Director of Development And Communications
About the role
LZF seeks an experienced and values-aligned fundraising professional to lead its growing philanthropic and engagement activities. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Development & Communications will oversee all aspects of LZF’s comprehensive fundraising program, including annual and major gifts, planned gifts, grants, events, and in-kind donations from individual, foundation, and corporate donors.
This role involves translating organizational strategy into clear and detailed action plans, elevating LZF’s thought leadership, and building relationships with major individual and institutional donors to increase contributed revenue. The Director of Development & Communications supervises the Development & Communications Coordinator and collaborates closely with LZF’s Board of Directors, development committee members, funders, and other key stakeholders to achieve or exceed annual revenue goals (~$1.4M in FY26).
This position also offers invaluable experiences in both grantmaking and philanthropy.
Responsibilities
- Lead all aspects of LZF’s comprehensive fundraising program, including annual and major gifts, planned gifts, grants, events, and in-kind donations.
- Translate organizational strategy into actionable plans for fundraising and donor engagement.
- Elevate LZF’s thought leadership in the philanthropic space.
- Cultivate, solicit, and steward major individual and institutional donors to increase contributed revenue.
- Supervise the Development & Communications Coordinator.
- Work closely with the Board of Directors, development committee members, funders, and other key stakeholders to meet or exceed annual revenue goals (~$1.4M in FY26).
Qualifications
- Proven experience in fundraising, including annual and major gifts, planned gifts, grants, and donor stewardship.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic fundraising plans.
- Experience supervising staff and collaborating with boards or committees.
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills.
- Alignment with LZF’s values and mission.