About the Stober Foundation
The Stober Foundation is a private family foundation committed to creating meaningful, lasting impact. We invest in practical, measurable solutions that strengthen communities by building resilience, improving health and creating opportunity. We believe philanthropy should empower people toward greater independence through innovation, partnership, accountability and sustainable change.
Our three areas of focus are Building Resilient Communities Through Food Security; Mental Health, Wellness & Disease Prevention; and Education & Economic Opportunity. We seek fewer, higher-impact investments, long-term partnerships, innovation and sustainable change, while retaining the flexibility to pursue exceptional opportunities aligned with our mission.
The Opportunity
We are looking for a thoughtful, relationship-focused leader who combines exceptional interpersonal skills with strategic thinking, sound judgment and the ability to turn ideas into meaningful impact.
The Executive Director will be a trusted partner to the Stober Family and Board, and a credible representative of the Foundation within the broader community and philanthropic sector. The Executive Director provides strategic leadership and effective oversight of the Foundation’s operations, advances its mission and priorities, develops and brings forward new ideas and opportunities, and ensures approved initiatives are thoughtfully and effectively executed.
Key Responsibilities1. Relationship Leadership & Family/Board Partnership
• Build and maintain high-trust, long-term relationships with the Stober family, Board, current partners and prospective partners.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and primary relationship link between the Foundation, family and Board.
• Listen carefully, understand different perspectives and build alignment through thoughtful, candid and respectful communication.
• Navigate sensitive conversations, competing interests and confidential matters with maturity, discretion and sound judgment.
• Ensure current partners feel known, valued, supported and appropriately challenged.
2. Philanthropic Strategy & Judgment
• Translate the Foundation’s strategic priorities into a focused portfolio of meaningful investments and partnerships by identifying compelling organizations, ideas and emerging opportunities aligned with the Foundation’s mission.
• Proactively identify emerging needs, innovative ideas and exceptional opportunities that could advance the Foundation’s mission, and develop them into thoughtful recommendations for Board consideration.
• Evaluate opportunities based on impact, leadership, innovation, sustainability and the potential for the Foundation to add distinctive value.
• Bring clear, well-reasoned recommendations and alternatives to the Board.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration, co-funding, matching grants and strategic partnerships.
3. Partner Stewardship & Community Leadership
• Serve as an ambassador for the Foundation’s values, strategic priorities and approach to giving.
• Develop and steward relationships with nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, healthcare and education leaders and other community stakeholders.
• Represent the Foundation with warmth, credibility, authenticity and professionalism.
• Stay close to funded organizations to understand progress, challenges and where the Foundation can add value.
• Support the Foundation’s signature initiatives and community-facing activities.
4. Strategic Execution, Impact & Accountability
• Develop and advance ideas and initiatives with the Board, establishing clear plans, priorities and measurable results.
• Oversee grants, partnerships and Foundation initiatives to ensure alignment with strategy, budgets and intended outcomes.
• Use practical measures and evidence to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the Foundation’s investments and identify learnings to inform future decisions.
• Prepare concise Board updates, recommendations and reports that support informed decision-making.
• Maintain appropriate due diligence and accountability without allowing administration to overshadow relationships or impact.
5. Foundation Leadership & Operations
• Oversee the effective day-to-day operation of the Foundation within the direction of the Board.
• Provide oversight of Foundation operations, ensuring effective use of resources, appropriate records and processes, and compliance with regulatory requirements in partnership with the CFO.
What We Are Looking ForCritical Qualifications & Attributes
• Exceptional emotional intelligence, interpersonal awareness and ability to read people and situations.
• Outstanding relationship-building and listening skills; naturally builds trust and maintains relationships over time.
• High integrity, character, discretion and maturity.
• Strong judgment - able to make difficult decisions while preserving important relationships.
• Excellent communicator who can be both candid and diplomatic.
• Strategic thinker with intellectual curiosity and the ability to recognize meaningful opportunities.
• Strong execution and organizational skills; reliable follow-through and personal accountability.
• 7–10 years of progressively responsible professional and senior-level leadership experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, business, healthcare, education, social impact or a related field.
• Experience working effectively with Boards, donees, senior executives, community leaders or other high-level stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to combine exceptional relationship skills with strategic thinking, professional judgment and practical technical/operational capability.
Professional & Operational Capability
• Solid understanding of nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, community needs and partnership development.
• Ability to assess organizational leadership, program quality, sustainability, risk and potential impact.
• Financial literacy sufficient to understand budgets, grants and responsible stewardship of Foundation resources.
• Working understanding of governance, compliance and impact measurement, with the judgment to know when specialized professional advice is required.
• Post-secondary education is preferred, but demonstrated capability and experience are more important than a specific credential.
Core Competencies
• Emotional Intelligence & Relationship Leadership - Exceptional
• Character, Integrity & Judgment - Exceptional
• Strategic Thinking & Philanthropic Judgment - Very Strong
• Communication, Influence & Diplomacy - Very Strong
• Execution & Organizational Leadership - Very Strong
• Community & Partnership Development - Very Strong
What Success Looks Like
• The Stober family and Board have a high degree of trust and confidence in the Executive Director.
• Partners feel genuinely known, valued and well stewarded.
• The Foundation develops deeper, longer-term relationships with a focused group of high-impact organizations.
• The Foundation has a strong pipeline of thoughtful opportunities aligned with its strategic priorities.
• Board decisions are supported by clear, concise and well-judged recommendations.
• The Foundation is recognized as a trusted, thoughtful and values-driven philanthropic partner.
The Person We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who combines people skills and professional experience. Someone who listens before speaking, understands people and perspectives, builds genuine relationships and follows through on commitments - while also bringing the strategic thinking, discernment and execution skills to make the Foundation’s resources count.
This Executive Director role offers a unique opportunity to lead a foundation with a clear focus on thoughtful philanthropy, strong relationships, and meaningful impact, without the responsibility of fundraising.
