Development Director

The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking (LCHT) is hiring a full-time Development Director to lead our fundraising strategy and grow our annual budget from $1.2M to $1.5M by 2028. You’ll set and hit ambitious goals across foundation and government grants, major individual gifts, corporate sponsorships, and new revenue streams—while driving the vision for our annual campaigns, including our signature Colorado Gives Day event. Partnering closely with the Executive Director, Board, and senior leadership, you’ll build the multi-year fundraising plan that sustains and expands LCHT’s mission for years to come.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership

• Develop, operationalize, assess, and regularly update LCHT's annual and multi-year fundraising strategy, aligned with organizational goals and revenue targets by continually seeking new and innovative funding strategies that align with LCHT’s mission and values
• Establish metrics, forecasting, and regular reporting systems to leadership and the Board.
• Serve as staff representative to the Board Fundraising Committee.
• Strengthen board engagement, connections, and participation in fundraising goals.
• Serve on the Board Finance Committee, helping review financial and accounting reports, supporting the annual budgeting process, and developing organizational policies and internal controls.
• Supervise and manage development staff (including the Development Manager), contractors, and volunteers; provide leadership, mentoring, and performance management.
• Support development of LCHT's organization-wide messaging and brand voice across donor and public-facing content; manage the communications contractor relationship responsible for content execution, including blog, social, and e-newsletter.
• Collaborate closely with staff to align funding needs, messaging, and impact stories.
• Ensure fundraising activities comply with applicable regulations, ethical standards, and best practices.

Major Gifts and Individual Giving

• Lead major gifts strategy, planning, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and appeals; personally manage a portfolio of major donors and high-capacity prospects capable of making gifts of $25,000+.
• Design and oversee execution of key fundraising campaigns and events, including our annual end-of-year giving campaign aligned with Colorado Gives Day
• Expand recurring/monthly donor programs.
• Expand planned and legacy giving programs, including LCHT’s endowment fund.
• Build and maintain strong donor stewardship, recognition, and communications systems so donors understand impact and remain engaged.

Foundation and Corporate Giving

• Build and strengthen relationships with foundation leaders, funders, and institutional partners to expand the grant pipeline and connect local philanthropy to the organization’s mission.
• Oversee grant strategy and management: expand the pipeline of grant opportunities, manage the grant writer contractor (or staff), ensure all reporting deliverables are met, and awards secured.
• Working with the Development Manager, develop a targeted strategy to secure corporate revenue pipelines, sponsorships, and partnerships.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Direct fundraising experience with a track record of setting and meeting annual contributed-revenue goals at an organization of comparable size ($1M+).
• Proven track record personally securing and managing major individual and institutional donors, including closing five- and six-figure gifts.
• Strong experience developing effective fundraising campaigns and donor communications
• Experience in basic financial management or nonprofit accounting
• Ability to craft and deliver a compelling, values-aligned case for support, from written grant narratives and donor appeals to one-on-one conversations and board presentations.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with ability to prioritize and meet deadlines
• Experience working with nonprofit boards, stakeholders, community partners, and volunteers
• Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising ethics, best practices, and grant compliance
• Self-awareness and ability to discern how one’s own lived experiences can impact sustainability in human rights work; demonstrated commitment to self-care and access to/willingness to access a community of support and/or resources that promotes longevity in the field
• Experience managing donor databases, nonprofit CRMs, and related software systems (Salesforce, Monday.com, Google Suite preferred)

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience; master’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business administration, or a related field preferred
• 5+ years progressive nonprofit fundraising/development experience
• Demonstrated success with major gifts, annual campaigns, and grants
• Strong writing, relationship-building, and project management skills
• Experience managing people or contractors

Preferred Experience:

• 7+ years progressive nonprofit fundraising/development experience
• Colorado or regional philanthropy knowledge / existing funder relationships
• Experience with Colorado Gives Day or similar statewide days of giving
• Experience in securing corporate sponsorships
• Familiarity with legacy giving
• Fundraising certification (CFRE) or similar major donor training
• Genuine commitment to human rights and social justice, with the ability to authentically connect LCHT's mission to donors, funders, and community partners.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand for long periods of time; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to sit. The employee must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the noise level is moderate.

LOCATION/HOURS

Full time, exempt position. Hybrid in-office schedule. Denver area strongly preferred, Colorado-based is required

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to represent all of our community members in building a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with lived experiences or from marginalized communities, as well as candidates with nontraditional professional or educational backgrounds. Even if your experience doesn’t perfectly align with every qualification listed in the job posting, your unique skills and perspectives may be precisely what we need. If you’re passionate about our mission and excited about this opportunity, we encourage you to apply.

About Laboratory To Combat Human Trafficking

The Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking is the leader of Colorado’s anti-trafficking movement. Since 2005, we have trained over 90,000 professionals and community members; conducted research to drive action and inform policy change; operated the statewide 24/7 human trafficking hotline; and developed over 219 future human rights leaders.

• Medical, dental, vision, life, short-term disability insurance
• Retirement Benefits: Simple IRA with employer 3% match
• Holidays: 9 paid holidays and 2 paid “floating holidays” of employees’ choice per year
• Paid time off (80 hrs) after completion of first 6 months of employment
• 104 Wellness hours awarded upon start date
• Flexible, hybrid work schedule
• Monthly technical stipend
• Sabbatical leave policy