Development Director Jobs in Missouri
Development Director jobs in Missouri are concentrated in Kansas City and St. Louis, where nonprofits, higher education institutions, and major healthcare systems drive consistent demand for fundraising and organizational leadership. Employers such as Washington University in St. Louis, Children's Mercy Hospital, and the United Way of Greater Kansas City maintain ongoing development functions that hire at the director level. The most in-demand specialties include major gifts, planned giving, and corporate and foundation relations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Anchor Packaging is seeking a Product Design & Development Director to lead our Product Design team while driving the continuous improvement and transformation of product development capabilities across the organization.
This role is responsible for developing people, improving processes, advancing technical capabilities, and strengthening collaboration across functions to accelerate innovation and commercialization. The Product Design & Development Director will work closely with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, Tooling, Manufacturing, Sales, Marketing, Sustainability, and key customers to ensure products move efficiently from concept to market.
Success in this position requires a leader who is equally comfortable coaching teams, solving complex technical challenges, and influencing cross-functional stakeholders. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in thermoforming, product design, tooling development, and manufacturing processes, along with a passion for continuous improvement and transforming how work gets done.
If you enjoy building high-performing teams, improving systems and processes, and creating innovative packaging solutions that deliver real value for customers, this is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a growing business.
What You Will Do
- Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing Product Design team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Drive transformation initiatives that improve product development processes, tools, communication, and overall organizational effectiveness.
- Partner with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, Tooling, Manufacturing, Sales, and Marketing teams to improve the speed, quality, and effectiveness of product commercialization.
- Champion best practices in product design, product realization, and new product introduction (NPI).
- Lead cross-functional efforts to identify and eliminate barriers that slow innovation, increase complexity, or impact execution.
- Apply expertise in thermoforming, tooling, materials, and manufacturing processes to solve technical challenges and improve product performance.
- Ensure product designs are manufacturable, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with customer requirements and business objectives.
- Establish and improve technical standards, development methodologies, and design processes that strengthen organizational capability.
- Support product development projects from concept through commercialization, including prototyping, testing, tooling development, trials, and production launch.
- Work directly with customers and commercial teams to understand needs and translate them into innovative packaging solutions.
- Identify opportunities to improve quality, productivity, manufacturability, and speed-to-market.
- Influence and align cross-functional stakeholders to achieve business objectives and deliver successful outcomes.
Who You Are
- A people-focused leader who enjoys coaching, developing, and empowering technical teams.
- A change agent who thrives on improving processes, systems, and organizational effectiveness.
- A collaborative leader who can influence across functions and build alignment without relying solely on organizational authority.
- A creative problem solver who challenges conventional thinking and develops innovative solutions.
- A technically strong professional with expertise in thermoforming, product design, tooling, and manufacturing processes.
- A strategic thinker who can connect customer needs, technical requirements, manufacturing capabilities, and business goals.
- A continuous improvement advocate who seeks better ways of working and drives measurable results.
- An execution-oriented leader who turns ideas into action and delivers outcomes.
Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Packaging, Materials Science, Manufacturing, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of experience in product design, product development, packaging development, engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Leadership experience supervising and developing technical professionals.
- Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change.
- Experience developing products from concept through commercialization.
- Experience working directly with customers to identify needs and develop solutions.
- Understanding of product realization, manufacturing processes, and commercial product development.
- Ability to travel up to 30%.
What Will Put You Ahead
- Extensive experience in thermoforming design and manufacturing.
- Strong knowledge of tooling development, mold design, and part realization.
- Foodservice packaging experience.
- Demonstrated success leading process transformation, continuous improvement, or organizational change initiatives.
- Experience implementing or improving new product introduction (NPI), stage-gate, or product development systems.
- Expertise in Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Performance, and commercialization processes.
- Knowledge of plastics processing, materials science, and packaging performance requirements.
- Experience leading technical teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.
Hiring Philosophy
All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .
Who We Are
At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.
Our Benefits
Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.
Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).
#LI-BDS
Anchor Packaging is seeking a Product Design & Development Director to lead our Product Design team while driving the continuous improvement and transformation of product development capabilities across the organization.
This role is responsible for developing people, improving processes, advancing technical capabilities, and strengthening collaboration across functions to accelerate innovation and commercialization. The Product Design & Development Director will work closely with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, Tooling, Manufacturing, Sales, Marketing, Sustainability, and key customers to ensure products move efficiently from concept to market.
Success in this position requires a leader who is equally comfortable coaching teams, solving complex technical challenges, and influencing cross-functional stakeholders. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in thermoforming, product design, tooling development, and manufacturing processes, along with a passion for continuous improvement and transforming how work gets done.
If you enjoy building high-performing teams, improving systems and processes, and creating innovative packaging solutions that deliver real value for customers, this is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a growing business.
What You Will Do
- Lead, develop, and mentor a high-performing Product Design team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Drive transformation initiatives that improve product development processes, tools, communication, and overall organizational effectiveness.
- Partner with Product Development, Engineering, Operations, Tooling, Manufacturing, Sales, and Marketing teams to improve the speed, quality, and effectiveness of product commercialization.
- Champion best practices in product design, product realization, and new product introduction (NPI).
- Lead cross-functional efforts to identify and eliminate barriers that slow innovation, increase complexity, or impact execution.
- Apply expertise in thermoforming, tooling, materials, and manufacturing processes to solve technical challenges and improve product performance.
- Ensure product designs are manufacturable, scalable, cost-effective, and aligned with customer requirements and business objectives.
- Establish and improve technical standards, development methodologies, and design processes that strengthen organizational capability.
- Support product development projects from concept through commercialization, including prototyping, testing, tooling development, trials, and production launch.
- Work directly with customers and commercial teams to understand needs and translate them into innovative packaging solutions.
- Identify opportunities to improve quality, productivity, manufacturability, and speed-to-market.
- Influence and align cross-functional stakeholders to achieve business objectives and deliver successful outcomes.
Who You Are
- A people-focused leader who enjoys coaching, developing, and empowering technical teams.
- A change agent who thrives on improving processes, systems, and organizational effectiveness.
- A collaborative leader who can influence across functions and build alignment without relying solely on organizational authority.
- A creative problem solver who challenges conventional thinking and develops innovative solutions.
- A technically strong professional with expertise in thermoforming, product design, tooling, and manufacturing processes.
- A strategic thinker who can connect customer needs, technical requirements, manufacturing capabilities, and business goals.
- A continuous improvement advocate who seeks better ways of working and drives measurable results.
- An execution-oriented leader who turns ideas into action and delivers outcomes.
Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Packaging, Materials Science, Manufacturing, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of experience in product design, product development, packaging development, engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Leadership experience supervising and developing technical professionals.
- Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and driving organizational change.
- Experience developing products from concept through commercialization.
- Experience working directly with customers to identify needs and develop solutions.
- Understanding of product realization, manufacturing processes, and commercial product development.
- Ability to travel up to 30%.
What Will Put You Ahead
- Extensive experience in thermoforming design and manufacturing.
- Strong knowledge of tooling development, mold design, and part realization.
- Foodservice packaging experience.
- Demonstrated success leading process transformation, continuous improvement, or organizational change initiatives.
- Experience implementing or improving new product introduction (NPI), stage-gate, or product development systems.
- Expertise in Design for Manufacturing (DFM), Design for Performance, and commercialization processes.
- Knowledge of plastics processing, materials science, and packaging performance requirements.
- Experience leading technical teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.
Hiring Philosophy
All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .
Who We Are
At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.
Our Benefits
Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.
Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).
#LI-BDS
See All 52 Development Director Jobs in Missouri
Find roles in Missouri that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Director JobsDevelopment Director Jobs by City in Missouri
Where Missouri roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Development Director Job Market in Missouri
A snapshot from current Missouri openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Telecommunications
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Missouri Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in development director jobs across Missouri.
- Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, communications, business, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated success managing donor portfolios and closing five- or six-figure gifts
- Experience building and leading development teams, setting fundraising goals, and reporting to boards
- Proficiency with donor management platforms such as Raiser's Edge, Salesforce Nonprofit, or Bloomerang
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for grant writing, appeals, and donor stewardship
- Familiarity with Missouri's philanthropic community, regional funders, and corporate giving landscape
Development Director Jobs in Missouri: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a development director in Missouri?
Most development directors in Missouri move into the role through progressive nonprofit fundraising experience rather than a state-issued license or exam. Employers typically want a bachelor's degree and several years in development roles such as major gifts officer, grants manager, or development associate. The Certified Fund Raising Executive credential, awarded by CFRE International, is widely respected among Missouri employers and signals professional competency even though it is not legally required.
Which companies hire development directors in Missouri?
Employers hiring development directors in Missouri right now include Centene, Missouri S&T, and Ryder System, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Missouri's dense nonprofit sector, anchored by large health systems, universities, and community foundations in Kansas City and St. Louis, produces some of the steadiest development director hiring in the Midwest.
Which Missouri cities have the most development director jobs?
St. Louis, Kansas City, and Missouri lead Missouri in development director openings. St. Louis and Kansas City generate the largest share because of their concentration of hospital foundations, research universities, and regional philanthropic organizations, while Columbia's activity reflects the University of Missouri system and a growing independent nonprofit community that draws consistent fundraising leadership demand.
Are there remote development director jobs in Missouri?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely desk-based fields because donor relationship management and board engagement favor in-person presence. About 50% of development director openings tied to Missouri are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with those arrangements most often found in grant writing, planned giving, and roles at nationally distributed foundations rather than locally focused organizations.
How can I get hired as a development director in Missouri with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a development associate or annual fund coordinator role at a Missouri nonprofit, which builds the portfolio and donor stewardship experience that directors need. Large St. Louis institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis and BJC HealthCare, and Kansas City organizations like the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Rockhurst University, regularly hire entry-level development staff who can advance internally. Earning the CFRE credential and volunteering with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Kansas City or St. Louis chapters accelerates that progression.
Where can I find and apply to development director jobs in Missouri?
You can find and apply to development director jobs in Missouri on Migrate Mate, which lists current Missouri openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 52 Development Director Jobs in Missouri
Find roles in Missouri that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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