About Washington Food Coalition and the Executive Director Position Washington Food Coalition (WFC) is the statewide association of food banks, food pantries and meal programs, serving as the collective voice of more than 300 hunger relief organizations who distribute food to hungry people. WFC provides training, technical assistance, advocacy, and peer-to-peer mentoring for its membership network to ensure high quality hunger relief programs in every community, and works in partnership with other coalitions and organizations to end hunger in Washington. WFC is small but mighty, with two full-time staff – along with a network of hundreds of hunger relief staff, volunteers, and partner organizations to support our mission. 

Following a period of growth and institutional solidification, WFC is searching for a new Executive Director to lead with vision, integrity, and impact. This search takes place within the context of a complex and rapidly evolving anti-hunger sector, and food banking in particular, with uncertainty in public policy and community needs. While challenging, this also presents an outstanding opportunity for WFC to become ever more valuable to its members, to the public, and to hungry people in Washington. WFC is uniquely placed to facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices among its members, to develop and share innovative ways to meet the needs of hungry people within this changing context, and to be the voice of its members in the larger public arena. This also presents opportunities for program innovation, organizational expansion, and funding diversification. 

The role requires a visionary, collaborative leader with hands-on skills to advance WFC’s mission to strengthen the hunger relief network across Washington. It requires exceptional leadership, communication, and coalition-building skills, as well as a solid understanding of the nonprofit, social service, and member association sectors. A vital component of the Executive Director’s role is a passion for community engagement and serving as a public representative of WFC and its membership with other organizations and coalitions. As leader of the organization, the Executive Director will oversee all aspects of organizational strategy, fund development, member engagement, and advocacy to ensure WFC remains relevant, adaptable, and impactful. This includes managing all operations, staff and volunteer supervision, financial management, fundraising, board development, and strategic planning. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Organizational Leadership 

▪ Provide strategic leadership and direction to WFC, ensuring alignment with its mission, vision, and values. 

▪ Provide strategic vision to expand WFC’s impact on its membership network and their communities. Work closely with diverse stakeholders and staff to develop effective, innovative strategies and resources for WFC member organizations that maximize member engagement, satisfaction, and capacity development. 

▪ Recruit, train, manage, and support staff. Staff supervision includes providing mentorship, regular feedback, and annual reviews. 

▪ Create and monitor annual work plans; align programs and strategies with the strategic plan and budget. 

▪ Provide perspective and creative problem-solving to partners and workgroups, sharing current issues, trends, and challenges of WFC members and the people they serve. 

▪ Serve as the primary spokesperson for WFC, clearly communicating the organization’s vision, priorities, and impact to diverse audiences. 

Operations and Administration 

▪ Oversee the management of consultants, contractors, and staff, providing mentorship and fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture. 

▪ Maintain strong organizational systems for communication, data management, and reporting. 

Financial Management 

▪ Work with bookkeeping contractor and auditors to create required monthly and annual financial documents and review for accuracy, compliance with all relevant regulations, and best practices for nonprofit management. 

▪ Negotiate, review and approve agreements/contracts on behalf of WFC. Ensure grant, contract and sponsorship spending align with agreements and budgets. 

Fundraising

 ▪ Ensure WFC has adequate resources to implement programs and strategies, and to grow and adapt as needed to meet organizational goals. 

▪ Engage the board in developing, monitoring, and achieving annual fundraising goals to ensure organizational sustainability. 

▪ Lead fund development efforts, inclusive of, but not limited to, donor development, grant-writing, and sponsorships to expand and diversify WFC’s funding. 

Project Management

 ▪ Plan and execute contracted projects related to supporting member organizations to use best practices, improve service delivery, design effective programs, and other topics related to hunger relief. 

▪ Support the Membership and Education Manager’s responsibilities to create and execute events such as trainings, webinars, and other events. 

▪ Oversee WFC’s annual membership conference, including guiding the board planning committee, developing workplans and timelines, planning conference workshops, and developing materials. 

Community Relations and External Partnerships:

▪ Build and sustain strong, trusting relationships with members, partners, funders, volunteers and key stakeholders, ensuring that the WFC is an important partner at the table with coalitions, state agencies, and relevant organizations. 

▪ Grow relationships with additional organizations that may be of value to WFC members. 

▪ Stay current with industry trends and best practices in hunger relief and program management. 

Board Support 

▪ Partner with the Board of Directors to provide strategic leadership for WFC, leveraging board expertise for governance and strategic input. 

▪ Work with the board chair and executive committee to provide support to board committees, including perspectives that facilitate the work of each committee. 

▪ Work with the board on recruitment and onboarding for new board members. Facilitate annual board elections. Communications 

▪ Manage all communications and branding for the Coalition, including newsletters, email blasts, social media, and website, aligning communications with WFC brand and target audiences. 

▪ Collaborate with partners to create compelling stories to highlight WFC and its members’ impact and mission. Advocacy 

▪ Represent WFC and its membership in state and federal advocacy, in coalitions, networks, and informal partnerships, advocating for policies and resources that benefit members and the people they serve. 

▪ Collaborate with advocacy partners on state and national policy campaigns/issues related to hunger. Monitor, respond and coordinate outreach to engage WFC members on timely advocacy issues impacting hunger relief and member organizations. 

Required Qualifications & Skills: 

• Proven experience (6-8 years) with progressive leadership responsibilities in nonprofit or public sector human services (especially anti-hunger, food banks, or poverty-related organizations), with a track record of building and maintaining partnerships. 

• Ability to work independently and multitask across several projects at a time. 

• Ability to work effectively with boards, coalitions, and community stakeholders. 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to inspire and mobilize diverse audiences. 

• Creative, strategic thinking skills with a high degree of discernment and resourcefulness. 

• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and non-biased leadership. Demonstrated ability to build rapport and trusting relationships with people of diverse backgrounds, philosophies, cultures, races, languages, and sexual orientations

• Strong fundraising skills and experience with fund development strategy, preferably in a small organization. 

• Strong organizational and project management skills; able to prioritize and execute in a dynamic environment. 

• High emotional intelligence, strong listening skills, and ability to “read between the lines.” 

Candidates must reside in Washington State. 

Preferred or Valued Experience:

• Experience leading a small team or managing a multi-role staff with lean resources. 

• Deep understanding of issues related to hunger, poverty, and the social safety net. 

• Existing relationships within Washington’s nonprofit, philanthropic, and public sectors. 

• Experience working closely with state agencies 

Salary and Compensation: 

• Salary: $95,500 - $100,500 annually 

• Benefits: 

• Health care stipend: $8,000 annually 
• Monthly stipend for remote work: $175 
• All federal holidays, plus 24 days of vacation and 12 sick leave days annually 
• Laptop and basic office supplies provided 

Working Conditions: This position is primarily remote. Employees will spend approximately 75% of their time in their home office and 25% in the field, requiring regular access to a car, including driving to meetings and site visits. In the office, tasks include working on a computer (80% of the time), attending virtual meetings (15%), using the phone (5%), and some time spent on banking and mail pick-up. The position requires employees to occasionally lift and carry 15- 30 pounds and push or pull 10-30 pounds. 

How to Apply: Position closes Monday, September 15, 2025.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a cover letter to: Jobs@WAFoodCoalition.org. 

Your cover letter must address how your experience aligns with WFC’s mission and the qualifications listed above. Three professional references will be requested after a first interview.