Overview
Chief Development Officer Jobs in Los Angeles, CA at Los Angeles Ballet
Title: Chief Development Officer
Company: Los Angeles Ballet
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Ballet (LAB) is the leading ballet company in Los Angeles known for staging classical, contemporary, romantic and neoclassical ballets, for pioneering new works and for presenting relevant works by many of today’s most innovative dance-makers. LAB’s original production of The Nutcracker is an annual holiday favorite for Los Angeles residents and delights regional, national and international visitors. LAB is the longest operating professional ballet company in Los Angeles history.
The Company Center is in West LA and performances are held at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, The Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center, Royce Hall at UCLA and The Music Center’s Ahmanson Theater.
As Los Angeles Ballet celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Company has implemented a multi-year growth plan to increase programming, talent, community outreach, financial health, overall footprint in Los Angeles and position in the national dance community.
The Opportunity
The Chief Development Officer will have the opportunity to work with passionate, engaged leadership, a dynamic artistic team, and dedicated staff while being an important member of the growth team. This position will also direct the evolution of the Development department to align with the Company’s near and long-term goals.
Key Responsibilities
Fundraising Strategy & Vision
● Provide inspiring, strategic, and purposeful leadership for all fundraising initiatives, aligning philanthropic strategy with LAB’s artistic vision and organizational growth plans.
● Design, implement, and continuously refine a comprehensive fundraising program that includes but is not limited to major and principal gifts, individual giving, planned giving, corporate and foundation support, government funding, events, seasonal and evergreen campaigns towards a $5mm+ contributed income goal.
● Serve as a strategic advisor to the Executive Director, Artistic Director, and Board of Directors, thoughtfully guiding their fundraising efforts and maximizing their impact as ambassadors and solicitors.
● Collaborate with Executive Director and Board Governance on board member engagement and recruitment
● Lead the implementation of a modernized annual fund strategy that diversifies revenue streams beyond the traditional subscriber base, strengthens donor retention, and ensures cross-departmental collaboration between the development, marketing, and artistic teams.
● Personally solicit and manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, cultivating new and existing long-term, meaningful relationships that lead to transformational gifts.
Team Leadership
● Partner with the Executive Director to mentor and inspire the development team, and embrace the collaborative company culture that relies on accountability and transparency.
● Set clear departmental goals, provide regular feedback to the team, and support career advancement.
Operations & Planning
● Develop, manage, and organize the Development Department’s annual operating plan, including income forecasts and expense budgets.
● Establish a long-term fundraising vision and create a multi-year campaign strategy that includes comprehensive/capital campaigns to meet organizational growth and artistic goals.
● Ensure the highest standards of operational excellence, reporting, and donor data management, with optimal use of the Company’s CRM.
External Engagement & Advocacy
● Represent LAB with credibility and passion to donors, peer organizations, civic leaders, funders, and the broader community.
● Attend performances, cultivation events, and special programming, strengthening relationships and elevating the organization’s visibility.
Qualifications & Experience
● A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in philanthropy and advancement within an arts nonprofit organization.
● Knowledge of the Los Angeles arts philanthropy landscape is preferred.
● Demonstrated success leading and developing comprehensive fundraising programs, including 6-7 figure principal gifts, foundation relations, and capital campaign experience.
● Hands-on experience in donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, as well as familiarity with planned giving, grants, and annual fund strategies.
● Strategic planning development and implementation experience.
● Senior-level staff management experience, with a strong track record of building and motivating high-performing teams.
● Exceptional interpersonal, communication, organization, and presentation skills, with the ability to inspire confidence among donors, volunteers, and colleagues.
● Experience with CRMs and donor management systems, and proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint strongly preferred.
● Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or CFRE a plus.
Evening and weekend availability is required to support performances, events, and high-level donor engagement.
Compensation
$150,000 plus bonus plan
100% Employer-paid medical plan
401k Retirement plan
15 PTO days
7 Paid holidays
Flexible comp days
Hybrid work schedule
Reports to
Executive Director
Departmental Reports
Director of Development
Development Operations & Database Manager
Grant Writer
Seasonal Event Producer
To apply
Please email a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Use subject line Chief Development Officer
LAB provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
