Senior Director of Development

Date:
Oct 7, 2026

Location:

Saint Louis, MO, US, 63103

Company: MERS Goodwill

Required Travel:50%
Position Type:Hourly Full-Time
Salary Range
:$ - $

MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries is looking for an energetic, self-motivated, and professional Senior Director of Development to join our Fundraising team! The ideal candidate will support our mission, "Changing Lives Through the Power of Work!" and embody our core values of diversity, integrity, passion, professionalism, respect, and responsibility.

If you're seeking an opportunity that empowers you to achieve new goals while pursuing a mission-driven career, then this is the perfect fit for you.

Education

• Bachelor's degree required.
  
  Master's degree preferred (Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Business, or related field.)

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in nonprofit development, grant writing/management, or related fundraising roles.
• Experience managing government contracts and/or foundation relationships strongly preferred.
• Prior supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of the grant lifecycle, from prospecting through reporting and compliance.
• Ability to assess organizational capacity and align funding pursuits with strategic goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including grant writing and proposal development.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across departments and influence without direct authority.
• Strong project management, budgeting, and analytical skills.
• Experience with donor/grants management databases and tracking systems.

• Work with development team and internal stakeholders to create and execute a comprehensive development strategy encompassing grants, government contracts, foundation giving, and other revenue streams, in alignment with the agency's strategic plan and mission.
• Identify, research, and track applications for grant funding, government contracts, and foundation opportunities, maintaining a pipeline that reflects agency priorities and capacity.
• Evaluate prospective grants and funding opportunities against organizational competencies, program capacity, and strategic direction to determine fit before pursuit, avoiding commitments the agency is not positioned to deliver on.
• Lead, supervise, and develop a team of development staff, setting individual and team goals, providing coaching, and managing performance.
• Serve as a key contributor to the agency's strategic planning process, providing funding landscape insight and translating strategic priorities into development goals.
• Partner with the finance department on budgeting for the development function and on aligning grant/contract budgets with overall agency financial planning.
• Collaborate with program, finance, and operations leadership to assess organizational readiness and capacity before pursuing new funding, ensuring proposed projects can be successfully implemented and reported on.
• Oversee compliance and reporting requirements for awarded grants and government contracts, ensuring deliverables, timelines, and funder expectations are met.
• Cultivate and steward relationships with foundation program officers, government agency representatives, and other funding partners to strengthen the agency's funding pipeline.
• Prepare and present regular development performance reports, funding forecasts, and pipeline updates to the CEO and, as needed, the Board of Directors.
• Stay current on funding trends, government contracting requirements, and best practices in nonprofit development, bringing relevant insights back to the broader team.
• Other duties assigned.

• Individual and family medical benefits for full-time employees…