Job Title: Development Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Job Type: Part Time/20 Hours Sept.-Oct. 2026, Full Time Beginning November 2026
Compensation: $65,000 - $70,000 annually based on experience
Company Location: 4343 Leimert Park Blvd. Los Angeles 90008
Work Location: Hybrid / South Los Angeles
About LA Commons
Everyone has a story to tell. LA Commons, a 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit organization, is on a mission to engage communities in artistic and cultural expression that tells their unique stories and serves as a basis for dialogue, interaction and a shared understanding of Los Angeles. Through community-based art programs, centered on youth leadership development, we help diverse, generally low-income neighborhoods. LA Commons, a 501(c)(3) arts nonprofit organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer: minority/female/disability/veteran.
Benefits and Workplace Practices
Employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance, paid time off, life insurance, long term disability insurance and a retirement plan. Additional perks include a monthly work-from-home allowance and extra paid holidays during the summer and year-end periods. The organization maintains a structured review process (at 90 days, 6 months, and annually) focused on alignment and growth. Annual cost-of-living salary adjustments are benchmarked to the LA County Living Wage (contingent on budget performance). Pay transparency and equity are core organizational commitments.
Overview
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Development Manager is an integral part of the LA Commons team and a passionate ambassador for the organization’s mission. This role is centered on building relationships, sharing the story of LA Commons’ work, and connecting people to opportunities to support arts, culture, and community expression throughout Los Angeles.
The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys meeting new people, building genuine connections, and advocating for work they believe in. They are a thoughtful communicator, enthusiastic collaborator, and natural host who can bring people together around a shared purpose. The Development Manager will help grow individual giving, strengthen relationships with LA Commons supporters, develop fundraising communications, support sponsorship efforts, and lead the planning and execution of LA Commons’ annual Colors of Connection Fundraising Gala.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Develop and implement fundraising strategies that grow individual giving through donor cultivation, stewardship, and engagement efforts.
- Support sponsorship development in collaboration with the Development team, including outreach, stewardship, and fulfillment of sponsor benefits for the annual fundraising gala.
- Partner with the Executive Director, Development team, fundraising consultants, and Board Fundraising Committee to advance fundraising initiatives and donor engagement strategies.
- Participate in Board of Directors and Fundraising Committee meetings, including preparing materials and updates related to fundraising initiatives.
- Lead the planning and execution of LA Commons’ annual Colors of Connection fundraising gala, collaborating with staff, consultants, vendors, and volunteers to create a successful and memorable event.
- Develop donor and fundraising communications and materials, including annual appeals, sponsorship packets, proposals, donor acknowledgments, and storytelling efforts in collaboration with the Communications team.
- Maintain accurate donor and fundraising information in the CRM, including updating donor relationships, tracking cultivation and fundraising initiatives, and collaborating with Operations on gift tracking, data management, and reporting.
Requirements
- Excellent and patient communicator across all verbal, visual, and written channels; able to relate openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
- Highly organized multi-tasker with a project management mindset and the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, and collaborative projects.
- Experience managing projects, programs, events, or initiatives from concept through completion.
- Strong writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to communicate an organization’s impact and connect people to opportunities for support.
- Inventive and adaptive, devoted to professional growth based on lessons learned and constructive feedback.
- Proactive, motivated self-starter who thrives in a team setting.
- Understands people and knows how to align their interests, values, and passions with opportunities to support meaningful work.
- Ability to gain the trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
- Experience supporting fundraising, donor engagement, community engagement, sponsorships, events, or relationship-based initiatives preferred.
- Experience working with databases/CRMs and collecting and using data to inform strategy and measure progress.
Equal Opportunity Statement
LA Commons is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage applications from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Benefits and Workplace Practices
Employees receive comprehensive benefits including health insurance, paid time off, life insurance, long term disability insurance and a retirement plan. Additional perks include a monthly work-from-home allowance and extra paid holidays during the summer and year-end periods. The organization maintains a structured review process (at 90 days, 6 months, and annually) focused on alignment and growth. Annual cost-of-living salary adjustments are benchmarked to the LA County Living Wage (contingent on budget performance). Pay transparency and equity are core organizational commitments.
4343 Leimert Park Blvd. Los Angeles 90008