Deputy Director of Advancement

Deputy Director of Advancement

Reports to: President

FLSA Status: Exempt (Full Time) 

Location: Virtual, must be based in and authorized to work in the U.S. 

Industry: Philanthropy

Salary: $160,000 per year (non-negotiable)

Supervision: This role supervises 2 staff members, the Director of External Affairs and the Communications and Storytelling Officer

Travel Requirement: This role is required to travel approximately 10-12 times per year.

ABOUT FUNDERS FOR LGBTQ ISSUES

Funders for LGBTQ Issues works to increase the scale and impact of philanthropic resources aimed at enhancing the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities, promoting equity, and advancing racial, economic and gender justice. We are a network of funders committed to advancing equity and well-being for LGBTQ communities in the United States.
 

We provide three essential services:

1. Organize convenings and forums for LGBTQ funders to connect, coordinate their efforts, learn from each other, and maximize their impact.
2. Provide training and support services for foundations to help them increase their LGBTQ inclusiveness in grantmaking and internal practices.
3. Provide up-to-the-minute information, research, and resources on LGBTQ grantmaking to benefit funders and the broader LGBTQ movement.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues is unique in that the organization not only raises funds to support its work but also works to increase resources for the LGBTQ movement, particularly the most under-served communities within the LGBTQ movement, such as LGBTQ people of color, transgender communities, and lesbians and queer women. Please visit www.lgbtfunders.org for more information about our work.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Deputy Director of Advancement is a new role at Funders for LGBTQ Issues and will serve a crucial role in setting and implementing the organization’s internal and external fundraising strategy by engaging long-time funders of LGBTQ issues, and building new programs to engage high-net-worth donors and donor advisors. The Deputy Director of Advancement is responsible for overseeing organizational development across the goals outlined in our 2024 - 2027 Strategic Plan. 

The five key areas of responsibility are: 

1. Lead the organization’s fundraising, including the development and implementation of an annual organization-wide fundraising strategy that includes identifying and cultivating prospects as well as relationship management with current funders. Monitor and analyze revenue, develop projections to anticipate future income, and identify potential gaps or challenges. Work proactively to recommend and implement strategies to ensure the continued financial stability of the organization. Partner with the Director of External Affairs to equip staff and board with the knowledge and tools they need to advance the fundraising strategy. Collaborate with the Senior Team (President and Deputy Director) to provide insights for budgeting and strategic decision-making.
2. Develop and oversee the implementation of the organization's external communications strategy. Goals include amplifying the power of all our programs and initiatives, ensuring that the philanthropic sector has a deepened understanding of LGBTQ movement wins, challenges, and opportunities for short-, mid- and long-term philanthropic investment, in accordance with the value of Funders for LGBTQ Issues and our work within the philanthropic sector.
3. Build and implement an engagement strategy to attract donor advisors and high-net-worth individuals to the Funder for LGBTQ Issues’ membership network.  Identify potential networks for partnership and relationship cultivation. Assess Funders’ current membership offerings, and partner with the full team to build and/or refine membership benefits relevant to donor advisors and high net worth individuals (HNWI). Launch and direct a working group for donor advisors and HNWI seeking to mobilize new dollars for US-based LGBTQ movements. 
4. Supervise and lead a team that includes the Director of External Affairs and Communications & Storytelling Officer. Provide strengths-based and values-aligned management and support to a high-performing team, including weekly supervisions and semimonthly departmental meetings. Provide regular feedback and coaching to support the team’s growth and development. Collaborate to set department goals, work plans, and strategy.
5. Serve as a member of the executive leadership team. As the Deputy Director of Advancement, this role will be part of the executive leadership team (the “Senior Team”). The Senior Team manages the day-to-day operations of the organization, sharing thoughts and counsel on collective information from individual team members, our wider membership, and other stakeholders, as we steward the implementation of our Strategic Plan. As a member of the Senior Team, serve as an ambassador and a bridge for Funders for LGBTQ Issues’s organizational culture and values, championing equity, collaboration, and transparency both internally and externally, and foster an environment where these core principles guide decision-making, relationships, and organizational growth.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Build Relationships and Raise Funds (approximately 35% of the role)

Lead Organizational Fundraising

• In collaboration with the President and Director of External Affairs, serve as the primary owner of our fundraising and development strategy. 
• Advance the organization’s annual fundraising strategy to ensure sustainable resources from a diverse range of revenue streams, including growing support from individual donors.

Philanthropic Outreach

• Own and develop a robust strategy to build and organize with donor advisors and high-net-worth individuals. Build and facilitate regular offerings to support this community in moving increased resources to LGBTQ+ issues and organizations.
• Serve as a thought partner and strategic advisor with the President to develop and implement strategy for approaching and engaging key donors and donor advisors to increase organizational revenue, and funding for US based LGBTQ movements at large.
• Supervise and support the Director of External Affairs to implement a robust institutional membership engagement strategy, centering long-term and strategic relationship building. 
• Support the Director of External Affairs and larger team in effectively cultivating relationships across Funders’ membership network, evaluating the impact of our membership engagement strategy, and ensuring we are effectively communicating wins and successes to our network.
• In coordination with the Director of External Affairs and the Communications and Storytelling Officer, serve as the lead project manager in curating organization-wide in-person and virtual events, receptions, and other engagement opportunities for the advancement of LGBTQ philanthropy.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the philanthropic landscape, including emerging industry trends, funding priorities, and gaps.
• Represent Funders for LGBTQ Issues through public speaking engagements at philanthropic and movement conferences and convenings.
• Build and maintain strategic partnerships across the sector to expand investment and engagement with the organization. 

Oversee Implementation of Organizational Communications Strategy (approximately 20% of the role)

• Serve as the ultimate manager of Funders’ external communications strategy; work with Communications and Storytelling Officer to ensure that all communications are relevant, timely, aligned with our strategic plan, and center racial, gender, and economic justice. This includes engaging with press and media outlets and expanding the organization’s media presence. 
• Supervise and support Communications and Storytelling Officer in the day to day implementation of the organizational communication strategy, including approval of all external facing communications such as our podcast, newsletters, reports, social media posts, etc.

Build and implement engagement strategy to attract donor advisors and high net worth individuals to the Funder for LGBTQ Issues’ network (approximately 35% of the role)

• Work closely with the President and consultants to develop an effective strategy to cultivate donor advisors and high net worth individuals. 
• Develop and execute short and long term goals to attract and retain donor advisors to our network, inclusive of recommendations for programming, convening and other tactics.
• Partner with team, board and wider community of stakeholders to implement strategy and cultivate buy-in.

Serve as a member of the Senior Team (approximately 10% of the role)

• As part of the executive leadership team, collaborate to set organizational goals, work plans, meetings, retreats, strategy, and calendaring for your department and the organization
• Provide thought leadership to the President as part of senior team; advise the President of emergent trends, opportunities and challenges, and support responsive problem solving
• Ensure organization’s day to day activities support the advancement of our 2024 to 2027 strategic plan 
• Represent the organization publicly at convenings and other engagements 
• Collaborate with Funders' other teams to co-create strategy and systems for organizational efficiency and effectiveness
• Along with the rest of the executive team, be a driver of organizational culture and a champion for organizational values
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrable success in organizing with donor advisor networks and high net worth donors. Proven ability to secure major gifts (six figures or more)
• Outstanding communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders and produce compelling written and digital materials.
• Exceptional mastery of both big-picture communications and branding strategy as well as a wide range of specific tactics and technological tools essential for effective communications.
• A strong commitment to social justice combined with a pragmatic, problem-solving approach and an openness to understanding and engaging people and institutions representing diverse viewpoints and theories of change.
• Broad understanding and commitment to LGBTQ issues, and, ideally, in-depth knowledge of at least one or two subject areas that affect LGBTQ communities, such as LGBTQ youth, marriage equality and family recognition, education, and LGBTQ communities of color.
• A skilled people manager and leader who models integrity, accountability, minimum of seven years of experience in supervising staff.
• Key qualities include trustworthiness, empathy, deep self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
• Someone with a strategist’s mind who excels at visioning, goal setting, and implementing big ideas into action, and who has a successful track record of taking a concept from idea to implementation.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in fundraising and non-profit experience preferred.
• Experience with CRM systems and the ability to motivate teams to keep systems up-to-date.
  
  

REMOTE WORK AND MONTHLY STIPENDS

This role is remote to the continental U.S. Our staff is permanently remote. FLGBTQI has a 4-day, 32-hour work week, and our offices are closed on Fridays. All staff are given the opportunity for an office rental $350 monthly stipend. All staff receive a monthly stipend of $100 for internet and cell phone. 

VACCINATION AND BOOSTER REQUIRED

FLGBTQI mandates full vaccinations for all employees except for employees with valid medical waivers from a licensed physician. As such, verifying an employee’s vaccination status may be considered a condition precedent of employment. FLGBTQI shall make reasonable accommodations and document such reasonable accommodations, including a record of documentation relied upon, in the event that an exemption is granted with respect to FLGBTQI's vaccination policy.

To be considered fully vaccinated, employees must have received the updated requisite rounds of the CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccinations as follows:

• Two weeks after receiving their second dose in a two-dose series, the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines plus the accompanying booster shot.
• OR two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine, the Johnson & Johnson's vaccine plus the accompanying booster shot.
  
  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary is $160,000, non-negotiable. Excellent benefits, including fully employer-paid health insurance for employees and 75% coverage for dependents, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, a reproductive justice fund, a gender identity wellness fund, flexible spending accounts, retirement plan contributions, and generous vacation and PTO. Funders also has flexible work hours for employees’ ability to balance work and personal obligations. 

Funders for LGBTQ Issues values mentorship and leadership development and will work with the hired candidate to identify opportunities to support their professional growth in philanthropy and beyond. 

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS  

To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume in Word or PDF format via this Bamboo portal. The deadline to apply is December 4, 2025. We anticipate holding interviews in January and February 2026. Due to the expected high volume of applications, we are unable to accept phone inquiries.

Funders for LGBTQ Issues is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to building the leadership of people of color, women, transgender, and gender non-conforming individuals. Funders for LGBTQ Issues does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, ethnicity, immigration status, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, or marital status.