Director of Development - Cypress Cohort MLO

The Director of Development (mid-level) plays a critical role in LSU's effort to grow our comprehensive gift pipeline by retaining and upgrading mid-level ($500-$24,999) grateful client donors and prospects. 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 position is housed within the Cypress Cohort, which comprises the College of Engineering, College of the Coast & Environment, College of Science, and the Honors College.

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
• Qualify prospective grateful client donors for portfolio

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

Managerial/Supervisory Requirements

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities