Director of Major Gifts

START DATE:

October 2025

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

The priority deadline for applications is September 12th. Anything received after that date will be kept on file and considered if the position is not filled.

REPORTS TO:

Vice President of Development

SUPERVISES:

Manager of Major Gifts

WORK TYPE:

The Partnership team works in a hybrid capacity. This position is based in Los Angeles and is a combination of working remotely, in our Downtown LA office, and at Partnership schools. This is a full-time, year-round position.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP FOR LOS ANGELES SCHOOLS

Launched in 2007, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ mission is to transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education. The Partnership is a non-profit, in-district partner to LA Unified, not a charter network. As an independent nonprofit organization, the Partnership serves 13,550 students across 20 LA Unified schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. The Partnership works within the LA Unified School District context, which includes honoring all collective bargaining agreements for its teachers and school staff. To learn more about the Partnership, our mission, and how we approach our goals, please visit our website.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Partnership is looking for a highly relational and strategic Director of Major Gifts. The Director of Major Gifts will be responsible for leading and implementing a comprehensive major gifts strategy that supports the organization’s multi-year revenue and fundraising goals. Reporting to the Vice President of Development, the Director will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects, and will personally cultivate and solicit six- and seven-figure gifts in collaboration with the CEO, Chief External Officer (CXO), and other senior leaders. The Director will lead generation, cultivation, and stewardship systems, and will collaborate across teams to strengthen donor communications, events, and relationship-building strategies. The Director will also contribute to long-term planning for fundraising strategy, lead improvements to donor systems, and provide key insights to the Development team and senior leaders.

The Director of Major Gifts has an impact on the 2030 strategic plan through their work cultivating relationships with individuals who can provide important resources that fund our mission and furthers the Partnership’s three priority areas of:

1. Build capacity of leaders to create thriving teams, inclusive cultures, high-quality instruction and learning experiences;
2. Hire, develop and retain an exceptional teaching force with an emphasis on math and ELA; and
3. Inform, influence and advocate for policies and practices that accelerate school and system transformation.

The Partnership is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in classrooms and in our home office. The Director of Major Gifts will be someone who is committed to implementing these values in creative ways when executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Major Gift Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Develop and lead a multi-year major gifts strategy aligned with the organization’s revenue goals and campaign priorities
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 75-100 qualified major donors and prospects with giving potential ranging from $25,000 to $1M+
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and close six- and seven-figure gifts in collaboration with the Vice President of Development, CEO, and CXO
• Guide prospect research, segmentation, and donor qualification strategies in partnership with the Manager of Major Gifts
• Design individualized cultivation and stewardship plans for priority donors, including timelines, messaging, and solicitation pathways

Donor Engagement & Stewardship

• Oversee the development of customized donor communications, proposals, and impact reports in collaboration with the Communications and academic teams
• Lead the design and execution of high-impact donor experiences, including events and briefings
• Support and coach organizational leaders and Board members on donor strategy and their role in major gift cultivation and solicitation
• Strengthen systems for consistent, high-quality stewardship and recognition of major donors
• In partnership with the Manager of Major Gifts, ensure strong execution of donor touchpoints, accurate data tracking, and effective use of donor management systems

Systems Management & Reporting

• Ensure donor information, projections, and progress toward fundraising goals are accurately captured in the CRM (Raiser’s Edge NXT)
• Partner with the Finance & Business Affairs team to align gift tracking with budget planning, revenue reporting, and funder compliance requirements
• Provide regular updates, reports, and strategic insights to the Vice President of Development, CEO, and Fundraising Committee
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve systems and processes to support scalable, sustainable growth in major giving

Leadership & Management

• Manage and coach Manager of Major Gifts according to the Partnership supervisor expectations, which includes an expectation of 25% or more of time dedicated to team and individual management
• Manage team member through coaching and a growth mindset, engaging in identity-based learning and management practices, and community-building
• Model effective cross-functional collaboration, project management, and alignment to organizational values and priorities
• Provide thought partnership and collaboration to the VP of Development, Director of Major Gifts, Executive team, and other team members

POSITION FIRST-YEAR PRIORITIES

A successful first year in this role will look like:

• Raise $2.5–$3M in major gifts, including 3–5 new multi-year commitments at $50K+ levels.
• Implement a clear major gifts strategy aligned with the organization’s multi-year fundraising plan, including KPIs and monthly pipeline reporting.
• Strengthen and manage a robust major gifts portfolio through launching a Loyalty Circle and delivering high-impact donor engagement and stewardship experiences.
• Build internal fundraising capacity by coaching leaders (including Executive team and Board members) and staff on donor engagement and partnering on aligned messaging and stewardship systems.
• Advance equity-centered fundraising practices, ensuring donor strategies reflect and reinforce the Partnership’s mission and values.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• 7-10 years of relevant experience
• 3+ years of management experience
• Ability to build authentic relationships and cultivate trust with key stakeholders
• Experience managing collective giving initiatives is a plus
• Excellent organization and coordination skills with high attention to detail
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas in an accessible way
• Adaptable to shifting priorities and competing demands while keeping organizational and team goals in mind
• Ability to work collaboratively across differences in work styles and skill sets
• Experience leading and managing multiple complex projects in a fast-paced and innovative setting while remaining positive and solutions-oriented
• Ability to cast clear and mission-aligned strategy and vision, and bring others along through goal-setting, progress monitoring, and executing day-to-day work
• Excellent critical- and systems-thinking skills with the ability to identify potential gaps, and equity gaps in particular
• Proven ability to consistently apply a lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion to fundraising systems and processes
• Ability to build authentic relationships and cultivate trust with key stakeholders and team members, including executive team members, Board members, and members of school communities
• Ability to build diverse and inclusive teams, including promoting transparent decision making, navigating conflict, and fostering psychological safety
• Ability to travel between school sites and Partnership home office
• Working understanding of K-12 public education sector, preferred
• A deep belief in the power of our communities, the Partnership’s mission, approach, and core values
• A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members
• A willingness to learn, grow, and model the Partnership competencies: Anti-racism, root cause analysis, long-term thinking, teaming and collaboration, psychological safety, and learning and growth

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The starting salary range for external/internal candidates is $129,733-$139,000. The Partnership’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our compensation practices. Our goal is to ensure that salaries are fair for all staff members who hold many intersectional identities, and we set salaries based on a robust compensation model grounded in consistency and transparency. The exact salary for this position is set through the Partnership’s compensation policy and is dependent on the candidate’s relevant skills, experiences, and organizational tenure. In support of our vision for pay equity, candidate salaries are determined by a formula and we do not negotiate.

The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents; a 403(b) retirement program with employee match and vesting; parental and sabbatical leaves; a professional development allowance; and generous paid time off.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Please prepare your resume and a cover letter tailored to this position. You will submit your documents and application via this link.

Research shows that women and individuals from systemically marginalized communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications. While this job description outlines the major responsibilities and requirements to be successful in this role, the Partnership is committed to considering all applicants who are passionate about our mission and can see themselves excelling in this role – including those with diverse and non-traditional work experience.

For technical assistance or support for applying with a disability, please contact the Home Office Talent Team.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to – and actively pursues – diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Partnership prohibits discrimination based on race (including traits historically associated with race such as hairstyle), creed, color, religion, registered domestic partner status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, age, military and veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy or childbirth, physical disability or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. The Partnership also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer, wages, benefits, termination, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.