Director of Development & Community Relations

About Meals on Wheels West

Meals on Wheels West (MOW West) is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering community-based services that support the health, dignity, and independence of homebound neighbors across the Westside of Los Angeles. For more than 50 years, MOW West has addressed food insecurity and social isolation through nutritious meal delivery, wellness checks, and a friendly calling program that connects clients to critical social services. Serving aging neighbors, veterans, individuals with physical or mental disabilities, transitional care patients, and people transitioning out of homelessness, MOW West has evolved beyond meal delivery to a holistic model of care - Delivering More Than a Meal. The organization serves diverse and iconic communities including Venice, Pacific Palisades, Marina del Rey, Mar Vista/Del Rey, and Malibu.

Position Summary

Meals on Wheels West is at a pivotal inflection point in our more than 50-year history. We are seeking a Director of Development & Community Relations who is not just a fundraiser, but a strategic architect ready to scale a nearly $2M organization into its next chapter of sustainable regional impact. Reporting to the Executive Director, this is a high-visibility leadership role designed for a "builder" - someone who thrives on the intersection of sophisticated, data-driven strategy and high-touch relationship building. As the primary driver of our revenue engine, you will have the autonomy to refine our fundraising model, the platform to engage with high-net-worth philanthropists across the Westside, and the mandate to elevate our trusted brand. This position is ideal for a leader who enjoys owning the full lifecycle of a gift - from the first cold outreach to the final impact report - while serving as a key voice in the organization's long-term strategic direction.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Leadership: Develop and execute a multi-channel annual revenue plan aligned with aggressive organizational growth goals.

• Establish and monitor performance metrics, providing transparent forecasting and adjusting strategies to maximize ROI.
• Identify and capture opportunities to diversify revenue streams, focusing on high-growth areas.
• Lead creation of development insight and input into organizational strategic planning.
• Oversees a comprehensive stewardship program for all levels of giving to ensure all donors are properly acknowledged and thanked.

Individual Giving & Major Gifts: Lead the strategy for donor acquisition, retention, and upgrades, with a specific focus on launching a robust planned giving program.

• Directly cultivate a portfolio of high-capacity donors through sophisticated solicitation and stewardship.
• Co-create and manage a high-touch major gifts program in partnership with the Executive Director.

Institutional Giving: Grants, Corporate & Civic Partnerships: Oversee a robust institutional giving pipeline, including private foundations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) partners, and civic entities.

• Develop and manage the grants strategy, ensuring high-quality proposals and rigorous compliance/reporting.
• Identify and steward partnerships that align MOW West’s mission with the priorities of regional corporate leaders.

Community Relations & Board Engagement: Serve as a key external representative with donors, community leaders, and local officeholders.

• Partner with the Executive Director to equip Board members with the tools and narratives needed to participate meaningfully in fundraising.
• Recruit and engage high-level volunteers and corporate groups to support development efforts.

Development Operations & Database Management: Serve as the primary administrator for the donor database (CRM), ensuring accurate gift entry and up-to-date donor records.

• Manage the administrative lifecycle of direct mail campaigns, including pulling clean mailing lists, segmenting data for personalized appeals, and coordinating with mail houses or printers.
• Oversee the timely processing of all donations and the generation of creative, personalized acknowledgment letters that meet IRS requirements and donor expectations.
• Create monthly reconciliation reports for the finance department and generate data-driven dashboards to track campaign progress and donor retention.

Events & Campaigns: Audit and optimize potential fundraising event opportunities to ensure maximum return on investment and alignment with organizational capacity.

• Provide strategic leadership to establish signature events, focusing on securing high-level sponsorships and donor conversion.

Qualifications

• Related Experience: Five-plus years of progressive nonprofit development experience.
• The "Closer" Track Record: Demonstrated success in personally identifying, cultivating, and closing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals and foundations.
• Strategic Vision: Ability to move beyond "tactical fundraising" to design multi-year revenue plans that align with organizational scaling.
• Technical Mastery: Advanced proficiency in CRM management and the ability to use data and dollars to tell a compelling story.
• Top-Tier Communication: Exceptional writing and public speaking skills; ability to represent the organization to high-profile stakeholders.
• Versatility: A "player-coach" mindset - the ability to pivot from a high-level executive presentation to drafting a direct mail appeal without losing momentum.
• Proactivity Pro: A proactive problem-solver who thinks 10 steps ahead; someone who identifies potential "hiccups" before they occur and implements solutions to ensure seamless execution of development initiatives.
• Strategic Thought Partnership: The desire to serve as a primary advisor to the Executive Director, moving beyond task execution to co-author organizational strategy; this role offers significant growth potential for a leader ready to help shape the future of the agency.
• Local Network (preferred): Deep familiarity with the Los Angeles/Westside philanthropic landscape.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Ability to travel throughout the Westside of Los Angeles (Santa Monica, Venice, Malibu, etc.) for donor meetings, community events, site visits and mission-related impact work (meal deliveries). A valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation is required.
• Ability to stand/walk for 2–4 hours during events, tour and other engagements.
• Ability to sit/stand for extended periods of office work (operating computer, phone, other office equipment)
• Ability to lift a minimum of 25 lbs (e.g., event supplies or mail bins).

Position Details

• Status: Full-time, exempt
• Location: Hybrid in Santa Monica, CA, with local travel required
• Compensation: Current expected range is $78,000 – $95,000 (NOTE: this is negotiable based on experience and impact)

Interested Candidates:

If you are a development professional who is ready to own your strategy and see the immediate impact of your work in your own backyard, we want to talk to you. Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to director@mealsonwheelswest.org outlining their specific fundraising leadership wins and their interest in scaling the mission of Meals on Wheels West.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Meals on Wheels West is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and internship. Meals on Wheels West makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

Comprehensive package includes medical/dental/vision, 401(k) with match, paid time

off, access to professional development opportunities, and flexible scheduling opportunities upon

successful completion of onboarding.