• Develop marketing and public relations strategies; along with the Board President, serve as the chief spokesperson for the Association.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Healthcare & Family Services (HFS), and other state and national organizations that focus on people in need.
• Organize and cultivate functional cohorts among Feeding Illinois food banks to share best practices, exchange ideas, and to strengthen the capacity of the members and the state as a whole.
• Maintain membership and engagement in organizations beneficial to the mission of the Association and its food banks, including Feeding America affiliate groups, IPHI (Illinois Public Health Institute), IFB (Illinois Farm Bureau) and VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster).

Qualifications

You're bold, resourceful, driven, compassionate, and excited to bring your unique skills to a purpose-driven organization. You also bring:

• A minimum of seven years of leadership experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector; with direct experience managing Board members and developing Boards to effectively govern an organization.
• Experience in fund development, with a proven ability to build and maintain donor relationships.
• Skilled at relationship development and management across multiple stakeholders with a working knowledge of marketing and community, government, and public relations.
• Strong ability to overcome barriers to progress, gain alignment among constituents, and move initiatives towards success.
• Strategic mindset with ability to create and communicate a vision with the ability to lead the organization to achieve stated vision.
• Proven ability to manage staff (including remote) and outsourced personnel.
• Demonstrated understanding of fiscal accountability and financial management.
• Must reside in or be willing to relocate to Illinois and able to travel as in and out of state, as necessary.

Competencies:

Communication Planning and Organization Decision-Making Leadership Ability Strategizing Ability Teamwork Ability Time Management Results Focus Persistence