STRATEGIC JOB DESCRIPTION

Every employee at the Louisiana Children’s Museum has the same Strategic Job Description. It includes three elements, listed in order of priority.

1. Your first priority – Is to achieve the organization’s purpose. In other words, you in particular are responsible for everything.

2. Your second priority – Is to help others achieve the organization’s purpose.

3. Your third priority – Is to carry out your job function.

POSITION SUMMARY

As the Chief Advancement Officer for the Louisiana Children’s Museum, this key leader manages the planning, strategy, organization and implementation of the Museum’s comprehensive development program, and has responsibility for achieving annual fundraising goals for all components of contributed revenue. In addition, the Officer will oversee the activities of the Corporate Giving Director, Special Events Manager, Data Manager and any development interns. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

1. College degree required, preferably with a degree in business 

2. Strong interpersonal and public relations skills required for organization, cultivation and solicitation of gifts

3. Deep experience in all aspects of development work – identification, cultivation, solicitation, appreciation – with impressive results

4. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written

5. Strong organizational skills necessary for development and management of goals, strategies, campaigns, staff, prospects and donors, and supervision of staff productivity and deliverables

6. Extensive knowledge of the local philanthropic community

7. Knowledge of and experience with national and federal funding opportunities 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Co-creates institutional planning with Chief Executive Officer and works on multi-year Development Plan with other department directors, shaping comprehensive development program to address comprehensive funding needs.

• Qualifications include developing master planning that considers needs and opportunities for mission advancement as well as a variety of funding sources available to be pursued and secured (government, foundation, corporate, individual, grant applications, and events)

• Works with CEO and department heads to develop long range institutional planning and strategy, per the AIM (Arts Innovative Management) model of inter-departmental coordination with marketing, building “family members” of the museum, high-quality mission delivery, and financial success all to be mapped and projected with a five-year calendar and timeline 

• Qualifications include proven track record of managing ideas and staff, working in collaboration towards shared goals and building on success.

• Implements annual Development Plan, which includes goals, strategies and timelines and deliverables for all prospects; identifies and tracks all prospective donors (with schedules and pledge payments), matching gifts, cultivates prospects and researches companies and foundations. Coordinates all asks with key volunteers and staff for optimal success, meeting financial goals.

• Qualifications include strong organizational skills for planning and executing complex work plans, and overseeing staff and volunteers as to appropriate roles and responsibilities and deliverables.

• Holds deep experience with key components of the development cycle – prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.  

• Qualifications include experience overseeing staff to map out goals, strategies and timelines, and producing impressive aspirational results. 

• Is responsible for identifying, exploring, creating and securing funding for new and unique opportunities on the local, national, federal or other level that are consistent with the museum’s commitments, mission, and vision. 

• Qualifications include ability to build a network of resources that can inform upcoming opportunities for new mission-aligned programs.  

• With CEO coordination and guidance prepares all asks - researches, writes, oversees and follows through with all proposals and successful grant awards written for the Museum

• Qualifications include experience with grant compliance, written reports of grant successes, including quantitative and qualitative measures.  Please describe experience with your work here.

• Prepares development communications – case for support materials, letters, publications and regular reports on fund-raising progress. Prepares monthly board report / dashboard on development activity

• Qualifications include experience with writing, compelling story-telling, strong communication skills linked to advancement of master planning. 

• Creates 24 month work plan for comprehensive development agenda 

• Represents the Museum in the community as appropriate

• Other duties as assigned

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Department: Development

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Supervises: Fundraising Events Manager, Data Manager, Corporate Giving Director

Collaborates with: CEO, COO, CFO, Marketing and Sales Director, Board Development Committee chairman

TO APPLY

To apply, please submit your resume and a cover letter to Julia Bland at jbland@lcm.org.  Please also submit a separate document addressing how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and qualifications listed in the position.