Director of Development (multiple positions open)

The LSU Foundation is looking for three Directors of Development to join our dynamic cohorts of development professionals.

The Directors of Development (mid-level) play a critical role in LSU’s effort to grow our comprehensive gift pipeline by retaining and upgrading mid-level donors ($500-$24,999). These transformational roles involve 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. These positions involve delivering a personal touch with every engagement, providing concierge service to donors and prospective donors and build stronger connections in the pursuit of new major gifts for Louisiana State University. Positions are open in three cohorts: Magnolia, Oak, and Bengal. The Magnolia cohort comprises of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Music & Dramatic Arts, the Honors College, the Law Center, and the LSU Libraries. The Oak cohort comprises of the College of Science, College of Art + Design, College of Human Sciences & Education, and the Manship School of Mass Communication. The Bengal Cohort comprises of the College of Agriculture/AgCenter and the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Essential Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 300-400 donors and prospects with expected annual giving capacity in the $500- $24,999 range. Execute outreach to donors via phone, mail, email, and visits (when appropriate)
• 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
• 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
• Drive retention numbers through expertly executed fundraising fundamentals, with a consistent goal to upgrade donors to the next giving level
• 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

Requirements

• Experience in an environment that required 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 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
• Will be required to comply with our mandatory COVID vaccination policy, unless granted an exemption for medical or religious reasons

Managerial/Supervisory Requirements

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities