The Director, Donor Development is responsible for strengthening and growing philanthropic giving to advance the LLS mission. S/he will achieve success through the creation and execution of strategic fundraising practices for the Chapter that involves the effective engagement of current and future major donors. The Director is responsible for managing and soliciting a diverse donor portfolio. S/he functions in a highly visible, externally facing role to foster key donor and leadership volunteer relationships. The Director is a member of the Chapter team and works closely with National Director of Philanthropy and other national staff. This role requires a self-starter with exceptional organizational, relationship-building, and communication skills.
- Identify and manage a portfolio of 125+ donors and prospects capable of 5- and 6-figure donations; solicit annual donations of $10k+ as well as cultivating donors toward special gifts of $100k+
- Strategically lead all aspects of donor relationship management including identifying prospects, qualifying philanthropic capacity, initiating contact, planning for and participating in donor meetings, strengthening connectivity with LLS, soliciting and stewarding gifts
- Partner with the Senior Director of Development, National Director of Philanthropy, Executive Director, and other personnel to create and execute development plans to achieve the Chapter’s annual philanthropy target ($2.3M for current fiscal year), with continual year-over-year growth
- Collaborate with Chapter staff to develop opportunities for successful donor experiences with the LLS mission that stewards past giving and advances partnership and support
- Prepare briefing materials for meetings, stewardship reports, proposals and solicitation materials, and other donor communications
- Facilitate prospect identification and collaboration with other departments to maximize donor engagement, and actively contributes to an internal culture of philanthropy and stewardship
- Implement, manage and analyze best practices for performance and achieving financial milestones; responsible for tracking and reporting through the 360 database and other pipeline reporting tools
- Collaborate with national headquarters development staff to maximize funding opportunities, engaging LLS executive leaders with prospective donors as appropriate
- Minimum 5-7 years of major gifts fundraising experience, including a proven track record of soliciting and securing $25,000+ gifts
- Experience in the development and implementation of a broad-based fundraising program including personally opening doors, cultivation, and successfully closing major gifts
- Significant expertise with the Chapter’s funding community highly desirable
- Progressive experience and knowledge of “best practices” in development
Position Requirements:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Highly experienced in using fundraising databases
- Self motivated and able to work independently while receiving input from multiple partners
- Able to effectively balance multiple priorities
- Professional demeanor
- Analytical, organized and a problem solver
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
- Physical demands are minimal and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations
- Work environment is representative and typical of similar jobs in comparable organizations