Foundation Executive Director

Job Description

The mission of Cedar Lake is to offer highly compassionate, capable care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they may experience a life of abundant possibilities. It is a private, non-profit organization that serves the needs of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by offering support services and housing. It provides a broad range of services beginning with the most profound intellectual disabilities and those with medically complex diagnoses. The mission of Cedar Lake is met through a variety of avenues extending from care provided 24 hours a day in a group home living environment, to in-home services provided on an as needed basis. Cedar Lake employs more than 475 staff members and operates in nearly 40 locations across Jefferson, Oldham and Henry counties providing assistance to more than 250 individuals annually who come from all over Kentucky.

Position Summary:
Reporting to the CEO of Cedar Lake, the Executive Director of the Cedar Lake Foundation serves as the leader of the fundraising arm of this nonprofit organization. In partnership with the CEO and with the help of a team of 3 staff members, the Executive Director is charged with developing, communicating, and executing all strategic philanthropic fundraising initiatives to support Cedar Lake’s mission and programs. The Foundation’s current development strategy encompasses annual campaign including major gift solicitations; staff and Board solicitations; program and project sponsorship/underwriting; special event fundraisers and donor/prospect cultivation and stewardship events; corporate/foundation grant requests; planned giving; and donor cultivation and acquisition programs, including the communications and marketing strategies for such.

Responsibilities:

1. Serves as the leader of the Cedar Lake Foundation managing a staff team of 3.
2. Develops, executes and manages the organization’s fund development plan, enhancing and updating the plan as needed, and achieving budgeted goals.
3. Works with Cedar Lake’s CEO to develop a philanthropic fund development strategy to proactively identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward a portfolio of major donors. Assists the CEO in the management of the CEO’s portfolio of 20-30 key donors and donor prospects.
4. Organizes and manages donor cultivation and stewardship events within the context of the fund development plan created.
5. Recruits, motivates and manages the volunteer Fund Development Committee.
6. Is able to create, develop and grow a comprehensive planned giving program to begin to build a robust file of expectancies for legacy commitments. Inherent in this is a working knowledge of planned giving and the ability to effectively communicate with donors in that regard.
7. Working with the CEO, Board, Fund Development Committee, and other volunteers, fulfills mutually agreed upon specific number of face to face meetings each week with donors and donor prospects.
8. Manages key functions and duties of the annual campaign, including the staff campaign and board campaign.
9. Acts as point of contact and liaison for programmatic and project-based sponsors and underwriters.
10. Provides strategic leadership to effectively communicate the mission, goals and accomplishments of the organization to donors, prospective donors, and the broader community, including updating the organization’s promotional materials and developing new philanthropic materials.
11. Ensures ethical and appropriate financial administration of contributed income and follows all regulations, policies, laws, and guidelines that impact donations. Adheres to the Association of Fundraising Professional’s (AFP) Code of Ethics.

Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree.
2. 10+ years of experience in non-profit fund development with a proven track record of success.
3. Demonstrated fundraising experience, especially with major gift solicitation, acquisition and stewardship, including planned giving.
4. Strong written and verbal communication skills with professional presentation, social media, and philanthropic marketing skills in particular.
5. Understanding of the nature and purpose of Cedar Lake and the Cedar Lake Foundation and a strong commitment to the Cedar Lake mission.
6. Experience working with volunteers (Board level preferred).
7. Experience working with Donor Relationship Management databases.
8. Proficient use of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
9. Ability to work occasional weekends and evenings.
10. Ability to relate effectively to diverse groups of people from all social and economic segments of the community; track-record of building authentic, constructive relationships with others.

Key Characteristics:

1. Strong leadership and management skills.
2. Ability to cultivate, solicit and close gifts.
3. Comfortable opening up doors to new opportunities.
4. Creative, strategic thinker.
5. Commitment to best practices in fund raising administration.
6. Integrity – honors donor intent and confidentiality.

Benefits:

1. Salary commensurate with qualifications/experience.
2. Comprehensive benefits package, including health and dental insurance for employee and dependents, life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with matching, paid days off, and more.
3. Professional development support through membership in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and Fund Raising Executives of Metro Louisville (FREML).

   To apply for this job, please email your information totmoloy@ashleyrountree.com.