La Jolla Playhouse

Director of Development

La Jolla Playhouse, one of the nation’s leading not-for-profit theatres, seeks a Director of Development to provide leadership for all of the Playhouse’s fundraising activities, including active solicitation of Board contributions, major gifts, individual giving, foundation and corporate sponsorships, special events, prospect research, database management, planned giving, special appeals and campaigns, and overall communications with donors at all levels.  Reporting to the Artistic and Managing Directors and working collaboratively with the Development Team, the Director will lead the effort to broaden the base of support from individuals, foundations and corporations, while effectively engaging Trustees and organizational leadership in the process. 

Responsibilities include: Serving as the leader and overall designer of a comprehensive fundraising program for La Jolla Playhouse; providing clear direction and priorities for fundraising staff; recruiting and training a diverse and high quality staff; identifying opportunities to achieve fundraising goals each season while looking for ways to increase fundraising capabilities and make actionable recommendations for future fundraising campaigns and activities; utilizing key leadership’s time and talents appropriately with respect to cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts; building greater capacity in major giving, planned giving, foundation grants, and corporate relations in order to support increasing fundraising requirements and more demanding programming needs; establishing strategies to expand the pool of major gift prospects and identifying and cultivating the next generation of donors; overseeing and actively participating in all fundraising and cultivation special events; collaborating across all departments to better integrate fundraising into the culture of the Playhouse; and providing a high level of personal support to all Playhouse Trustees.

Requirements include: Bachelor’s degree and minimum seven to ten years of development experience required (Master’s degree preferred); depth of knowledge in all key areas of development including major and planned giving, annual giving, corporate, foundation, and government relations, communications and special events; proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward leadership gifts; strong management skills, both strategic and operational, and a demonstrated ability to build, manage, mentor, and motivate an effective team; keen interpersonal judgment, maturity, and collaborative skills to work effectively with the Playhouse’s Artistic Director, Managing Director, trustees, staff and all constituents; knowledge of integrated database systems; basic knowledge of non-profit accounting and financial principles; and excellent written and oral communication skills.

Send cover letter, resume and salary history to:  La Jolla Playhouse, Attn: Human Resources Manager, P.O. Box 12039, La Jolla, CA 92039 or e-mail to cdipiero@ljp.org.  No phone calls please.  EOE