Executive Director of Development

Louisiana Community and Technical College System • Baton Rouge, LA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Director of Development is LCTC’s senior fundraiser and leads its major gifts program. Working closely with the Executive Vice President and President, the position identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards individuals, employers, corporations, and foundations capable of making transformational investments in Louisiana’s community and technical colleges and their students. The role manages a major-gifts portfolio and builds the systems, team, and board engagement needed to grow and diversify philanthropic revenue in alignment with the LCTC Foundation Strategic Plan 2026–2029. It uses student outcomes, workforce data, and compelling stories to demonstrate donors’ return on investment in Louisiana’s workforce. The position reports to the Executive Vice President and works on-site.

The Executive Director manages approximately 75–100 qualified prospects with capacity for gifts of $25,000 and above; personally solicits and closes major gifts; and develops multi-year investments, proposals, gift agreements, and planned-giving opportunities. The position develops fundraising plans, tracks performance, supports future campaigns, supervises the Development and Foundation Coordinator, and maintains systems for prospect research, moves management, portfolio accountability, and donor records. It also engages Foundation Board members, coordinates with college foundations, represents LCTC externally, and collaborates across communications, finance, academic, and workforce teams to connect fundraising with system priorities and measurable outcomes.

Success is measured by building a qualified major-gifts portfolio within six months; meeting or exceeding annual activity and gift goals; growing major-gift revenue; increasing donor retention and multi-year commitments; and engaging every Foundation Board member in at least one cultivation or solicitation annually.

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience is required, along with at least seven years of progressive fundraising experience, including five years in major gifts. Candidates must have a documented record of personally closing five- and six-figure gifts, experience designing and carrying out fundraising strategies with measurable growth, donor portfolio and relationship-management experience, supervisory experience, and comfort working with board members and senior executives. Higher-education, workforce-development, or statewide nonprofit fundraising experience; established Louisiana business, industry, and philanthropic relationships; a CFRE credential; and experience with planned giving, donor databases, and prospect research tools are preferred.

The position is full-time. Salary is commensurate with education and experience. LCTC offers a benefits package that includes retirement, medical insurance options, supplemental insurance, a Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan, 14 holidays, annual and sick leave, and an Employee Assistance Program. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort, and length of employment. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• At least 7 years of progressive fundraising experience, including at least 5 years in major gifts.
• Documented record of personally closing five- and six-figure gifts.
• Demonstrated success designing and carrying out fundraising strategies that deliver measurable growth.
• Experience managing donor portfolios and cultivating long-term philanthropic relationships.
• Supervisory experience and comfort working with board members and senior executives.
• Ability to qualify prospects, make asks, and close major gifts from individuals, employers, corporations, and foundations.
• Ability to build lasting relationships with donors, board members, and industry leaders and steward their connection to giving impact.
• Ability to set goals, develop multi-year fundraising plans, and align philanthropy with organizational strategy.
• Skill in turning outcomes data and student stories into compelling fundraising and donor communications.
• Ability to use portfolio metrics, moves management, and donor data to guide decisions and accountability.
• Experience supervising staff, coaching board members, and collaborating across a distributed system of colleges and college foundations.

Nice To Haves

• Fundraising experience in higher education, workforce development, or a statewide nonprofit.
• Established relationships with Louisiana business, industry, and philanthropic leaders.
• Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential.
• Experience with planned giving, donor database tools, and prospect research tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of approximately 75–100 qualified individual, employer, corporate, and foundation prospects with capacity for gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Move prospects through identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, and personally close major gifts.
• Meet annual goals for substantive donor contacts, proposals submitted, and dollars closed.
• Prepare tailored proposals, gift agreements, and pledge agreements, including endowed scholarships that may qualify for Board of Regents matching programs.
• Build multi-year investments from industry partners and employers tied to high-demand workforce programs, equipment, and student support.
• Lay the groundwork for a planned-giving program, including bequest and deferred-gift conversations with longtime supporters.
• Develop and carry out annual and multi-year fundraising plans with the LCTC leadership team.
• Set fundraising goals aligned with the LCTC strategic vision and the Foundation Strategic Plan 2026–2029.
• Track performance, report progress to the Foundation Board, and adjust strategy based on donor trends and system priorities.
• Assess readiness for and help plan future campaigns and signature funding initiatives.
• Supervise and develop the Development and Foundation Coordinator, who manages gift processing, donor records, acknowledgments, stewardship logistics, and annual conference sponsorships.
• Build systems for moves management, prospect research, portfolio accountability, and accurate donor records in the Foundation’s donor database.
• Ensure gifts are accepted, documented, and reported in line with LCTCS policy, including gift-in-kind and gift acceptance procedures.
• Use metrics to guide decisions and foster collaboration, learning, accountability, and excellence.
• Equip Foundation Board members to open doors and make asks by preparing materials, coaching, and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement.
• Coordinate with college foundations on prospect clearance, joint solicitations, and shared donor stewardship.
• Represent LCTC at community events, conferences, and external meetings.
• Build strategic partnerships that expand awareness of and philanthropic support for Louisiana’s community and technical colleges.
• Partner with communications, finance, academic, and workforce teams to align fundraising with system priorities and measurable impact.
• Gather completer, wage, and employer outcomes data and student stories for proposals, impact reports, and donor communications.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Retirement.
• Multiple medical insurance options.
• Supplemental insurance options, including dental, term life, disability, accident, and vision insurance.
• Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan for tax savings on some child-care and medical expenses.
• 14 holidays per year, typically including a longer break at Christmas.
• Annual (vacation) leave and sick leave.
• Employee Assistance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior