Chief Development Officer

Our client is seeking a visionary, entrepreneurial, and mission-driven Chief Development Officer (CDO) to build and lead a new era of philanthropy for a prominent nonprofit organization in Los Angeles.

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to create a development department from the ground up—designing the overall strategy, assembling a high-performing team, and establishing the infrastructure to support transformational growth and long-term impact.

As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CDO will set the strategic direction for all fundraising initiatives, including major gifts, institutional partnerships, capital and endowment campaigns, donor engagement, and annual giving. The CDO will also play a vital role in cultivating a strong culture of philanthropy across the organization and its community of supporters.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of personally soliciting and securing gifts in the range of $25 million to $30 million annually, along with demonstrated experience in developing and managing significant endowment programs.

What You'll Do

• Design and lead a multi-year fundraising strategy that supports long-term growth and mission alignment.
• Build and manage a high-performing development team and donor systems that are scalable, data-driven, and rooted in strong relationships.
• Drive major gifts and donor engagement, with a focus on six- and seven-figure contributions.
• Secure and steward funding from foundations, corporations, and public agencies across California and beyond.
• Partner with leadership and the Board to build a culture of philanthropy organization wide.
• Shape the narrative of the mission through compelling campaigns, events, and storytelling that inspires action.

What You Bring

• 10+ years of experience in nonprofit development, with at least 8 years in a leadership role.
• A proven track record in securing major gifts, managing donor pipelines, and building or scaling successful development teams.
• Deep knowledge of fundraising best practices and compliance, especially in California's nonprofit and philanthropic landscape.
• Experience in building systems, tools, and teams from scratch.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• A commitment to equity, integrity, and community-centered leadership.

Why This Role?

• You'll be a builder. You won't be inheriting legacy systems, you'll be creating the blueprint and building the structure yourself.
• You'll work alongside values-aligned leaders committed to transparency, equity, and innovation.
• You'll shape the future of a mission-driven organization.

Compensation

• Salary: $300,000–$400,000 annually, based on experience and location, benefits included.

Schedule

• Monday – Friday, general business hours with some flexibility needed