Chief Development Officer

Opening Date: February 10, 2020. Closing Date: Applications accepted until position is filled.

Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of Columbia (NLSP) one of the first and most highly regarded legal services programs in the country developed as a “war on poverty” pilot project that in its 50 plus years became a pioneer in the development of housing law, consumer law, rights to government assistance, etc. for low income people in DC and elsewhere around the country. NLSP brought offices to low income neighborhoods to provide access to lawyers who could help them to tackle the legal system. Continuously operating in the District’s underserved neighborhoods, NLSP depends on the generosity of donors and various grants to support its work and provides legal services to its clients without fees.
NLSP has an immediate opening for Chief Development Officer (CDO) with experience in all aspects of development including major gifts, individual donor bases, fundraising campaigns and events and other development activities. The Chief Development Officer is responsible for the strategic direction of Neighborhood Legal Services Program development program and manages NLSP’s overall financial growth and expansion ensuring stability over the long-term. The CDO works closely with and reports directly to the Executive Director to chart a clear course for effectively expanding development resources to ensure the continued financial health of the organization. The successful candidate must possess the desire to be on the cutting edge in developing comprehensive strategies to ensure the continued and expanded reach of NLSP’s services. The ideal candidate will have a passion for helping the disenfranchised, specifically low-income (predominately minority) residents of the District of Columbia, to secure access to justice and “equalize the playing field.” The person who fills this position will play a significant role in building organization recognition, drawing donor and grant support, and producing successful fundraising activities.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Create an organizational development vision to maximize current resources and develop new resources to support NLSP’s mission and meet its budgetary needs.
• Provide general oversight of all development activities.
• Manage the day-to-day operations of NLSP’s development function.
• Develop a balanced funding mix of donor sources and solicitation programs tailored to the need of NLSP to attract and retain donors.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of a professional website that highlights NLSP’s accomplishments and client successes.
• Create a development plan specific to NLSP’s needs and to meet budgetary requirements.
• Identify new grant opportunities that match NLSP’s priority areas and write competitive grant proposals.
• Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with donors and current or potential foundation partners.
• Create and execute a strategy for increasing NLSP’s base of individual donors.
• Plan, coordinate, oversee and/or implement all fundraising activities.
• Other duties as assigned.