Director of Development - Western Center on Law & Poverty

Western Center on Law & Poverty (Western Center) is one of California’s leading voices for racial and economic justice, using the power of law and policy to transform the systems that perpetuate poverty and inequity. With offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Oakland, Western Center is California’s largest legal services support center and occupies a distinctive role in the state’s civil justice ecosystem. Rather than providing direct legal representation to individuals, the organization works to change the systems, laws, and policies that affect millions of Californians. For six decades, Western Center has helped secure and protect access to housing, health care, economic security, and justice for Californians with low incomes.

About the role

Western Center on Law & Poverty is seeking an experienced, strategic, and relationship-driven Director of Development to strengthen its fundraising function and build the foundation for future growth. Reporting to the Executive Director, this leader will join a close-knit, highly collaborative organization at an important point of transformation. With an annual budget of approximately $7 million, Western Center needs a resourceful, action-oriented development leader who can bring greater structure and consistency to the department—setting clear priorities and goals, strengthening systems and practices, and creating the roadmap needed to position the organization for sustainable growth.

The ideal candidate will be deeply grounded in racial and economic justice, leading with warmth, humility, curiosity, and a genuine commitment to relationships. The Director will build trust with a passionate team; collaborate closely with staff, the Executive Director, Board, funders, and community partners; and embrace Community-Centric Fundraising principles that center equity and community.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute a multifaceted fundraising strategy that advances Western Center’s mission and meets annual revenue goals. Build a long-term path toward revenue diversification and sustainable growth.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner and fundraising coach to the Executive Director and, as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, help advance Western Center’s overall organizational values, staff culture, and financial wellbeing.
• Strengthen development infrastructure, including prospect tracking, grant calendars, project management for events, gift processing, and revenue reconciliation. Establish efficient and transparent processes that improve coordination and data integrity.
• Collaborate with litigation, policy, finance, and communications teams to strengthen fundraising efforts and support Western Center’s programs and priorities.
• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board’s Development Committee, building board members’ engagement and capacity as fundraising partners and activating their networks to cultivate donors, open doors, and advance solicitations.
• Partner with and support the Grants team in sustaining, strengthening, and diversifying a robust grants program, including prospecting, proposals, budgets, case statements, funder meetings and site visits, reporting, and stewardship of foundation, corporate, and government relationships.
• Manage a personal portfolio of regional and national donors and prospects, securing meetings, making direct solicitations, and creating tailored opportunities to connect supporters with Western Center’s funding priorities.
• Oversee prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship across individual and institutional donors, including donor-advised funds, monthly giving, multi-year pledges, and other opportunities to increase unrestricted support.
• Establish and monitor fundraising metrics, including donor retention, new prospects, average and cumulative giving, major gift proposals, new gifts, and multi-year commitments; manage philanthropic revenue forecasting and the department’s annual budget.
• Develop campaigns, appeals, sponsorship opportunities, and special events that inspire support from individuals, institutions, corporations, and other partners, while identifying creative ways to engage Western Center’s donor community.
• Partner with Communications and advocates to develop donor-facing materials, fundraising campaigns, and impact stories that make the organization’s work accessible and compelling to diverse audiences.

Qualifications

• A seasoned development leader with a demonstrated ability to build and execute fundraising strategy, diversify revenue, and grow donor relationships across multiple channels.
• Experience evaluating, strengthening, and elevating development functions to support greater effectiveness and growth, including assessing team roles, processes, workflows, and systems.
• Proven track record of strategic fundraising leadership, including multi-year vision and execution across concurrent projects.
• Understanding of the nuances of fundraising for advocacy, policy, legal services, and systems-change work, with the ability to translate complex issues into an authentic case for investment.
• Experience managing a development team, building trust through listening, curiosity, and genuine respect for others.
• Deep commitment to racial and economic justice, centering dignity and community voice in philanthropy.
• Ability to collaborate closely with staff, the Executive Director, Board, funders, and community partners.

Schedule

This is a hybrid, primarily remote role for candidates based in California, with a strong preference for someone in the Los Angeles area who can spend one day per week in the Los Angeles office to collaborate with the Executive Director and the development team. The organization offers flexibility while valuing opportunities for in-person connection with colleagues, donors, and partners.

Pay

Compensation for this full-time, salaried role ranges from $140,000 - $175,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Benefits

• Fully covered medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents.
• Life insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contributions and matching.
• Generous leave and vacation policies.
• Paid two-week December office closure.
• Support for continued professional development.