Regional Development Director - Chicago

Regional Development Director

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military;

and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC. We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds.

To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class.

Considering this reality, we prioritize a proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects in the work we do, but also in how we work together as an organization.

The Regional Director (RD) is the fundraising team lead of the Midwest region based in Chicago, our Midwest Regional Office (MRO). Overseeing a Major Gifts Officer and an Office Manager & Regional Program Coordinator, the RD will develop and implement a comprehensive major gifts strategy to grow and manage a portfolio of major donors across the Midwest region. This role will be a visible representative of Lambda Legal both internally and externally and will partner with the National Director of Individual Philanthropy to identify planned giving and major gifts prospects and achieve strategic revenue growth by leading a team-driven effort in coordination with their peer RDs and colleagues across the Development department.

The RD will be responsible for guiding and coaching an MGO in effective moves management while also managing a portfolio of high-level donors. This role will report to the National Director of Individual Philanthropy.

What you'll do:

(40%) Donor Portfolio Management & Strategy

• Manage and grow a targeted portfolio of current and prospective major gifts donors through best practice cultivation and stewardship to achieve strategic revenue growth across the region while working closely with regional Board, NLC, local Leadership Committees and other regional volunteers to coordinate development efforts and involvement throughout the region.
• Develop and steward local Leadership Committees as well as other volunteer or event leadership committees in emerging regional markets.
• In partnership with the National Director and Chief Development Officer (CDO), proactively identify principal giving prospects and strategies to engage and grow revenue across the midwestern region, leveraging data analytics.
• Achieve and surpass annual revenue and engagement targets for self and team.
• Assist the National Director and CDO on all facets of moves management ensuring timely follow-up, stewardship, and strategic engagement to expand portfolio of Major Gifts donors in the region.
• Create and implement Major Gift pipeline strategies using research and targeted donor communications.
• Partner with National Director to identify planned giving prospects across the regional major gifts team, within all assigned portfolios to ensure that the team is prioritizing and proactively assessing Planned Giving opportunities within their respective portfolios.
• Work with the Development staff to identify potential regional foundation funders and corporate and law firm sponsors while cultivating, soliciting, and…