Southern California Director of Strategic Partnerships

Overview

POSITION TITLE: Southern California Director of Strategic Partnerships  
REPORTS TO: Director of Development, Los Angeles Region 
SUPERVISION EXERCISED: Supervise other development professionals and support staff 
LOCATION: Los Angeles, CA

GRADE: H, exempt, PSA-eligible 
 
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: 

ADL (Anti-Defamation League) is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry, its essential mission hasn’t changed in more than 100 years: to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.

ADL’s CEO and National Director, Jonathan Greenblatt—an accomplished leader and entrepreneur in the corporate, public, and nonprofit sectors—was recruited to the organization in July 2015. He has injected new energy and brought a bold vision to the agency. Under Jonathan’s leadership, ADL is transforming itself, upgrading its capabilities, leveraging innovation, building partnerships, and pioneering new horizons.

PRIMARY FUNCTION: 
The Director of Strategic Partnerships for Southern California, develop strategies and implement activities to identify, personally cultivate and personally solicit strategic philanthropic engagement, major gifts and planned gifts throughout the Southern California’s business and philanthropic communities.  

Responsibilities

Primary: 

• Identify and cultivate strategic philanthropic partnerships in the greater Los Angeles business community, including arts and entertainment, real estate, finance, technology, and legal industries.  
• Identify and cultivate major gift and planned giving donors throughout the greater Los Angeles region, including participating in strategic planning with senior staff.  
• Develop partnership and major gifts proposals for the greater Los Angeles region by targeting donors, business and philanthropists based on potential for giving and substantive interests.  
• Work with existing philanthropic and business partners in the greater Los Angeles region to identify and cultivate new prospects.  
• Select and help to develop written materials on the agency and its mission for prospective partners and donors.  
• Work closely with key thought leaders, existing partners and top donors to identify new opportunities for strategic philanthropic partnerships.  
• Assist development staff with major Los Angeles-area events, including ArtWorks, Entertainment, Sports and Media Event, and Annual Gala by identifying and obtaining key sponsorships, identifying potential honorees, and creating opportunities for connections with key industries.  
• Cultivate relationships with major donors by networking, connecting them with the cause through volunteer opportunities.  
• Schedule individual and social opportunities and coordinate special events and donor recognition events.  
• Work with the grants writer to initiate and write proposals soliciting major gifts from family foundations and corporations.   
• Assist as part of a team of regional development and programmatic staff on development and regional operations events.  

Secondary: 

• Identify and cultivate strategic philanthropic partnerships, major gift and planned giving donors in Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties.  
• In coordination with regional directors and development team members, assist the Santa Barbara and Orange County/Long Beach regions in identifying and cultivating strategic philanthropic partnerships, major gift and planned giving donors.   
• Any other duties deemed important for this position.  

Qualifications

Skills: 

• Excellent interpersonal and relationship cultivation skills required. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively present information to donors, board members, and staff is required.  
• Excellent public speaking skills essential. 
• Experience working with a diverse team and delivering results is required.   
• Sound judgment and sensitivity to highly confidential information is essential.   
• Technical competence required. Working familiarity and comfort in database systems, reporting, and analysis essential. Reasonable level of experience using Microsoft Office software, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and comfort learning and utilizing new technology is absolutely essential.   
• Creativity, flexibility, and the ability to work with some ambiguity is essential.  
• Comfort working with colleagues remotely across the country is essential.       

Work Experience: 

• 8-10 years of experience required with at least 5 in a direct fundraising and relationship building role. 
• Personal experience directly soliciting and obtaining six and seven figure gifts needed. 
• Experience working in the entertainment industry preferred. 
• Experience working with high tech, fashion, art, law, and financial industry leaders a plus. 
• Experience working with, and detailed knowledge of, the Los Angeles philanthropic and business communities desired. 
• A high level of knowledge and understanding of fundraising best practices and the philanthropic landscape.   

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required. 
• Advanced degree preferred. 

Work Environment: 

• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends when necessary.  
• Ability to travel within Southern California as needed for donor meetings and events essential.  

The information in this job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of employees in this classification. It is not designed to contain, or be interpreted as, a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and objectives required of employees assigned to this job, nor is it to be interpreted as a contract for employment.

Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience.

ADL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Recruitment, hiring, promotions and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment shall be maintained in a manner which does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or military status, or in violation of any applicable Federal, state or local legislation.