Executive Director

Feeding the Carolinas

Located in: Raleigh, NC Metro or Columbia, SC Metro

Remote or hybrid work environment with state and national travel

PLEASE NOTE: To receive full consideration for this position, please submit the requested information at https://jobs.armstrongmcguire.com/jobs/executive-director-feeding-the-carolinas-job-1484/.  Due to integration issues, applications submitted through third party sites may not be received.

Career Opportunity

Feeding the Carolinas is the state association for the ten Feeding America food banks in the Carolinas, working to strengthen, unite, and advocate for a network of food banks focused on eliminating hunger in North and South Carolina. Through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, and resource mobilization, the organization supports food banks across the states in securing the resources they need to provide nutritious food to those in need. Feeding the Carolinas is governed by a Board of Directors composed of the Chief Executive Officers of the ten food banks.

The Executive Director will lead the network in sharpening its vision for a dual-state association, fostering deeper collaboration among food banks, expanding network resources, and ensuring the network's long-term sustainability. This leader will collaborate with food banks to champion state policy initiatives, cultivate key relationships with funders and corporate partners, and strengthen statewide food sourcing programs.

The Board is seeking a leader with the ability to build trusted relationships and effectively navigate policy, advocacy, and partnerships. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable engaging with legislators, government agencies, philanthropic organizations, and corporate partners as they are working alongside food bank leaders to address complex challenges. Additionally, the Executive Director must focus on strengthening Feeding the Carolinas’ internal infrastructure to support sustainable operations and impact.

Mission: Engage, educate, and unite to achieve food security for all Carolinians.

Reporting Structure: The Executive Director reports to a Board of 10 Directors who are the Executive Officers for the Carolinas food banks. The Executive Director leads a team of 5, including the Farm to Food Banks Director, Farm to Food Banks Coordinator, Compliance Manager, Advocacy & Communications Specialist, and Long-Term Recovery Coordinator.

Total Budget: $4.1 million for 2025

Compensation: The salary is commensurate with experience starting at $125,000+ annually.  FTC offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% employer paid medical and dental coverage for staff with options to add dependents; retirement plan with up to a 3 percent employer match contribution; 15 paid vacation days, 12 paid holidays, 2 personal days, and paid sick time; and an Employee Assistance Program.

Working Environment/Location:

• Remote/work-from-home with regular field visits and quarterly Board meetings
• Must reside within the Raleigh, NC or Columbia, SC metro areas

Areas of Focus:

• Farm to Food Bank Program: F2FB is an enterprise program of FTC connecting farmers with food banks to reduce food waste and provide fresh produce to those in need.

• Advocacy: Raising awareness about hunger and advocating for policies that support hunger relief efforts, including public policy analysis and legislative advocacy; securing funding for food banks’ hunger relief efforts.
• Public Awareness: Educating the public about hunger issues and encouraging individuals to get involved in the fight against hunger.
• Disaster Relief: Responding to disasters and coordinating network-wide response across affected areas.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a strategic planning process to sharpen the focus of Feeding the Carolinas on dual-state collaboration and impact.
• Champion public policy initiatives, focused primarily on the state legislatures in the Carolinas.
• Cultivate key relationships with funders and corporate partners.
• Oversee and develop a team of staff as well as contractors and lobbyists.
• Strengthen statewide food sourcing programs.
• Focus on strengthening Feeding the Carolinas’ internal infrastructure to support sustainable operations and impact.
• Coordinate network-wide response during disasters.
• Collaborate with Feeding America and other partner state associations to achieve collective impact.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will bring a mix of strategic vision, relationship-building skills, and operational expertise to lead Feeding the Carolinas into its next chapter. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds who possess the following qualities and experiences:

Required Skills and Attributes

• Proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with funders, state and federal agencies, policymakers, and community partners.
• Skilled at engaging with the state legislatures and state agencies in advancing important policies and initiatives in North and South Carolina.
• Experience working closely with a membership association and Board of Directors as well as leading a high-performing team; must have a strong understanding of the role of membership associations in advancing members’ shared priorities and be savvy and thoughtful in navigating diverse opinions.
• Excellent communication skills and experience creating communication and decision-making structures, providing a clear line of sight for members into Feeding the Carolinas’ priorities and impact.
• Strong financial oversight skills, ensuring Feeding the Carolinas’ fiscal health and accountability.
• Experience in securing grants, corporate partnerships, and philanthropic funding.

Preferred Skills and Attributes

• Familiarity with state contracts, procurement, and federal nutrition programs.
• A leadership style that creates collaboration, professional growth, and a positive organizational culture.
• Ability to develop creative strategies for sustainable funding and fair resource distribution across the network.
• Experience with disaster management, resilience, and recovery.

Core Competencies

Strategic Leadership & Visioning- Ability to lead a statewide membership association in shaping a shared vision across ten independent food banks. Skilled at aligning diverse stakeholders around collective priorities and long-term strategies. Proven track record in developing and executing strategic plans that result in measurable impact.

Policy & Advocacy Expertise- Deep understanding of the legislative process in North Carolina and South Carolina. Ability to build bipartisan relationships and advocate effectively with state and federal policymakers. Competence in translating policy into action, ensuring food banks’ priorities are represented and advanced.

Relationship Building & Partnership Development- Strong relationship management skills with funders, corporate partners, legislators, and community leaders. Ability to cultivate trust and credibility with food bank CEOs and staff across the network. Capacity to forge cross-sector partnerships that expand resources and amplify impact. 

Communication & Influence- Exceptional oral and written communication skills to represent the association with clarity and authority. Ability to adapt messaging for diverse audiences, from grassroots partners to state legislators and corporate executives. Strong public presence to serve as the voice and face of Feeding the Carolinas.

Organizational & Financial Management- Competence in overseeing operations, ensuring efficiency, accountability, and compliance. Strong fiscal stewardship, with proven ability to develop budgets, manage resources, and ensure sustainability. Skilled at grant writing, fundraising, and diversifying revenue streams. 

Network Facilitation & Collaboration- Understanding of membership-based associations and ability to balance statewide goals with local autonomy. Ability to facilitate collaboration among peers, creating alignment without diminishing local leadership. Experience managing and motivating a distributed, largely remote team.

Disaster Preparedness & Crisis Leadership- Ability to coordinate rapid response during natural disasters and crises. Experience building resilience strategies and supporting recovery across multiple communities. Comfort leading under pressure while maintaining stability and clear direction.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)- Commitment to advancing equity in food access and organizational practices. Ability to integrate cultural competency and lived experience into policy, program, and partnership development. Sensitivity to diverse communities across rural, urban, and coastal Carolinas.

About Feeding the Carolinas

Feeding the Carolinas is North and South Carolina’s only statewide hunger relief organization that continuously serves all 146 counties. Our community-supported Food Banks are private, non-governmental organizations, located in every corner of both states and have consistently high ratings from Charity Navigator.

Feeding the Carolina works in partnership with ten Feeding America Food Banks to create a hunger-free North and South Carolina. We put our mission into action through four key pillars: Advocacy + Policy, Food + Health, Crisis Support, and Resources.

Want to know more? Visit www.feedingthecarolinas.org.

How To Apply

To apply, click on the link for this position at https://jobs.armstrongmcguire.com/jobs/executive-director-feeding-the-carolinas-job-1484/. You will see instructions for uploading your compelling cover letter, resume, and salary requirements. Please provide all requested information to be considered. In case of any technical problems, contact talent@armstrongmcguire.com.  No phone calls, please, and no applications will be accepted by email or directly from third-party posting sites.

About Armstrong McGuire

Since we opened our doors in 2004, we have remained rooted in our unwavering commitment to use our time and our talents to empower and uplift nonprofit leaders like you, and to equip your organizations for growth and impact. Through the years, we broadened our focus to increasing organizational capacity for our clients—bringing a comprehensive approach to leadership development, organizational planning, and resource development across the whole organization.

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