Director of Philanthropy-Los Angeles

• POSITION: Development Director
• LOCATION: Los Angeles
• REPORTS TO: Executive Director, LA
• SUPERVISES: Development staff, including the Development Manager
• FLSA STATUS: Exempt
• SALARY RANGE: $95,000 - $130,000/year

TRAVEL & SCHEDULE:

Non-local: 0% except once a year for approximately 3-4 days for LIFT’s annual All Staff Retreat in one of its regional cities (no non-local travel if retreat is in home city)

Local In-Person External Meetings: 15%

Some evenings and occasional weekend work to attend events

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION

LIFT’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty by investing in parents. Through direct work with families, engaging technical assistance partnerships, and by advocating for policies that drive systemic change, we’re fighting poverty by lifting two generations at once.

Our team culture is rooted in deep respect for the parents we partner with and for each other. We’re looking for dedicated team members who share our vision that, 25 years from now, LIFT is no longer needed because we have helped build a social service system grounded in Hope, Money, and Love, where all families can thrive. We’re guided by mission- and strategy-aligned leadership grounded in kindness, curiosity, relationships, and a commitment to equity. Explore our benefits and what it’s like to work at LIFT below – or visit our Benefits & Culture Overview to learn more.

*LIFT operates sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, DC, and New York. LIFT operates as a hybrid work environment. Accordingly, this role will be expected to work in the LA office approximately two days a week.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting to the regional Executive Director, the Development Director owns and builds LIFT-LA’s revenue strategy to ensure the region’s long-term sustainability and growth. Co-leading regional development strategy with the Executive Director, the Development Director carries full revenue accountability in service of the organizational strategic plan: setting revenue projections, identifying gaps, making trade-offs across revenue streams, and adjusting strategy to close shortfalls.

This is a strategic, future-oriented role. The Development Director thinks in three-year horizons, sees revenue as a system rather than a set of activities, and builds fundraising capacity beyond themselves — across staff, board, and systems. They independently manage a pipeline of 100+ prospects, activate the board for fundraising accountability, supervise development staff, and design scalable fundraising infrastructure in partnership with Program, Finance, and Communications. Success for the Director looks like a healthy, diversified, and growing revenue base that gives our members and programs the resources they need — and creates space for the Executive Director to operate at a higher level.

AS THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, YOU WILL…

Revenue Strategy & Ownership

Co-lead regional development strategy with the Executive Director, aligning fundraising with LIFT-LA’s growth plan and the organizational strategic plan

Set strategy across revenue streams, build annual and multi-year projections, identify gaps, and adjust to close shortfalls

Advise the ED on revenue risk and growth opportunities, making trade-offs across revenue streams

Ground fundraising in race, equity, and social justice, advancing a community-centric model

Pipeline, Relationships & Board

Own full pipeline health and independently manage a portfolio of individual, corporate, and institutional prospects

Set the giving level structure, retention strategy, and upgrade pathways

Lead funder meetings, site visits, and events, and advise the ED on prospect strategy

Expand LIFT-LA’s external fundraising network (e.g., AFP, philanthropy networks)

Activate the board for fundraising accountability and manage the board pipeline with the ED

Systems & Team Leadership

Set the vision for fundraising tools and systems, designing scalable processes with Program, Finance, and Communications

Ensure Salesforce supports decision-making and establish stewardship standards by giving level

Supervise and develop development staff, building fundraising capacity beyond yourself

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Thinks in three-year horizons and builds a revenue plan that sustains growth, not just the current fiscal year

Sees revenue as a system, not a set of activities, and manages pipeline, retention, and upgrades accordingly

Can clearly explain pipeline math: how many prospects, at what stages and conversion rates, are needed to reach revenue goals

Builds fundraising capacity beyond themselves across staff, board, and systems

Creates space for the Executive Director to operate at a higher level

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE…

Has 6-10 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including ownership of revenue goals and managing a diversified pipeline of major gift prospects

Has managed a fundraising pipeline over $1 Million

Has a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Has knowledge of Los Angeles’s fundraising landscape

Has strong strategic and analytical skills, using data and pipeline math to set strategy and make decisions

Has experience supervising fundraising staff and engaging boards in fundraising

Salesforce experience (preferred) or experience with another fundraising database

Communicates a clear and compelling vision, verbally and in writing, and inspires others to act on it

Is committed to LIFT’s mission and demonstrates LIFT’s values: We let brilliance shine; We root change in learning; We build deep relationships; We strive for social justice; We create thriving environments.

LIFT’S COMPETENCIES

All LIFT employees embrace and demonstrate our organization-wide core competencies:

Communication: You share information with relevant parties in a clear and timely manner; effectively engage with and present to others; and write and verbally communicate in a manner that conveys understanding of relevant information and issues.

Accountability: You take responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work and achieve results with appropriate levels of oversight. You receive feedback in a constructive manner.

Inclusiveness: You help create a work environment that appreciates diversity and encourages equity by treating others with respect, listening to, and demonstrating appreciation for others’ perspectives, and using culturally sensitive language.

Teamwork: You work effectively with others throughout the organization and promote cooperation and commitment within your team to achieve goals and deliverables.

Results-orientation: You focus on results and desired outcomes, keeping team and organizational goals in mind. You use sound planning to achieve goals and get the job done.

Problem-solving: You take the initiative to solve problems. You exhibit resourcefulness, innovation, and adaptability to new situations.

All LIFT people managers embrace and demonstrate our management core competencies:

Management and Coaching: You manage staff in ways that improve their ability to thrive in their role. You empower coworkers to grow and succeed through feedback, instruction, coaching, and encouragement.

Decision-making: You analyze issues and use good judgement to make sound decisions in a timely manner, even when under pressure and/or in times of ambiguity. You listen to and consider others’ perspectives in making decisions.

All LIFT directors embrace and demonstrate our leadership core competencies:

Strategic vision: You see the big, long-range picture and plan accordingly. You adopt a broad view, consider the organization, and generate ideas for the direction and activities of the organization.

Business alignment: You align the direction, services, outputs, and performance of your department with the rest of the organization. You align actions with team and organizational goals.

Inspirational leadership: You inspire others, instill