Lambda Legal seeks a Director of Strategic Partner Programs to join their Development Department. This position will bring a methodical yet creative view to packaging Lambda Legal’s top-notch programmatic work in a way which meets the educational needs of the organization’s principal financial supporters (corporate, leadership donors and fundraising volunteers) and simultaneously makes the case for financial support of the full array of programmatic work accomplished by the organization. Lambda Legal is a national, nonprofit organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas.
Director of Strategic Partner Programs
Responsibilities The Director of Strategic Partner Programs (DSPP) reports to the Deputy Director of Development and works closely with the Director of Development and other Development Staff, as well as members of the Education and Public Affairs and Legal Departments, to create, review, update and disseminate programmatic curricula and talking points for the purpose of promoting staff and volunteer fundraising efforts. As needed, the DSPP will deliver targeted seminars and teleconferences relating to Lambda Legal’s program priority areas in established and emerging markets around the country.
The DSPP is responsible for creation and effective, targeted dissemination of resources that educate an audience of both current and prospective corporate partners, law firm sponsors, leadership donors and volunteer fundraisers regarding Lambda Legal’s programmatic work in order to increase and leverage those audiences’ financial support of the organization.
Donor Education The DSPP serves as the Department’s key developer of educational materials and presentations geared toward the audience above. The DSPP shall, in close consultation with pertinent program staff, plan and develop curricula highlighting Lambda Legal’s programmatic priority areas, focused on the interests and educational needs of the organization’s donor and prospective leadership donor audiences primarily for law firms, teleconferences, webinars, podcasts, or other types of programs as needed.
S/he, working within Lambda Legal’s design standards, create audio-visual aids for the effective delivery of such curricula, including PowerPoint programs, web-based programs (both passive and interactive), summaries and handouts. The DSPP will present programs in key markets, provide training as needed to enable other development and/or programmatic staff to present such curricula, develop other programmatic resources as needed for Development outreach to specific donor audiences on specific topics, maintain close contact and communications with both the EPA and Legal Departments on programmatic matters and share knowledge regarding program planning with Development staff as appropriate.
Resource Review, Updating and Dissemination The DSPP will engage in regular systematic review of existing educational materials and resources for Development purposes. As part of that review, the DSPP will at least bi-annually, evaluate materials for ongoing accuracy and develop recommendations for updating/culling and at least annually, identify and evaluate where gaps in needed materials exist, and develop recommendations and priorities for filling such gaps. S/he, with appropriate interdepartmental consultation, update and/or facilitate updating of materials as needed.
Leadership Donor Program Duties As a member of the Major Gifts team, the DSPP may work with a discrete portfolio of Liberty Circle members, Major Donors and/or prospects, soliciting annual gifts of $1,500 and above as well as planned gifts as appropriate to the donor. S/he will also provide stewardship and oversee solicitation, benefit fulfillment, donor cultivation, and recognition for such assigned donors. The DSPP will work with regional and national development team to significantly increase giving from such assigned donors each year.
The successful candidate must be a self-starter, able to work independently with a “roll-up-your-sleeves” attitude. Must have a track record in persuasive writing and public speaking, with experience developing public presentations with an audio-visual / web-based component. Excellent human relations and communication skills are required, particularly written communication, analytical and administrative skills. Must be able to readily grasp complicated legal concepts and convey them in a clear, simple manner to a general audience; must also be comfortable with communicating to sophisticated legal audiences. Solid knowledge of national LGBT and/or philanthropic communities required. The position requires periodic travel as well as regular in-person, telephone and written conversations with other staff members and key volunteers/donors. As a Director level position, the DSPP is expected to have excellent judgment, communication skills and attention to detail, and to possess autonomous decision-making and execution ability for core job functions while working well in teams with other staff and volunteers. Skills in Internet research, Microsoft Office, PowerPoint and other presentation software, layout and design, and Excel required. Bachelors Degree and J.D. required. Experience with donor software (preferably Raiser’s Edge) desirable.
The position is open until filled. Send resume and cover letter, by e-mail only to: Judi O’Kelley, Deputy Director of Development at jokelley@lambdalegal.org
No calls please. Due to the high volume of applications, Lambda Legal cannot return phone calls about the position and, regrettably, cannot notify applicants of the status of applications unless an interview is requested.
Lambda Legal is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, transgender people and people with disabilities, including HIV, are encouraged to apply.
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