About Us

For more than 50 years, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has been providing free, high-quality legal counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake including: eviction and foreclosure prevention, domestic violence, disability, elder law, healthcare, consumer fraud and more.  Our services support almost 600,000 poor and low-income families and individuals who cannot afford an attorney in our seven-county service area.  With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to ensure that everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay.  As the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan Counties), LSHV is proud to have handled over 12,000 cases impacting nearly 27,500 household members including 10,000 children last year. LSHV is made up of ten offices, and a dedicated and highly skilled staff of attorneys, paralegals and administrative professionals.

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley is dedicated to building a highly skilled workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We are committed to racial justice and promoting equity for all, and we continuously review and strengthen our processes and practices to empower our staff, clients and the communities we serve. Respect is a cornerstone of relationships among our staff.  Our affinity groups are self-directed and provide a space for members to support one another and their shared vision. We encourage applications from people of all identities.

POSITION SUMMARY

LSHV seeks an individual with extraordinary leadership skills and the ability to work collaboratively across the entire organization. This is an excellent opportunity to partner with staff and volunteer leaders who are committed to the importance of private fundraising.  The Chief Development Officer (CDO) reports to LSHV’s CEO and will work closely with the Board of Directors, senior staff, volunteer committees, and consultants to lead the fundraising efforts of the organization. The CDO will manage all departmental activities, including the creation and execution of development plans, budgeting, and fundraising systems and procedures. The CDO will identify, prioritize, and cultivate relationships with individuals, foundations, and corporations, with a focus on individual major donors, institutional giving, sponsorships, grants, and special events. The CDO will manage three people- a Director of Development based in the Poughkeepsie office, a Development and Communications Coordinator in White Plains, and a Development Assistant in White Plains. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plan, strategize and manage all cultivation, stewardship and fundraising events of varied size and complexity, including the annual Equal Access to Justice Dinner;
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors and prospects with tailored development strategies to diversify and grow LSHVs major gift donor base;
• Professionally manage all appropriate annual fundraising methods, including face-to-face solicitations, foundation giving, proposal writing, online giving, corporate/law firm sponsorships, special events, and the use of social media for fundraising;
• Work with all stakeholders to create a comprehensive annual fundraising plan to meet fundraising targets that strategically grow the organization;
• Serve as principal liaison to the Board Development Committee;
• Lead and evaluate a small fundraising team and consultants, and manage revenue and expense budgets to meet targets;
• Direct outreach and fundraising efforts of the Board and volunteer committees;
• Develop and supervise the identification of foundation and corporate funder prospects and the proposals associated with them;
• Oversee all internal systems for managing the donor database, including timely donor acknowledgments and the accurate recording of donor gifts;
• Oversee all communications work including social media, emails, appeals, newspaper articles, and annual report;
• Coordinate the design and production of all development-specific communications vehicles;
• Prepare progress and other reports for the CEO and the Board.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years of professional fundraising experience, preferably in the legal or human services field; an advanced degree or CFRE is a plus;
• Proven track record in individual major gifts fundraising, with experience in the direct solicitation of individuals, as well as strategies for obtaining grants from foundations, law firms, and corporations;
• Familiarity and knowledge of the philanthropic community in the Lower and Mid- Hudson Valley is desirable;
• A commitment to the mission of LSHV;
• Exceptional communication and facilitative skills, attention to detail, and an ability to engage and work with diverse groups of people in an open and respectful way;
• Strong writing skills;
• Working knowledge of nonprofit budget development, implementation, and monitoring;
• Must be able to demonstrate maturity and discretion when interacting with all the organization’s supporters;
• Proven ability to manage a small staff, hold them accountable and nurture their growth;
• Experience working with newer fundraising technologies such as online giving and social media is a plus;
• Be creative and have an entrepreneurial spirit, a positive attitude, and be a team-player;
• Have well-developed organizational skills, with the ability to balance multiple tasks, respond calmly under pressure, and set and meet multiple deadlines;
• Ability to travel in the region and work evenings and weekends, as necessary; must have a valid driver license and a car;
• Facility utilizing Donor Perfect or competence in the use of other fundraising management software;
• Experience with planned giving preferred.