Chief Development Officer

Description

Title: Chief Development Officer 

Organization: Library Foundation of Los Angeles 

Reports To: President and CEO 

Location: Downtown Los Angeles 

Work Model: Hybrid - team primarily in-office Tuesday through Thursday. Strong in-person presence and visibility are expected and essential to this role, including regular evening and weekend events. 

THE OPPORTUNITY 

Power another century of inspiration, creativity, connection, and possibility. 

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. 

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION 

The Library Foundation of Los Angeles (LFLA) is a private foundation with a public purpose: to support the work and mission of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL). Through fundraising, advocacy, and innovative programming, LFLA enhances the capabilities, resources, and programs of LAPL, the third-largest public library system in the country. For more than 30 years, LFLA has worked in close partnership with LAPL to strengthen communities and improve civic life across Los Angeles. 

LAPL serves one of the largest and most diverse populations of any public library system in the country. With 72 neighborhood branches and the historic Central Library in downtown Los Angeles, LAPL provides free and open access to information, ideas, books, and technology, enriching, educating, and empowering individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Its programs span youth and adult literacy, digital equity, teen civic engagement and college readiness, new citizenship support, veteran services, makerspaces, and much more. 

LFLA's current annual revenue goal is approximately $10 million, comprised of individual major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation giving, membership, annual giving, and special events. The organization is governed by a 39-member active, engaged Board of Directors and mobilized by a Council of 400+ civic and philanthropic ambassadors who work year-round to advance LFLA's mission, focusing on helping students succeed, investing in lifelong learning, and engaging the imagination. LFLA is led by President and CEO Stacy Lieberman. For the full range of LFLA-supported programs please visit: https://lfla.org/what-we-fund/.  

REPORTING AND TEAM 

The Chief Development Officer reports directly to the President and CEO and is a member of LFLA's Executive Leadership Team alongside the Chief Financial and Operations Officer. The CDO is a principal officer of the organization. The CDO manages a team of 13 with six direct reports. 

THE POSITION 

The CDO is a senior executive role demanding bold strategic thinking, sophisticated donor leadership, and the influence to galvanize a board, inspire and mentor a team, and move institutional philanthropy forward. 

The CDO will be a true partner to the President and CEO and the Board of Directors—helping to set the organization's philanthropic agenda, managing a team of development professionals, personally leading the cultivation and closing of some of the largest gifts, and serving as a primary external face of LFLA in major donor settings. This person will drive the Centennial Celebration and Campaign toward and beyond its goal, define the next phase of LFLA's fundraising, and co-create initiatives with philanthropic foundations that go beyond traditional grant-seeking. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

PHILANTHROPIC LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY 

• 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. 

BOARD AND EXECUTIVE PARTNERSHIP 

• 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.  

MAJOR GIFTS AND DONOR CULTIVATION 

• 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.  

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION, AND INSTITUTIONAL GIVING 

• 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. 

REVENUE GROWTH AND DIVERSIFICATION 

• 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. 

TEAM LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT 

• 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. 

DATA, SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 

• 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. 

Requirements

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

You are a seasoned philanthropic executive, strategist, and leader, with the operational depth and personal drive to back up your vision and deliver results. You have personally closed major gifts. You know what it takes and have demonstrated excellence in building the relationship, making the ask, navigating obstacles, and getting to yes. You are a genuine partner to leadership, helping to set strategy and execute it. You know how to activate a board, to pivot as needed, and to influence donor conversations with grace and confidence. You believe in the power of public libraries and civic institutions to change lives as a personal conviction. You bring warmth, sophistication, and genuine joy to the work. You can hold the pressure of a campaign and still ensure the people around you feel like they are part of something worthwhile. You are also a builder. LFLA is in campaign mode, and it needs a leader who thrives under that pressure - who brings energy to a stretch goal, who sees the current moment for what it is: a once-in-a-generation opportunity to define the next chapter of one of Los Angeles's most essential institutions. 

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• 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. 

DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE 

• 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. 

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS 

• 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. 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS 

The Library Foundation of Los Angeles offers a competitive compensation package, including a base salary of $230,000+ depending on experience, and a comprehensive benefits package: 

• Health, dental, and vision coverage 
• 20 days paid vacation | 8 days sick leave | 13 paid holidays | 1 floating holiday 
• Life and disability insurance 
• Short-term disability insurance 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 
• Flexible spending account options 
• Retirement savings plan with employer matching 
• Paid parental leave 
• Paid parking or public transit reimbursement 
• Employee discount at The Library Store