Major Gifts Officer
Los Angeles, CA
Full Time
Friends of the Children - Los Angeles
Manager/Supervisor
Major Gifts Officer
Friends of the Children - Los Angeles (Friends LA)
Los Angeles, California (Hybrid Position)
The Moran Company is pleased to partner with the Friends of the Children - Los Angeles to recruit the organization's next Major Gifts Officer.
Background on Friends of the Children – Los Angeles
Founded in 2017, Friends of the Children – Los Angeles (Friends LA) is a chapter of the national Friends of the Children network, which began 30 years ago. Friends LA’s mission is to impact generational change by empowering youth facing the greatest obstacles through long-term professional mentorship relationships for 12+ years, no matter what. Our professional mentors (Friends) support children navigating significant trauma, providing each child and family weekly 1:1 support from kindergarten through high school completion. Friends LA is recognized as the premier child mentoring organization in LA County, taking a two-generational approach that supports both children and their caregivers.
Friends of the Children - Los Angeles has a dedicated and diverse team of 70 + full-time staff, including a dynamic Executive Director and engaged Advancement team that consists of a Chief Advancement Officer, External Relations Manager, and Development Operations Manager. Friends LA also has a committed Board of Directors who want to engage with this position to actively expand philanthropic efforts. With a $7.5 million annual operating budget and a $25 million expansion plan over the next three years, Friends LA aims to double the number of families served by 2027. Friends of the Children’s impact is evident - a longitudinal study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon confirmed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs.
Friends LA operates four sites, with headquarters in Metro-South Los Angeles and additional sites in Antelope Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and South Bay.
Position Summary
This is a hybrid position based in Los Angeles County. Candidates must live in LA County, be available to work on-site in the office at least once a week, and regularly attend external donor meetings throughout the area.
Friends LA has a solid track record of securing strong government and foundation funding and is now poised to expand its individual major gifts program. For this newly created role, Friends LA seeks a dynamic and relational Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to build and expand its individual giving program. The MGO will be a key strategic partner in leading and growing major philanthropic support (gifts of $10,000 and above) from individual donors, family foundations, and donor-advised funds. A highly collaborative leader, the MGO will work closely with the Executive Director, Chief Advancement Officer, and Board of Directors to develop relationships with major donors and steward them toward significant investment in Friends LA’s mission.
The ideal candidate will be a high-achieving, mission-driven, relationship-focused fundraiser with a proven track record of successful major gift fundraising, engaging board members, and building a culture of philanthropy. This individual should be able to authentically convey the impact of Friends LA’s two-generational approach and systems-change work, inspire and engage donors, and lead with warmth, confidence, and authenticity.
Roles and Responsibilities
Major Gift Fundraising Leadership & Donor Engagement
- Serve as a key member of the Advancement team, working as the primary lead in building and strengthening a major gifts program.
- Develop and manage effective long-term funding relationships with individuals, family foundations, and donor-advised funds with the capacity to contribute gifts of $10,000+.
- Regularly meet with individual donors and prospects to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors.
- Develop custom moves management strategies for each donor to renew and grow support.
- Support the Executive Director, Chief Advancement Officer, Board members, volunteers, and staff in major gift fundraising strategies.
- Act as a thought partner in developing compelling fundraising messaging, proposals, pitches, and storytelling strategies to inspire donors, ensuring alignment with Friends LA’s strategic goals and theory of change.
- Collaborate with program staff to translate program funding needs into compelling donor opportunities and create opportunities for donors to experience the mission firsthand.
- Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive stewardship plan for individual donors in collaboration with the Advancement team. Acknowledge major donors through public and private recognition as appropriate.
- Lead strategy for salon dinners and small cultivation events to deepen donor relationships and expand the giving pipeline with support from the Advancement team.
- Track major gift metrics and monitor and report progress.
- Utilize the donor database (Little Green Light) to track donor interactions and progress toward fundraising goals.
- Represent Friends LA in the Los Angeles philanthropic community, attending networking and industry-relevant events to build relationships with potential donors.
- Partner with the Board of Directors and Executive Director, coaching them on fundraising best practices and helping them engage their networks in philanthropy.
- Lead and engage the Development Committee to help achieve philanthropic goals. Serve as the primary point of contact for the Chair of the Development Committee.
- Contribute to creating a world-class culture of philanthropy for Friends LA.
- Work with the Executive Director and Board members to identify and recruit new board member prospects.
- Promote the values of Friends LA throughout the organization and external relationships.
- Attend team and organizational meetings, activities, and events as required.
- Comply with all organizational policies and procedures.
The successful candidate will bring:
- A bachelor’s degree and/or at least five years of relevant fundraising experience.
- A passion for Friends LA’s mission and two-generational approach.
- Experience with donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and regularly closing major gifts of six figures and greater.
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, adept at storytelling.
- A proven ability to confidently engage, motivate, and inspire others to action.
- Ability to maintain donor and beneficiary confidentiality.
- Consistent high energy, optimism, and a positive attitude.
- Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate professionally with a culturally diverse group of volunteers, co-workers, and donors.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor database management.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team, seeking guidance as appropriate.
- A resilient “doer” and goal-driven to initiate regular donor visits and fundraising calls.
- Leadership skills to work with and motivate Board members and other volunteers.
- Familiarity with child welfare systems, foster care prevention and intervention strategies, and/or lived experience in or with the foster care system is a plus.
The salary range for this position is $140,000 to $155,000, depending on qualifications and experience. A comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% premiums paid for the employee), retirement match, life and disability insurance, cell phone and work-from-home allowance, and generous holidays and PTO.
Statement of Non-Discrimination
Friends of the Children – Los Angeles is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to addressing discriminatory practices and working toward racial equity. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. Friends of the Children – Los Angeles hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Angie Heer, The Moran Company. The resume should include all professional education and experience, examples of fundraising accomplishments, dates of employment (month and year), position/title, and organization names. The cover letter should highlight your relevant experience, passion for Friends of the Children LA’s mission, and approach to major gifts fundraising. Applications should be submitted by April 1st, 2025.
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