Development Manager

About LA Commons:
The mission of LA Commons is 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. Our programs are grounded in the philosophy that culture is a valuable community resource, art is a powerful tool for telling stories and creating change, and artists have an important role to play in the community development process. Our core participants are artists, youth, and residents of all ages in some of the most disinvested areas of Los Angeles. Through our activities, we empower and invest in our neighborhoods, while promoting greater compassion, connectedness and engagement between people in Los Angeles. Headquartered in Leimert Park, we are committed to investing in resilient networks of youth, artists and community partners in Central and South Los Angeles.

Founded by Karen Mack in 2000, our target audiences are artists and culture bearers, youth ages 15–25, and residents of all ages with limited access to cultural participation. Over the years, programs have brought together many artists and youth, and tens of thousands of community members in an innovative process of grass roots artistic and cultural discovery.

The heart of our work is our “Neighborhood Story Connection” program which creates a space where stories & voices are heard and then transformed into dynamic public art that reflects local hopes, dreams & identities. These public art projects bring communities together, support local businesses and culture-bearers and provide opportunities for people to experience authentic food, music, festivals and rich cultural histories across Los Angeles.

As a national and regional leader in equity-based creative placekeeping, we also work across sectors and with flagship arts & culture organizations to generate wider audiences and greater resources to uplift resident narratives in our neighborhoods. In 2024, as a Community Engagement Hub Partner for The Getty Initiative, Pacific Standard Time Arts: Art & Science Collide, LA Commons has designed a dynamic community engagement initiative centered on environmental and food justice: We Are the Harvest. We also lead a collaboration with the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Cultural Treasures of South LA providing local residents with a participatory platform to spotlight the artists, sites, cultural practices, and tradition bearers they deem significant and a vehicle for furthering the development of their neighborhoods.

Position Overview:
Reporting to the Executive Director, this role is an integral part of the LA Commons team. The Development Manager will advance LA Commons’ individual giving program by promoting the organization’s mission and values, and enhancing relationships with donors and the larger LA Commons community. The Development Manager will lead the planning and implementation of annual special events.

Responsibilities:
● Identifying, sustaining and cultivating prospective and current donors
● Working closely with the organization’s leadership, fundraising consultant[s], and Board Members to develop cultivation plans
● Organizing and managing fundraising events
● Managing collaborative projects with various organization departments
● Overseeing donor database

Skills, Knowledge, or Other Requirements:
● Excellent 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
● 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
● Ability to gain the trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity
● Experience in collecting and using data

LA Commons is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Partners, an Equal Opportunity Employer: minority/female/disability/veteran.

Salary: $60,000-$67,500 depending on experience

Benefits: Benefits eligible after 90-day waiting period; medical insurance, 403b account with employer contribution.

Education requirements: Associates degree

Deadline to apply: July 31, 2024

Documents required to apply: Resume, cover letter, references.

How to apply: Apply here.