Lawndale Christian Legal Center · 5 days ago
Vice President, Advancement
Chicago, IL
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
$160K/yr - $190K/yrLawndale Christian Legal Center is conducting a search for a Vice President of Advancement who will lead fundraising efforts. This hands-on role involves building systems and relationships to grow individual giving and major gifts, while collaborating with senior leadership and overseeing a small advancement team.
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Responsibilities
Develop and execute a multi-year advancement strategy aligned with LCLC’s strategic plan, annual budget, and long-term sustainability goals
Serve as a member of the executive leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy and decision-making
Partner with the Vice President of Finance to align revenue forecasts with the budget and ensure accurate tracking, reporting, and use of contributed revenue
Stay informed on philanthropic trends and best practices to inform strategy and continuous improvement
Personally manage and solicit a portfolio of major donors and prospects, leading cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation efforts
Partner closely with the President & CEO and Board Fundraising Chair to advance major gift strategies, donor relationships, and solicitations
Lead the growth of LCLC’s major donor and individual giving pipeline, including prospect identification, qualification, and long-term relationship building
Supervise the Donor Experience Officer and set clear annual goals for individual giving revenue
Strengthen moves management, forecasting, and portfolio discipline to ensure consistent progress and accountability
Oversee the grants program, ensuring timely, high-quality proposals and reports
Supervise the Grant Manager and grant-writing consultant, providing guidance and stepping in to support proposal development as needed
Cultivate and maintain relationships with foundations, law firms, faith institutions, and corporate partners, with a focus on alignment and long-term partnership rather than volume
Provide strategic oversight of LCLC’s major fundraising events, including the Annual Gala and Wake Up Justice breakfast
Supervise and partner with PC Experiences to ensure effective planning, execution, and post-event evaluation
Ensure events support broader donor cultivation, stewardship, and revenue goals rather than operating as standalone activities
Collaborate with the President & CEO and Board Fundraising Committee to engage Board members in meaningful fundraising activities
Support Board members in donor outreach, introductions, and solicitation efforts
Provide regular fundraising updates and insights to the Board of Directors
Lead, supervise, and develop the advancement team, including the Donor Experience Officer and Grant Manager
Establish clear priorities, roles, and performance expectations across the team
Ensure strong fundraising operations, including CRM oversight, data integrity, reporting, and pipeline management
Provide strategic oversight of fundraising communications, including donor messaging, collateral, and the annual report
Manage and partner with marketing and communications consultants to ensure consistent, compelling, and donor-centered messaging
Collaborate across departments to ensure fundraising communications accurately reflect program impact and community priorities
Qualification
Required
Significant experience as a hands-on fundraising practitioner, with a demonstrated track record of personally cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts
Evidence of progressive fundraising experience, including senior-level responsibility for individual giving and major gifts within a nonprofit organization
Proven success building and advancing a major donor pipeline, including prospect identification, qualification, moves management, and forecasting
Experience developing and executing advancement strategies that translate into measurable revenue growth
Fluency across advancement functions, including individual giving, major gifts, institutional giving, events, and donor stewardship, with depth in major gifts
Strong experience partnering with a Board of Directors and senior leadership, including engaging board members in donor cultivation and solicitation
Comfort supervising staff and external consultants, setting priorities, and holding others accountable for results
Working knowledge of fundraising CRMs and donor data systems, with the ability to ensure data integrity, reporting, and pipeline discipline
Excellent communication skills, including the ability to build trust in one-to-one donor conversations and produce clear, concise written follow-up and proposals
Alignment with LCLC's mission and a demonstrated ability to engage respectfully and effectively with community-rooted organizations
Preferred
A bachelor's degree is preferred but not required. Relevant fundraising experience, judgment, and results are more important than formal credentials
CFRE certification or similar professional credentials are welcome but not required
Benefits
Medical insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield, with multiple plan options; LCLC covers 75% of the employee premium
Dental and vision insurance through Principal, with 75% of the employee premium covered
Employer-paid life insurance policy of $50,000, including accidental death and dismemberment coverage
Long-term disability insurance, 60% employer-paid, providing income replacement after 60 days
Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
401(k) retirement plan available on the first day of employment
Employer match of 100% on the first 3% of employee contributions and 50% on the next 2%
Roth 401(k) option available
Unlimited PTO for full-time employees after 60 days
Paid sick leave and paid leave in accordance with Illinois law
16 paid holidays annually
Bereavement leave for immediate family
Up to 8 weeks of paid medical leave for eligible family or personal health needs
Up to 8 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offering counseling, legal support, and wellness resources
Company
Lawndale Christian Legal Center
Lawndale Christian Legal Center is a legal firm that specializes in case management, legal defense, mentoring, and mental health services.
Founded in 2010
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Cliff Nellis
President & CEO
Company data provided by crunchbase