Managing Director, Development

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the country’s first and foremost civil and human rights law organization. Founded in 1940 under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall, who subsequently became the first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice, LDF was launched at a time when the nation’s aspirations for equality and due process of law were stifled by widespread state-sponsored racial inequality. From that era to the present, LDF’s mission has been transformative—to achieve racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.

LDF’s litigation, public policy advocacy and public education programs in the substantive areas of criminal justice, economic justice, education, and political participation seek to ensure the fundamental and basic human rights of all people to quality education, economic opportunity, the right to vote and fully participate in democracy, and the right to a fair and just judicial system. LDF continues to make an impact in the area of public service and was recognized by Fast Company as one of its 2023 Brands That Matter under its public service category.

Development Department:

The LDF Development Department is headquartered in NYC and oversees all fundraising efforts to support LDF’s ongoing programs and operations. This is a transformative time for LDF and for its Development Department as we work to rapidly and thoughtfully update our operating model to more effectively support newer, growing funding streams, while cultivating agility in the face of a volatile philanthropic and socio-political landscape.

LDF seeks a collaborative, strategic, and experienced leader to serve as Managing Director of Development. This individual will oversee the day-to-day operations of a 30-person Development department that currently raises $50M annually and is positioned for significant growth. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer (CDO), who is based in LDF’s Washington, D.C. office, the Managing Director will serve as a key thought partner on long-range planning, growth strategy, and the implementation of a comprehensive strategic development plan.

The Managing Director serves as the senior operational leader of the Development department. The Managing Director provides day-to-day leadership to all senior managers across revenue and operational functions, ensuring effective execution of fundraising strategy and departmental priorities.

The Managing Director will supervise the Development leadership team and play a central role in operationalizing the strategic development plan; building and managing a best‑in‑class, collaborative team infrastructure; and strengthening cohesion across workstreams in service of LDF’s donors and mission. This role is specifically designed to add leadership-level operational capacity to the department, allowing the CDO to effectively lead enterprise‑level strategy, key external relationships, and organizational leadership.

The Managing Director will oversee a multi‑stream fundraising program – including a growing individual giving portfolio, planned giving, direct marketing, special events, and institutional giving, and development operations. Through this leadership, the department will be positioned to execute long‑term strategies that meet LDF’s increased revenue needs and organizational ambitions. The Managing Director will partner closely with the Office of the President and Director‑Counsel (OPDC), Program, Communications, Finance, Compliance, and Operations to ensure alignment and effective cross‑departmental collaboration.

LDF operates in a hybrid work environment where employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week, unless otherwise indicated.

Responsibilities:

• Partner with the CDO to strengthen departmental effectiveness by implementing fundraising best practices, evolving development operations, setting goals and metrics, developing workplans, establishing protocols, and tracking and reporting progress.
• Day-to-day direction of the Development leadership team, ensuring that senior department leaders and vital functions are supported, aligned, and positioned to meet their goals.
• Oversee day‑to‑day departmental operations, including staff management, team meetings, donor communications, and cross‑team workflows.
• Foster a culture of sustainable change management, emphasizing a growth mindset, clarity, and human‑centered collaboration.
• Operationalize the strategic development plan, developed by the CDO with input from the Managing Director.
• Develop and manage high‑performing staff, coaching individuals and teams to meet and exceed expectations.
• Implement improved compliance and risk management best-practices related to fundraising policies, donor information, privacy standards, and contractual requirements.
• Establish a department-wide culture of learning and continuous improvement, creating structured training, fostering professional development, and cross‑training team members to build skills, deepen expertise, support career progression, and limit operational risk.
• Oversee a cohesive donor experience strategy, ensuring consistent, high‑quality cultivation, stewardship, and communications across all revenue streams.
• Ensure strong integration of Development Operations across all revenue streams and functions.
• Drive internal communication and alignment, ensuring consistent messaging, information flow, and coordination across all Development teams and with key organizational partners.
• Support data‑driven decision‑making by strengthening revenue forecasting, donor analytics, reporting systems, and performance dashboards across all fundraising programs.
• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures to ensure consistency and efficiency.
• Manage and analyze Development’s revenue and expense budgets to influence organization‑wide financial planning, strategic investment decisions, and responsible stewardship of resources.
• Identify, implement, and refine tools, systems, and processes that support a modern, data‑driven development operation and maximize ROI.
• Coordinate with OPDC, Finance, Operations, Risk and Compliance, and other departments to ensure that Development’s work is strategically aligned with organizational priorities.
• Serve as an advisor and partner to the CDO on revenue tracking, forecasting, and departmental budgeting.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in nonprofits and development leadership, and at least 5 years of management experience.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with the ability to set priorities, manage complex workflows, and meet deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.
• Experience managing and negotiating with external vendors and strategic partners.
• Proven ability to work effectively across an organization and to engage Boards, senior leadership, high‑level donors, and external stakeholders with credibility and discretion.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to synthesize and convey information clearly.
• Strong budgeting and financial analysis skills, including comfort with revenue forecasting and expense management.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively with a wide range of colleagues and constituents.
• Experience with fundraising databases, familiarity with Raiser's Edge is required.
• Deep commitment to LDF’s mission, values, and long‑term growth.
• Advanced computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and comfort adopting new systems and tools.

Critical Competencies for Success:

• Relationship-centered leadership: Designs processes, systems, and change initiatives that center the needs of staff and donors, fostering trust, clarity, and collaboration.
• Change management expertise: Demonstrated ability to lead and implement organizational change across diverse teams, manage competing priorities, and cascade information effectively.
• Team and leadership development: Proven track record of building high-performing teams, developing leaders, and cultivating a culture of appreciation, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Systems thinking and teaching ability: Deep understanding of complex systems, workflows, and interdependencies, with the ability to translate and teach these concepts to others.
• Adaptive communication: Communicates effectively with both technical and non‑technical audiences, tailoring messages to ensure clarity and shared understanding.

The salary range for this position is:

New York: $180,800-$250,000