Director of Development & Communications Job Boston area,Massachusetts USA,Non-Profit & Social Impact

Director of Development & Communications

Salary: $ - $ Annually

Final date to receive applications:
Sep 14, 2026

For additional information, please visit our website or view the full job description.

The Opportunity

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 person will help to translate organizational strategy into clear and detailed action plans, playing a key role elevating LZF’s thought leadership as well as in the relationship building, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major individual and institutional donors to increase contributed revenue.

The Director of Development & Communications supervises the Development & Communications Coordinator and works closely with LZF’s Board of Directors, development committee members, funders, and other key stakeholders to achieve or exceed The Fund’s annual revenue goals (~$1.4M in FY26). This position also offers invaluable experiences in both grantmaking and philanthropy.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Create and execute a comprehensive annual fundraising plan designed to meet and ideally exceed LZF’s annual revenue goals.
Oversee the strategy, planning, and implementation of LZF’s diversified revenue generation strategies, currently including institutional grants, individual donations, planned giving, in-kind contributions, events, and corporate sponsor ships.
- Strategically identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward all prospects and supporters
- Manage LZF’s institutional funding, including maintaining an annual grants calendar, researching and prospecting, writing grant proposals, and submitting grant reports.
- Plan and execute various printed and electronic appeals throughout the year, including for signature annual fundraising events The Zakim Light (September), No Show Ball (November), and year-end appeal.
- Grow LZF’s new planned giving program launched in fall 2025.
Serve as main point of contact externally for all development inquiries.
Staff LZF’s Development and Communications Committee: co-create monthly meeting agendas with Committee co-chairs and manage associated board fundraising.
Oversee LZF’s donor CRM (Donor Perfect), ensuring timely and accurate data keeping on donor gifts, touch points, and contact information.
Oversee gift acknowledgements and IRS compliance regarding fundraising.

Communications

With the Development & Communications Coordinator, create and execute annual communications plans designed to raise LZF’s visibility, inspire the philanthropic sector, and support fundraising.
Supervise execution of various printed and electronic communications throughout the year, including e-newsletters, social media posts, stewardship mailings, case studies, website updates, and targeted campaigns.
Work with ED to translate 30-Year Impact Study Findings into targeted communications, with support from external marketing and communications consultant.
Work with ED to identify opportunities for LZF to represent grassroots organizations in the field and to deepen the organization’s public engagement and thought leadership.

Events

With the Development & Communications Coordinator and Grants & Program Coordinator, plan and execute Annual Awards Ceremony (February), which serves as both a celebration of our newest cohort of grantee partners and a donor stewardship event.
Plan and execute The Zakim Light (September), LZF’s signature annual fundraising event. This event includes a preview event and a silent auction.
As needed, plan and execute upwards of 2 Bridge Builder events annually to share LZF’s learnings with the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors (usually no more than once per year).
Recruit and manage event planning and host committees. Managing LZF’s contracted event planner and other vendors.

Organizational

[Mandatory in first year; optional after] Participate in LZF’s…