Job Details

The Director of Development (mid-level) plays a critical role in LSU's effort to grow our comprehensive gift pipeline by acquiring, retaining and upgrading mid-level donors ($500-$24,999), as well as identifying potential major gift donors. This transformational role involves both traditional and non-traditional aspects of fundraising, serving as an innovative model for engaging with mid-level donors while recognizing and maximizing their philanthropic potential. This role will have a special focus on School of Veterinary Medicine grateful clients and organizational contributors. This position involves delivering a personal touch with every engagement, providing concierge service to donors and prospective donors and building stronger connections in the pursuit of new major gifts for Louisiana State University.

Requirements

Essential Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of grateful clients, alumni, donors, and sponsors, inclusive of individuals and organizations, to identify potential new mid-level or major gift donors and acquire first time gifts.
• Work with college development team, academic dean, faculty, and staff to secure project information for creating compelling giving opportunities and reporting to donors how their gift made a difference.
• Develop, prioritize, and implement cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for current and prospective individual donors that actively move donors along the donor continuum. Consistently and appropriately record all donor contacts in LSU's donor database.
• Interact and collaborate with colleagues and fellow team members on a regular basis.

Non-essential/marginal position responsibilities

• Attend team meetings
• Attend unit events and programs to develop a deep knowledge of the units' programs, people, and fundraising priorities
• Perform other duties as assigned

Required level/type of experience and/or years of experience

• Experience in an environment that requires strong phone skills, for example: warm tone, good speaking cadence, clear and articulate speech

Preferred level/type of experience and/or years of experience

• Experience in higher education or philanthropic environment
• Possess in-depth knowledge about donor databases
• Experience cultivating, solicitating, and/or stewarding donors

Preferred abilities

• Excellent communication skills in-person, through written correspondence and with presentation of synthesized data.
• Demonstrate professionalism, perseverance, optimism, and a positive attitude when working with donors and colleagues
• Ability to balance multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
• Ability to work both independently and as a part of a team
• Ability to be flexible and agile with programmatic changes

Required education

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

Desired competencies

• Collaboration: Works collegially with others, cooperating in both interpersonal and team relationships; fosters enthusiasm and maintains mutual trust, candor, and respect.
• Critical Thinking: Practices objective rather than subjective modes of reasoning and action. Maintains perspective when assessing qualitative and quantitative information. Appropriately challenges and questions common beliefs.
• Tenacity: Achieves a desired outcome in the face of setbacks, obstacles, or challenging circumstances.
• Professionalism: Thinks carefully about the likely effects on others of one's words, actions, appearance, and mode of behavior.

Work environment requirements

May be required to work extended workdays, evenings, and weekends to meet deadlines

Managerial/ Supervisory requirements

This position has no supervisory responsibilities