Director of Development

Feb 5

Western Center on Law & Poverty, Inc.
Los Angeles, CA

Anticipated Start Date: Upon hire

Description

Reporting to the Executive Director and based in the Los Angeles office, the Director of Development is the strategic force behind Western Center on Law & Poverty’s annual fundraising. In close partnership with the Executive Director, the Director of Development is responsible for raising philanthropic revenue to sustain the organization’s annual budget through individual giving, grants, special events, and institutional giving. An integral member of Western Center’s leadership team, the Director of Development will ensure clarity and collaboration between the development team, legal advocates, and the finance department.

Under the Director of Development’s leadership, Western Center’s development department will integrate Community-Centric fundraising principles across all fundraising functions and stay informed about local and national trends in philanthropy. The Director will also ideate, plan, and organize fundraising activities to build a donor community that aligns with our organization’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice.

Western Center’s Director of Development will manage a team of at least three (3) FTEs tasked with a wide range of prospect research, volunteer engagement, grant writing, corporate sponsorship solicitation, pledge redemption, donor cultivation, and external communication responsibilities. In partnership with the Western Center communications staff, the Director of Development will collaborate on content creation and marketing initiatives designed to elevate the profile of the Western Center, articulate mission impact, and provide updates to stakeholders.

Additionally, the Director will compose compelling fundraising campaigns that inspire support across the scope of Western Center’s legal work. The successful candidate will have broad nonprofit fundraising and leadership experience and be a champion for racial equity whose approach to philanthropy centers justice and community in external relationships, internal policies and procedures, and the overall framing of development activities.

Responsibilities

Development Strategy

Develop and execute multifaceted fundraising strategy that equips the development department to meet annual philanthropic revenue targets of $5.2M for grants and contracts, $460,000 for individual giving, and $525,000 for events.
Sustain and grow the organization’s pipeline of individual, foundation, government, and corporate constituents in alignment with the organization’s economic and racial justice values.
Track fundraising metrics including overall donor count, identification of new prospects, growth in cumulative giving and average donation size, donor retention, major gift proposals submitted, new gifts, monthly donors, and multi-year pledges.
Manage the department’s annual budget including forecasting philanthropic revenue.
Facilitate donor engagement outreach and activities for the organization’s lead solicitors, including the Executive Director, Board Chair, and Development Committee of the Board of Directors.

Leadership

Serve as a member of the organization’s leadership team and collaborate to align fundraising activities with strategic goals.
Supervise and manage a team of three FTEs (Associate Director of Foundation Relations, Development Coordinator, and Events Manager) empowering team members to successfully execute fundraising plans with clarity and increasing the team’s effectiveness and efficiency.
Serve as primary contact for the Development Committee of the Board of Directors including facilitation of regular committee meetings. Maintain strong relationships with community stakeholders to advance the goals of the organization.
Foster a culture of fundraising and philanthropy within the organization.

Fundraising and Events

Develop inspiring and cohesive campaigns, appeals, and special events to solicit and increase unrestricted revenue from individuals, institutions, donor-advised funds, and corporations.
Manage a personal portfolio of regional and national donors ensuring a high level of engagement and stewardship.
Secure meetings with prospective donors and make direct, face-to-face solicitations. Coordinate and oversee donor identification, cultivation, and solicitation activities.
Create bespoke opportunities to connect prospective donors with strategic funding priorities.
Oversee grant solicitation from foundations, corporations, and government entities including the development of proposals, budgets, case statements, and funder site visits. Manage proactive system to ensure stewardship of all gifts, grants, and in-kind support.
Oversee gift processing, monthly reconciliation, and donor database management ensuring data integrity and compliance with audit standards.
Work in partnership with the Communications Director to develop donor-facing materials and maximize awareness of fundraising activities and community engagement opportunities. Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred
At least 10 years of experience in fundraising at the managerial level, including soliciting and securing five- and six-figure gifts
Demonstrated expertise in fundraising strategy development and execution
Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building, leadership, and management skills
Deep commitment to economic and racial justice, embedding equity in internal practices and culture, and the mission of the Western Center
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with willingness to make “cold calls” to cultivate and close charitable gifts
Ability to collaborate and motivate diverse constituencies including major donors, community leaders, colleagues, and volunteers
Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize competing tasks and maintain attention to detail
Ability to present information logically and compellingly for various audiences
Proficiency in donor management systems and data-driven decision-making Knowledge,

Skills & Abilities Integrity: Leads with alignment between values, ethics, words, and actions; fosters trust, and demonstrates the courage to make principled decisions, even in the face of adversity.

Resourcefulness: Approaches challenges and opportunities with creativity, persistence, initiative, and a growth mindset.

Justice: Applies an equity lens to policies, decisions, and systems to address structural barriers and historical injustices in furtherance of and fidelity to Western Center’s mission.

Empathy and belonging: Creates environments of care, dignity, and inclusion where all people feel valued and safe to share their authentic voice.

Strategic and Adaptive Thinking: Balances long-term vision with the ability to pivot in changing environments.

Clear and Direct Communication: Communicates transparently, respectfully, and with purpose to build trust and promote excellence.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

This full-time, salaried position is located at our Los Angeles office. The salary range for this position is $140,000 – $175,000.

Western Center provides a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, retirement plan with employer contributions and a modest match, leave policies, vacation, and December holiday office closure at full pay. We also provide opportunities and support to ensure our staff can grow and develop their professional skills.

How to Apply for this Job

Apply Now

About the Organization

Through the lens of economic and racial justice, Western Center on Law & Poverty fights in courts, cities, counties, and in the Capitol to secure housing, health care and a strong safety net for low-income Californians.

Many systems keep people in poverty – from institutionalized racism to unjust and unequal economic structures. We address those factors in every aspect of our work, and call out the ways they oppress people experiencing poverty.

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