Career Center

SUMMARY

The Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts (LSMSA) Foundation is a 501(c)(3) supporting foundation whose mission is to develop and manage resources that enhance the work of LSMSA.

LSMSA, recently ranked in the top 1% of high schools by Niche and named a World’s Best Boarding School by Fortune magazine, is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation is the chief fundraising entity for LSMSA and offers assistance to families in need so that no eligible student is denied the school’s 40-year legacy of a premium college-level living/learning experience.

The LSMSA Foundation seeks a mission-driven, experienced professional with exceptional leadership and fundraising abilities to serve as its Executive Director. Reporting to the LSMSA Foundation Board of Trustees, the Executive Director will manage the overall strategic vision and day-to-day operations of the LSMSA Foundation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership & Strategy

• Partner with the LSMSA Foundation Board of Trustees on strategic planning and annual goal setting that aligns with LSMSA priorities, upholds the mission, vision, and values of the LSMSA Foundation, and ensures its long-term financial health and sustainability.
• Lead, coach, develop, and retain a remote, high-performing team of professional staff. Empower staff to make on-the-ground decisions while holding them accountable for their success in meeting annual goals and performance metrics.
• Recruit, maintain, and support a strong Board of Trustees; plan and lead all board meetings in collaboration with the Board President; serve as ex-officio of each standing committee and attend committee meetings as needed; serve as the staff liaison for the Executive Committee, Legal Committee, and Governance Committee.
• Serve as a liaison to LSMSA leadership and the school’s senior administration; collaborate with the LSMSA Executive Director to ensure philanthropic priorities align with the school’s short-term needs and long-term goals.

 Finance & Operations

• Oversee financial forecasting, budgeting processes, compliance and reporting, and general financial administration.
• Ensure adherence to established policies, practices, and procedures; identify opportunities to streamline and automate processes that support efficient and effective operations.
• Oversee HR practices and systems, including personnel policies, payroll approval, benefits administration, and HR records.
• Lead talent management practices for the organization; ensure staff recruiting, onboarding, development, evaluation, and compensation processes are performed thoughtfully and equitably.

Fundraising & Stakeholder Engagement

• Oversee all aspects of the development program, including major gifts, planned giving, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, donor relations and stewardship, and staff and volunteer engagement in fundraising.
• Actively manage a portfolio of principal and major gift prospects; develop and execute effective strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors and prospects with the capacity to make principal or major gifts; utilize the donor database for portfolio management, ensuring all activities and communications are tracked accurately and recorded promptly.
• Launch and lead the organization’s first comprehensive campaign; serve as chief fundraiser and campaign manager; lead and support the Campaign Cabinet; ensure the LSMSA Executive Director is engaged with high-level donors, prospective donors, and volunteers; advise, guide, prepare, and debrief academic and volunteer leaders in carrying out their development responsibilities; plan and execute all campaign events.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• 5+ years of progressive nonprofit leadership experience with a proven track record of securing major gifts and meeting fundraising goals.
• Excellence in organizational management with previous experience coaching staff, leading and developing high-performance teams, setting and achieving strategic objectives, and managing a budget.
• Experience working with non-profit boards.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to demonstrate enthusiasm for the School and Foundation’s mission, vision, and values.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) or eligible
• Development/fundraising experience in an independent school or university environment
• Capital and/or comprehensive campaign experience
• Proficiency with Raiser’s Edge/NXT or other CRM databases

WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Louisiana resident with the ability and willingness to work remotely, travel regularly, and work evenings and weekends on occasion.

About Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts

LSMSA, recently ranked in the top 1% of high schools by Niche and named a World’s Best Boarding Schools by Fortune magazine, is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families in need to ensure no eligible student is denied the school’s 40-year legacy of a premium college-level living/learning experience. For more information about the Louisiana School, visit www.LSMSA.edu.

Connections working at Louisiana School for Math, Science, and the Arts