Position: Chief Advancement Officer
Reports to: President & CEO
Location: Wisconsin w/ Corporate Headquarters in West Allis, WI

Organization
LSS is celebrating 140 years of service! Since 1882, we have empowered communities to better their health and well-being. Called to serve, empowered to act, and inspired to lead, we ignite the flame of unlimited potential.

Our Mission
Act compassionately. Serve humbly. Lead courageously.

Our Vision
Healthy communities filled with people using their God-given gifts to serve.

Why we do it
We believe in the infinite worth of every person.

How we do it
We use our gifts to help members of our community use theirs. We eliminate barriers and serve others by providing health and human services to people who need them.

What we do
As a Servant-Leadership organization, we are committed to the growth of individuals, families and whole communities. We empower people with incredible odds stacked against them to live their best lives and thrive.

Guiding Principal

Servant Leadership

LSS practices the 10 tenets of Servant-Leadership as adapted from The Understanding and Practice of Servant-Leadership by Larry Spears. These tenets (right) are woven throughout our organization and culture.

Measuring our success by the success of others is what gives us the strength, confidence, and wisdom to assist and empower others.

As Servant-Leaders we recognize that sometimes we need to lead, sometimes we are called to support, and we always go together.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At LSS, we believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions. We value the ability to work with and serve individuals from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, abilities, and orientations.

Demonstrated understanding of the benefits of equity, diversity and inclusion within a Servant-Leadership lens is critical to this role and LSS. This includes collaborating with the Board of Directors, leadership, staff, and partners who are also committed to closing equity gaps.

Values

Our values help us build a culture that focuses on the whole person and act as a guidepost in providing care and individual attention that inspires them to contribute to the lives they touch.

As we build our One LSS community, it is important to do so upon a strong foundation. Leading with these four key values, we strive to be the best people we can be and help others do the same.

About LSS

Lutheran Social Services is one of the largest and most experienced health and human services organizations in the Midwest. Our services extend across Wisconsin and Upper Michigan and along the lifespan of nearly 30,000 individuals annually.

We are building healthy communities with services as essential as housing and life changing as foster care. Individuals in our communities rely on organizations like LSS to help remove barriers and improve the quality of their lives. If not for organizations like ours, many who are otherwise forgotten or disregarded would be left unserved and their needs unmet.

Programming includes:

• Mental Health and Recovery
• IRIS Services
• Restorative Justice
• Refugee Resettlement
• Foster Care and Adoption
• Long-term in-home care for elderly and people with disabilities
• Residential Services
• Affordable Housing Services

Position Profile

The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) is an experienced and visionary strategic leader with a proven record of success in driving resources to the organization. Under the direction of the President & CEO, and working closely with the executive leadership team, LSS Operating Board of Directors, and the LSS Foundation Board of Directors, the Chief Advancement Officer serves as the passionate and strategic team lead to fulfill philanthropic goals by raising funds and financial support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and congregations.

The Chief Advancement Officer is also responsible for strategy, creation, and implementation of the LSS fundraising plan, which includes donor development and planned giving activities for LSS and LSS Foundation. The CAO must successfully cultivate relationships across philanthropic, nonprofit, government, faith-based institutions, and corporate sectors resulting in revenue growth.

Essential Duties and responsibilities:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded as management may deem necessary from time to time.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

The Chief Advancement Officer is a Servant-Leader who personally reflects LSS’ mission and values. Their strategic leadership of the initiatives included below inspires a culture of integrity, growth and development, high performance, and exceptional ethical standards.

• Participates with the Chief Executive Officer, colleagues, and governing bodies of LSS and LSS Foundation to define and communicate the mission and direction of the organization.
• Serves as the creative, strategic leader of all advancement efforts throughout Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Develops, cultivates, and implements an annual and multi-year strategic fundraising development plan and benchmarks, encompassing a multi-million-dollar revenue goal to support the organization’s mission, goals and objectives.
• Provides vital direction for short and long term strategic and operational planning and positioning for internal and external audiences including LSS Operating Board of Directors, LSS Foundation Board of Directors and staff leadership.
• Communicate a vision and strategy for current and future years, driving new and sustainable revenue streams and growth opportunities while raising awareness of donation opportunities throughout the organization.
• Responsibility and oversight for all LSS/LSS Foundation fund development activities, oversight of the day-to-day operations of the development function, and monitors adequacy of activities through coordination with staff, appropriate committees, and governing body.
• Creates effective infrastructure including budget development and analysis, annual fund development strategic plan, organizational database, gift acknowledgment process, donor recognition programs, and all other actions to build an effective fundraising organization.
• Inspires a Servant-Leadership culture and demonstrates a commitment to the growth of people. Develops high-performing and accountable teams. Works with department employees to identify and facilitate professional growth. Builds and fosters collaborative relationships with other departments and business units within the organization to stay informed of, and support new initiatives, products, and services.
• Strategically engages the LSS Operating Board of Directors and LSS Foundation Board of Directors in fulfilling their responsibilities related to fundraising activities. This may include training, mentoring, and counseling board members utilizing the expertise of the fundraising team and/or outside experts.
• Serve as staff leader for the Development Committee alongside LSS and LSS Foundation Board members.
• Develops, tracks and reports on department KPIs aligned with agency strategic goals and initiatives.

FUNDRAISING STEWARDSHIP

The following duties carried out by the LSS Chief Advancement Officer will follow ethical fundraising practices, ensuring donor confidentiality and intent, as well as the accurate portrayal of organizational needs and vision.

• Strategizes and manages personal high net-worth donor portfolio, as well as that of the President and CEO. Also oversees additional major donor portfolios maintained by the executive and senior leadership team and board members. Ensures that all relationship development activities are properly tracked in the organization’s Blackbaud/Raisers Edge-NXT software program.
• Uses innovative and data-driven solutions to position LSS as a leader with donors, philanthropic organizations, media, and community.
• Leads, develops, and executes capital campaigns to address current and future needs of the organization.
• Manages and oversees major donor interactions and activities (volunteer experiences, tours, networking events, etc.).
• Engages the LSS Operating and Foundation boards of directors, as well as the Fundraising Advisory Committee in fulfilling their responsibilities related to fundraising activities. This may include training, mentoring, and counseling board members utilizing the expertise of the fundraising team and/or outside experts.
• Develops, tracks and reports on department KPIs aligned with LSS’ strategic goals and initiatives.
• Works closely with the VP of Fundraising to provide general oversight of all LSS/LSS Foundation fundraising activities, oversight of the day-to-day operations, and monitoring of adequate stewardship, record-keeping and reporting activities completed individually and through staff coordination with appropriate committees and governing bodies.
• Works closely with LSS Church Relations Liaison, ELCA Bishops, Pastors and other faith-based partners to design, implement, and oversee a comprehensive resource development plan for congregations, individuals, corporations, foundations, community partners, and governmental organizations.
• Identifies sponsorship, awards and recognition opportunities that specially acknowledge key donors and elevates the mission work of LSS in the communities where we serve, as well as on a regional/national scale.
• Co-creates with LSS grant writer and members of the fundraising team on solicitations of individuals, private foundations, corporations, community and faith-based organizations, and potential planned giving donors. Initiates and drives solicitations through briefing memos, proposals, and stewardship materials.

DONOR / EXTERNAL RELATIONS

• Maintains a high, enthusiastic, and respected visibility in the community with current and prospective major donors.
• Manages and oversees the relationship management for individual, corporate, and foundation donors and prospects.
• Uses innovative and data-driven solutions to position LSS as a thought leader with donors, philanthropic organizations, media, and community.
• Manages and oversees major donor interactions and activities (volunteer experiences, tours, networking events, etc.).
• Develops and maintain an understanding, respect, and appreciation for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and its mission.
• Participates in events and boards of directors that raise visibility for LSS.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversees and supervises the VP of Fundraising and Fundraising team (currently 8) and their efforts
• Builds relationships and trust through open dialogue, as well as intentional and ongoing employee conversations
• Holds team accountable for supporting LSS policies, procedures, and change management
• Ensures staff are appropriately selected, trained, developed, utilized, appraised, and recognized for performance
• Promotes LSS vision and goals; inspires and engages others in their relationship to the organization and departmental goals

Education and Professional Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related degree is required. Advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum 8-10 years of progressive leadership in professional philanthropy work.
• Significant experience at the Director/Vice President level leading fundraising teams (5+ years preferred).
• Preference given to those with major donor gift management experience ($10,000+ level gifts).
• Prior experience and desire to work within human services and/or non-profit leadership is required.
• Strong knowledge of current principles and practices of fund development, planned giving, annual giving, and building a donor pipeline.
• Experience leading, developing, and executing capital campaigns to address current and future needs of the organization.
• Strong knowledge of the principles of effective and best practice donor communications including media, PR, advertising, social media, and community relations.
• Strong knowledge in fundraising best practices efforts including: Gift acceptance policy, annual calendar of philanthropic events, engagement of board and volunteers in fundraising efforts, effective case statement development, etc.
• Demonstrates ability to lead culturally diverse programs and staff and is committed to cultural competency.
• Comprehensive knowledge of budgeting, strategic planning, and analysis.
• Ability to gather, analyze and evaluate data to make comprehensive recommendations and presentations.
• Strong ability to communicate effectively – orally, written and listening. Must have a strong ability to deliver clear and effective presentations.
• Strong project planning and skills. Demonstrated ability to lead large scale initiatives like capital and other major campaigns.
• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and/or Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE) is strongly preferred.

TRAVEL: Ability to travel on day trips as required up to 25-50%. Some overnight travel will be required.

Compensation and Benefits

The target salary for this position is commensurate with experience. LSS offers a robust benefits plan to include medical, dental, vision, accident, critical illness, hospital confinement indemnity, pet insurance. Flex spending accounts are available for dependent and healthcare. Short-term and long-term disability, 403B retirement plan, generous PTO plan including separate accruals for vacation, sick, personal holidays, and designated holidays.

LSS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Experience

• 8 - 10 years: Progressive leadership in professional philanthropy work

Education

• Bachelor Degree or better in Administration / Business or related field

Licenses & Certifications

• Cert. Fundraising Prof

Motivations

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business
• Goal Completion: Inspired to perform well by the completion of tasks
• Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)