Chief Development Officer

Library Foundation of Los Angeles•Los Angeles, CA

2d•$230,000•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a rare opportunity to step into a defining executive leadership role at one of Los Angeles's most beloved civic and cultural institutions at a moment of remarkable momentum, historic significance, and transformative potential. The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) is seeking a Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead its philanthropic enterprise through its extraordinary next chapter powering the promise of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). The Richard J. Riordan Central Library—a beacon of knowledge and a sanctuary for stories since its dedication in July 1926—is marking its centennial. A multi-year Centennial Celebration and $10MM campaign is well underway and generating real civic energy. A year+ of signature events, a luminous honorary committee, and a library that has never been more visible, more resonant, or more compelling to donors has created the conditions for visionary, transformational philanthropy. With LA28 bringing global attention to the city's cultural institutions and a new LAPL strategic plan, the incoming CDO will arrive not as a steward of the status quo but as an architect of what comes next. Alongside the Centennial Celebration and Campaign, LFLA is beginning to think expansively about the future: impactful new initiatives, longer-term endowment goals, and a next comprehensive campaign that could significantly scale LFLA's philanthropic ambition. The CDO will be a principal voice in shaping that vision. At this moment, when trust in institutions is fragile and civic spaces are disappearing, our public libraries stand strong, and LFLA is committed to helping advance access, learning, discovery, and opportunity for all Angelenos.

Requirements

A minimum of 10 years of progressively senior, donor-facing development experience across major gifts, corporate and foundation relations, special events, membership and annual giving, and planned or endowment giving.
Previous experience in a senior executive position— Chief Philanthropy Officer, Chief Development Officer, VP of Development, or equivalent— with organization-wide responsibility for fundraising strategy, team leadership, operations, and revenue outcomes.
Demonstrated success personally cultivating and closing six- and seven-figure gifts from individual donors and/or institutional funders.
Campaign experience: a meaningful record of leading, co-leading, or contributing at a senior level to a significant fundraising campaign with measurable results.
Proven ability to function as a strategic partner to a CEO and Board of Directors— including the ability to adeptly manage up, coach and activate volunteer leaders, and make asks collaboratively and confidently.
Comfort and confidence in high-net-worth donor settings and skill at navigating complex gift conversations.
Track record of building, managing, and developing high-performing development teams.
Depth across multiple revenue categories, with strong fluency in both relationship-based major gifts and broader fundraising operations.
Strong financial management acumen and experience managing revenue budgets of comparable scale and complexity.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking, donor and board presentations, and executive-level written materials.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across internal and external partners, including organizational leadership, program staff, volunteer groups, and institutional stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Established relationships within the Los Angeles philanthropic community, including connections to individual donors, family foundations, and corporate partners.
Experience in an art, cultural, educational, or civic institution and/or strong familiarity with the public-private partnership model.
Experience functioning as a genuine co-creator with philanthropic foundations—developing initiatives collaboratively rather than simply soliciting grants.
Knowledge of and experience with planned giving, endowment campaigns, and long-term legacy giving programs.
Familiarity with Raiser's Edge or other Blackbaud-based fundraising systems.
Digital fluency: social media, digital fundraising tools, and online donor engagement strategies.
Experience engaging and mobilizing large volunteer corps in service of fundraising and community outreach goals.
Genuine belief in the transformative power of public libraries and civic institutions.
Executive presence: poise, authority, and warmth in high-stakes settings with donors, board members, community leaders, and institutional partners.
Cultural competence and authentic appreciation for the diversity of people and communities LAPL serves.
Emotional intelligence and professional maturity: the ability to read a room, manage tension, build trust, and sustain relationships with respect and effective communication.
A builder's orientation: vision, initiative, and creative drive toward what's possible, however bold the goal.
Intellectual curiosity, optimism, and genuine creativity in the face of complex challenges.
A lover of books and ideas who enjoys connecting with stakeholders about the literary and cultural landscape.
Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of leadership and organizational culture.

Responsibilities

In close partnership with the President and CEO, develop and execute a comprehensive, multi-year philanthropic strategy across all revenue categories and donor audiences.
Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Centennial Celebration and Campaign—driving toward the initial $10 million goal and positioning LFLA for the next phase of major fundraising, including early thinking around a future comprehensive campaign and endowment development.
Serve as a primary thought partner to the President and CEO and the Board of Directors on all aspects of philanthropic positioning, donor strategy, and revenue growth.
Help shape LFLA's strategic roadmap following LAPL's new strategic plan—contributing a philanthropic lens to long-term organizational planning in partnership with the board and staff.
Leverage LFLA’s own cultural programming (ALOUD public programming series, including Night at the Library, and gallery exhibitions) to help raise awareness, tap new partners, and broaden reach.
Champion a culture of philanthropy, urgency, and bold aspiration throughout the organization and among staff, board, volunteers, and LAPL partners.
Serve as a key partner to LAPL staff and help them realize opportunities that enhance their work.
Identify and develop new philanthropic initiatives aligned with emerging priorities and the central role our public libraries can play in addressing the evolving needs of LA communities.
Serve as a strategic partner to the Board of Directors: preparing, coaching, and activating board members as effective fundraising ambassadors.
Manage up skillfully, briefing, equipping, and inspiring board leadership for donor conversations and asks and supporting their recruitment efforts.
Engage the Board's Development Committee as a high-performing body with clear goals and meaningful accountability.
Build and sustain strong, trust-based relationships with board members, LAPL leadership, and key institutional stakeholders.
Leverage the Council of 400+ volunteer ambassadors as a strategic fundraising and community engagement asset, activating their networks and relationships in service of the mission.
In collaboration with CEO and CFOO, help motivate and align LFLA staff around shared goals.
In collaboration with a Director of Major and Planned Gifts, manage a portfolio of LFLA's most significant individual relationships, with a focus on cultivating, soliciting, and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
Navigate sophisticated donor conversations with confidence and artfulness, including complex gift structures, multi-year commitments, planned gifts, and legacy discussions.
Bring executive presence and emotional intelligence to high-net-worth donor settings: knowing when to listen, when to push, and when to make the ask.
Deepen donor relationships and build LFLA's philanthropic network in the Los Angeles community and beyond, including thoughtful partnership with and guidance to development staff and key volunteer leaders to grow and steward the Young Literati and Council membership groups.
Support Sr. Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations in identifying new prospects and deepening existing institutional relationships.
Function as a genuine strategic partner to philanthropic foundations— co-creating initiatives and impact opportunities that align funder interests with LAPL programs.
Lead and oversee development of new corporate engagement, sponsorship, and partnership strategies that expand LFLA's institutional revenue base.
Develop strategic, multi-year plans to diversify revenue and expand the donor base across all income streams: major and planned gifts, annual giving, membership, corporate and foundation giving, digital fundraising and events.
Set ambitious and achievable revenue goals in partnership with the President and CEO.
Assess organizational needs and establish annual budgets, performance metrics, and expected outcomes for the full development team.
Bring new thinking and market-leading best practices to increase donor identification, cultivation, stewardship, and improve year over year retention across all giving levels.
Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing team, setting a tone of excellence, collaboration, and accountability.
Establish clear performance expectations and quality outcomes for all direct reports in alignment with organizational goals.
Coach, mentor, and retain top talent; identify and address performance gaps or structural needs decisively and with care.
Revise team structure, roles, and resources as needed to support the demands of campaign mode and the organization's next phase.
Ensure a team culture of philanthropy defined by trust, openness, and a genuine commitment to the mission.
Champion rigorous donor data practices, moves management systems, and portfolio management protocols across the development team.
Ensure the organization's development infrastructure— processes, systems, tools, and policies— is built for where LFLA is going.
Implement best-practice tools and strategies to ensure donors receive consistent, personalized, and meaningful stewardship at every stage of their relationship with LFLA.