Chief Advancement Officer

 

Chief Advancement Officer

Friends of the Children Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
(Hybrid position)

 

The Moran Company is pleased to partner with Friends of the Children - Los Angeles to recruit the organization's next Chief Advancement Officer.

Background on Friends of the Children – Los Angeles

Founded in 2017, Friends of the Children – Los Angeles (Friends LA) is a chapter of the national Friends of the Children network, which began 30 years ago. Friends LA's mission is to impact generational change by empowering youth facing the greatest obstacles through long-term professional mentorship relationships for 12+ years, no matter what. Our professional mentors (Friends) support children navigating significant trauma, providing each child and family with weekly 1:1 support from kindergarten through high school completion. Friends LA is recognized as the premier child mentoring organization in LA County, taking a two-generational approach that supports both children and their caregivers.

Friends of the Children Los Angeles has a dedicated and diverse team of 80+ full-time staff, including a dynamic Executive Director and an engaged Advancement team comprised of a Major Gifts Officer, External Relations Manager, and Development Operations Manager. Friends LA also has a committed Board of Directors and an active Advancement Committee. The organization manages an $8 million annual operating budget, supported by a mix of public funding and philanthropy, and has a strong, board-approved strategic growth plan with a goal to double the number of families served by 2027. As part of its growth plan, Friends LA is working to increase annual revenue from approximately $8 million to $12 million, further diversify its revenue mix, and add new earned‑revenue capacity through Medi‑Cal reimbursement to foster growth and long‑term stability. Friends of the Children's impact is evident - a longitudinal study by the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon confirmed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs. 

Friends LA operates five sites, with headquarters in Metro-South Los Angeles and additional sites in Antelope Valley, San Gabriel Valley, and South Bay.

Position Summary

This is a hybrid position based in Los Angeles County. Candidates must live in LA County, be available to work on-site in the office at least once a week and regularly attend external donor meetings throughout LA County. 

Friends LA seeks a Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) who is a build-and-scale leader to ignite the next phase of the organization's advancement strategy, including reimagining team structure and fundraising systems to scale impact. Reporting to the Executive Director and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CAO is responsible for leading all revenue-generating and external engagement strategies, including individual giving and major gifts, institutional giving and grants, government and public funding (in partnership with the Executive Director), corporate support, events, strategic communications, and board engagement. The Chief Advancement Officer will oversee a team of three, evaluate and intentionally build systems and team capacity, and drive high-level execution of the organization's fundraising and communication strategies.

This is an ideal role for a seasoned advancement leader who thrives in a growth environment, brings both strategic vision and roll‑up‑your‑sleeves execution, and is excited to help an engaged CEO scale a high‑impact organization in a complex market like Los Angeles. The CAO will be a high-achieving, strategic, collaborative, and mission-driven thought leader with a proven track record of successful fundraising and building a culture of philanthropy.

Roles & Responsibilities

Advancement Strategy & Fundraising Revenue Growth

Design and lead a comprehensive, multi-year advancement strategy to grow annual revenue from approximately $8M to $12M, aligned with Friends LA's strategic plan.Oversee and integrate all revenue streams, including major and principal gifts, foundation and institutional giving, government and public funding (in partnership with executive leadership), corporate partnerships and sponsorships, events, and campaigns. Serve as the organizational lead for institutional giving strategy, including building and managing strong relationships with program officers and institutional partners and overseeing grants management/compliance. Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects.Collaborate with program staff to develop compelling cases for support and donor engagement experiences that authentically convey Friends LA's impact while honoring the sensitivities of working with a protected population.Expand donor engagement across multiple sites through curated events, site visits, small-group cultivation opportunities, and a signature fundraising event.Identify new funding prospects and opportunities aligned with Friends LA's growth goals.Partner closely with the Executive Director and finance team to proactively align advancement strategy with financial planning, cash flow, and long-term sustainability.Utilize the donor database (Little Green Light) to track donor interactions and progress toward fundraising and communication goals.Represent Friends LA in the Los Angeles philanthropic community, attending networking and industry-relevant events to build relationships and awareness among potential donors.Contribute to creating a world-class culture of philanthropy for Friends LA. 

Team & Systems Leadership

Intentionally lead, manage, and develop a high-performing and growing advancement team, fostering professional growth and accountability to carry the organization into its next growth phase. Strengthen systems, processes, and project management across advancement, leveraging CRM and data tools effectively for goal setting, forecasting, and pipeline management. 

Board Partnership & Executive Collaboration

Serve as the lead advancement strategist and thought partner to the Executive Director, with a specific focus on expanding beyond board networks to build a diversified and sustainable funding strategy.Partner closely with the Board of Directors and Development Committee, preparing them for donor engagement, solicitation, and stewardship. Serve as the primary point of contact for the Development Committee Chair.Communicate clearly and confidently with board leadership, providing transparency, insight, and actionable recommendations.Work with the Executive Director and Board members to identify and recruit new board and development committee member prospects.

Marketing, Communications & Brand Visibility

Provide strategic oversight for marketing and communications, ensuring alignment with advancement goals and organizational strategy.Strengthen Friends LA's brand visibility and positioning across the Los Angeles philanthropic landscape.Ensure compelling storytelling, messaging, and donor-facing materials that elevate awareness and support fundraising success.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

Promote the values of Friends LA throughout the organization and external relationships.Comply with all organizational policies and procedures.

The successful candidate will bring:

A bachelor's degree and 10+ years of senior advancement experience with demonstrated success building and scaling advancement revenue across multiple revenue streams. A passion for Friends LA's mission and two-generational approach.An independent, self-motivated, and proactive leadership approach.Deep expertise in institutional giving and grants, including multi-year funding strategies.Strong major gifts experience, with the ability to personally engage high-net-worth donors while leading others to do the same.Demonstrated ability to select, supervise, develop, and inspire a professional development team with clarity in performance expectations. Confidence and credibility to partner with an engaged Board at a strategic level.Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, adept at storytelling.Ability to maintain donor and beneficiary confidentiality.Consistent high energy, optimism, and a positive attitude.Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate professionally with a culturally diverse group of volunteers, co-workers, beneficiaries, and donors.Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor database management.Familiarity with child welfare systems, foster care prevention and intervention strategies, and/or lived experience in or with the foster care system is a plus.Familiarity with public funding environments or reimbursement (i.e., Medi-Cal) is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for this position is $175,000 to $190,000, depending on qualifications and experience. A comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% premiums paid for the employee), retirement match, life and disability insurance, EAP, work-from-home allowance, and generous holidays, vacation, and sick leave, including a summer recess the first week of July and an annual winter recess during the last week of December.

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Friends of the Children – Los Angeles is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to addressing discriminatory practices and working toward racial equity. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local law. Friends of the Children – Los Angeles hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to Angie Heer, The Moran Company. The resume should include all professional education and experience, examples of fundraising accomplishments, dates of employment (month and year), position/title, and organization names. The cover letter should highlight your relevant experience, passion for Friends of the Children LA's mission, and your approach to building and scaling fundraising revenue.  Applications should be submitted by February 9th.

---