Director of Advancement

Overview: The Director of Advancement drives the strategic growth, fundraising, communications, and community partnerships needed to sustain and expand the adult education programs of the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County (LCFBC). As a key member of the leadership team, this role diversifies revenue through major gifts, the annual fund, corporate sponsorships, and foundation and government grants, and leads how LCFBC tells its story.

Description: Community-based adult education organization serving Fort Bend County is seeking an experienced Director of Advancement to join our leadership team. This position reports to the Executive Director and, working in partnership with the Executive Director, shapes the annual advancement plan, sets priorities, and chooses the strategies to reach agreed goals. The ideal candidate understands the intersection of adult literacy, workforce development, and economic mobility, and can articulate LCFBC’s impact to a wide range of regional stakeholders.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Annual Fund (40%)

• • Major donor portfolio: Personally manage and cultivate a portfolio of individual community donors, moving them through a systematic moves-management pipeline toward face-to-face asks with the Executive Director and board members.
• • Appeals: Design and execute a targeted annual appeal strategy, including digital campaigns, direct mail, monthly giving, and the Gift of Literacy.

Grants (30%)

• • Pipeline development: Identify, research, and cultivate relationships with family, regional, and national foundations focused on adult education, literacy, and workforce equity.
• • Grant strategy and compliance: Lead the grant program for foundation, municipal, state, and federal grants, from qualifying opportunities through submission and reporting, with the Grant Writer preparing proposals and reports.
• • Data tracking: Work alongside program staff to ensure key performance metrics are captured and reported to funders, such as learner level gains, certifications, and employment placement.

Annual Event (15%)

• • Event strategy: Lead the annual event so it meets its goals each year, delivers a strong return, and leaves every guest with a clear picture of LCFBC’s mission.
• • Chairs and sponsorships: Recruit well-connected event chairs and partner with them to secure sponsorships and bring new supporters into the room.
• • Event execution and follow-up: Make sure the event is well planned, with logistics firmly in place, runs smoothly and on time, and is followed by prompt outreach to every attendee.

Marketing and Communications (10%)

• • Brand and storytelling: Own LCFBC’s brand, voice, and story so every appeal, event, grant, and web page speaks with one voice.
• • Partner management: Direct the outside marketing partner on the website, social media, newsletters, and annual report, with attention to multilingual audiences.

Board Support, Planning, and Operations (5%)

• • Advancement Committee: Oversee the board’s Advancement Committee and work alongside the committee chair to make sure the advancement department’s annual goals and objectives are met.
• • Board liaison: Serve as the board’s liaison for fundraising, providing strategic direction, training, and tools on fundraising best practices, and ensuring 100% meaningful board giving each year.
• • Advancement plan: Shape the annual advancement plan, goals by source, and calendar with the Executive Director.
• • CRM supervision: Oversee DonorPerfect to ensure accurate gift processing, acknowledgments, tax receipts, and donor segmentation.
• • Team leadership: Supervise and develop the Development Assistant, Grant Writer, and outsourced Marketing and Communications partner, and report progress against goals to the Executive Director and the board.
• • Other duties: Support the Executive Director and leadership team as needs arise.

Requirements

• • Experience: 5+ years of fundraising, grant writing, or development experience, preferably within adult education, workforce development, social services, or community advocacy.
• • Grant track record: Proven success in securing and managing five-figure and six-figure foundation or government grants.
• • Communication skills: Exceptional storytelling ability, with a knack for translating program metrics into compelling human-interest narratives.
• • Technical proficiency: Mastery of donor management software and grant research databases.
• • Education: Bachelor’s degree required. A master’s degree or CFRE preferred.

General Information: Benefits include medical insurance with company-sponsored premiums at 75% of cost for employee-only coverage. Additional benefits include employee-paid dental and vision, life insurance, and 401K plus a generous PTO and holiday plan.

Email cover letter and resume to Dedre Smith, Executive Director, dsmith@ftbendliteracy.org .

The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, marital or familial status, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, national origin, ancestry, or disability.