Career Opportunity
Lowcountry Food Bank seeks a visionary, community-engaged leader to serve as its next Chief Executive Officer. Following the planned retirement of longtime President & CEO Nick Osborne in January 2027, the ideal candidate will build on a foundation of trust, transparency, innovation, and operational discipline while guiding the organization through its recently refreshed Strategy, sustaining strong donor and community relationships, and continuing to position Lowcountry Food Bank as the premier hunger-relief organization across the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina.
Mission: To unite our community in pursuit of equitable, dignified, and consistent access to food throughout the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina.
Reporting Structure: The CEO reports to a Board of Directors and leads a Senior Leadership Team of 6 direct reports, including the Chief Development Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Community Programs Officer, Director of People & Culture, and a part-time Executive Assistant.
Total Staff and Budget: Approximately 78 staff members and an annual budget of $50 - $80 million.
Salary: The salary is commensurate with experience and starts at $225,000+ annually.
Benefits: Lowcountry Food Bank offers a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, effective the first of the month following a 60-day waiting period. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; company-paid Basic Life and AD&D insurance, Short-Term Disability, and an Employee Assistance Program; voluntary Long-Term Disability, additional Life and AD&D, Accident, and Critical Illness coverage; and a 401(k)-retirement plan with both traditional pre-tax and Roth options, automatic enrollment at 3%, and a company match of up to 5% after one year of service. Employees also accrue Paid Time Off, plus 11 paid holidays and one floating holiday annually.
Working Environment/Location: This is a full-time, in-person leadership role based at Lowcountry Food Bank's headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina, with regular travel to the Early Branch and Myrtle Beach Regional Food Centers and across the 10-county service area. The CEO is expected to maintain a consistent, visible presence at the food bank and throughout the community. Occasional national travel is required.
Key Responsibilities of the CEO
Strategic Organizational Leadership
- Build on the legacy of trust, transparency, and steady leadership, ensuring a thoughtful and well-managed transition, and on-going alignment with the organization’s Strategic Framework.
- Lead with humility and flexibility, empowering the Senior Leadership Team to make strong decisions for their respective areas and the collective benefit of the organization.
- Take the time to learn about the organization's culture, people, and systems before introducing significant change.
- Foster open communication, engagement, and collaboration across a 78-person staff, including regular Executive Team huddles and all-staff meetings.
- Partner with the People & Culture team to strengthen HR practices and support staff through organizational change, including succession planning that builds the organization's strong staff retention.
- Promote and encourage new ideas, innovation, and collaborative ways of working in line with the Strategic Framework.
- Lead and manage through uncertainty and adapt to a changing and unpredictable operational environment.
- Stay closely attuned to state and federal policy developments affecting food security and government funding, adjusting strategy as needed.
External Relations, Advocacy & Fundraising
- Serve as a visible, engaged public face of the Food Bank, building relationships with donors, elected officials, business leaders, and media across the 10-county service area.
- Partner closely with the Chief Development Officer and Development team to sustain strong donor retention, grow major and planned gifts, and support signature fundraising events such as Chefs' Feast and the Walk to Fight Hunger.
- Bring experience and enthusiasm to donor cultivation, public fundraising, and communication, complementing the Development team's efforts.
- Continue to build coalitions and advocacy partnerships at the local, regional, and state level.
- Maintain and grow key corporate and community partnerships across the region.
Operational & Fiscal Stewardship
- Provide strong fiscal oversight in partnership with the Chief Financial Officer, including attention to reserves, investment strategy, and long-term data-driven financial planning.
- Oversee logistics, warehousing, and food sourcing in partnership with the Chief Operating Officer, sustaining the organization's disciplined operational culture that continuously drives towards operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Provide thoughtful oversight of real estate and facility decisions, including the organization's long-term footprint across its three regional food centers.
Community & Network Engagement
- Deepen engagement and develop the Food Bank's network of approximately 240 partner agencies, in partnership with the VP of Agency Relations & Regional Food Centers.
- Represent Lowcountry Food Bank within the Feeding America network and regional and state hunger-relief coalitions.
- Champion the Food Bank's community programs, including Community Health & Nutrition, Food for Health, the Zucker Family Production Kitchen, and school food programming, ensuring alignment with community needs that underscore the importance and value of neighbor and community engagement.
- Build authentic, ongoing relationships with the neighbors and communities the Food Bank serves, particularly in underserved and food-insecure areas.
The Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:
- Visionary and Strategic — A track record of guiding organizations through periods of transition and change, with the ability to set and communicate clear direction. Demonstrates competency for learning about emerging tools, the application of data-driven approaches, and bringing innovation and efficiency to the organization’s work.
- Effective Fundraiser and Communicator — Comfortable and experienced with public speaking, donor cultivation, and media engagement; a genuine, visible presence in the community.
- Financially Experienced — Understands nonprofit finance, budgeting, and reserves; comfortable partnering with the CFO on investment strategy, long-term financial planning, and ensuring compliance obligations. Able to navigate a shifting funding landscape and make sound decisions when that funding changes.
- Collaborative and Trust-Building — Builds trust with a high-performing team; takes time to learn before acting, while being capable of making difficult organizational decisions when needed.
- Operationally Grounded — Understands the complexities of logistics, warehousing, and food distribution. Comfortable partnering with the COO on supply chain and facilities decisions.
- Policy-Aware — Pays close attention to state and federal issues affecting hunger relief and government funding.
- Alignment to the mission, vision, and core values is essential.
Education Requirements: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred. Significant senior leadership experience is required, ideally including experience within a comparable complex nonprofit, food bank, the Feeding America network, or a comparable public-sector organization.
About Lowcountry Food Bank
Founded in 1983 by Trident United Way and Coastal Community Foundation, Lowcountry Food Bank has grown into the leading hunger-relief organization serving the 10 coastal counties of South Carolina. Headquartered in Charleston, with Regional Food Centers in Early Branch and Myrtle Beach, the Food Bank works with approximately 240 partner agencies to distribute nearly 46 million pounds of food each year, including more than 17 million pounds of fresh produce, reaching more than 200,000 neighbors annually.
As a member of the Feeding America network, Lowcountry Food Bank also leads programs addressing child and senior hunger, nutrition education, and community health, guided by its principles: Feed. Advocate. Empower.
Want to know more? Visit lowcountryfoodbank.org
About Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina is a historic coastal city known for its architecture, culinary scene, and strong sense of community, and is consistently ranked among the country's top travel destinations. The region combines a growing, diverse economy with deep-rooted Southern hospitality and an engaged philanthropic and business community. Despite the region's prosperity, food insecurity affects more than 200,000 residents across the Lowcountry, the highest rate the region has experienced in two decades, underscoring the importance of the Food Bank's mission.
Want to know more? Visit charlestonchamber.org
How To Apply
Join Lowcountry Food Bank and play a critical role in shaping its future while driving impactful change across coastal South Carolina.
To apply, click on the link for this position at https://jobs.armstrongmcguire.com/. You will see instructions for uploading your compelling cover letter, resume, and salary requirements. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Lowcountry Food Bank as well as the stated responsibilities and qualifications.
Please provide all requested information to be considered. In case of any technical problems, contact [email protected]. No phone calls, please, and no applications will be accepted by email or directly from third-party posting sites.
About Armstrong McGuire
Armstrong McGuire is a national executive search, fundraising, and strategic advising firm that believes in unlocking the potential of nonprofit leaders and the communities they serve. Founded in 2004, our diverse team of advisors work with clients and leaders to align strategy, optimize operations, build capacity, and lead nationwide searches that bring supremely talented individuals to high-impact organizations. Learn more about our services in talent acquisition, fundraising counsel, and strategic planning:
Pay: From $225,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
