Director of Development

Hybrid (Expected 3 days per week in office or field)

About Safe Parking LA

Safe Parking LA is a nonprofit organization that provides safe overnight parking to facilitate stability and housing in Los Angeles County for individuals living in their vehicles, and advocates for fair and equitable treatment and resources of the unhoused. Founded in 2017, Safe Parking LA has evolved to become the largest safe parking program in Los Angeles and the only provider of safe lots exclusively focused on vehicular homelessness. We currently operate in the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, and West Los Angeles, including a program on the VA West Los Angeles campus.


Description

Job Title: Director of Development


Location: Los Angeles, CA / Hybrid

Department: Development


Reports to: Executive Director


FLSA Status: Full-Time / Exempt


Salary Range: $115,000 - $130,000 commensurate with experience


ABOUT SAFE PARKING LA

Safe Parking LA's (SPLA's) Mission Statement


Safe Parking LA provides safe overnight parking to facilitate stability and housing across Los Angeles County for individuals and families living in their vehicles, and advocates for fair and equitable treatment and resources for the unhoused.


SPLA's Work


By activating underutilized parking lots, SPLA fills a critical gap in the homeless services system - offering secure overnight parking, access to restrooms and other sanitation services, and strengths-based case management that helps people move toward stable housing.


As SPLA approaches its 10-year anniversary, the organization is entering a pivotal period of growth. The organization is focused on expanding its footprint, deepening public-private partnerships, and building the philanthropic infrastructure to sustain programs like its Veteran and Women Safe Parking Programs for the next decade. The Director of Development will play a defining role in that next chapter, leading a $1.55M+ revenue portfolio and shaping how SPLA tells its story to donors, funders, and the broader LA community.


This is an opportunity for a fundraising leader who wants to build something lasting by joining a mission-driven, values-led team at an organization recognized as a national model for addressing vehicular homelessness.


SAFE PARKING LA VALUES STATEMENT


We strive for connection with others.


We support individual choice . We treat people with dignity, respect, and compassion .


We act with urgency to make an impact .


POSITION SUMMARY


The Director of Development is a key member of SPLA's Leadership Team, responsible for leading the organization's annual and long-term fundraising strategy and philanthropic revenue growth. Reporting directly to the Executive Director and working in partnership with the Fund Development Board Committee, this role additionally provides strategic oversight of communications, volunteer engagement, and community partnerships to ensure a unified approach to long-term sustainability pipeline growth, donor engagement, and visibility.


The Director of Development leads and grows a diversified SPLA's philanthropic revenue portfolio of approximately $1.55 million annually, spanning individual giving, foundation support, corporate partnerships, and relationship-based discretionary public funding.


In partnership with the Executive Director and the Fund Development Board Committee, the Director of Development develops and executes SPLA's annual and long-term fundraising strategy while integrating development, communications, and community engagement into a unified approach that drives donor engagement, pipeline growth, organizational visibility, and long-term sustainability.


The Director of Development will work directly with and co-chair key Board committees such as the External Affairs and Fund Development Committees.


The Director of Development supervises internal staff and external consultants, including an external grant writing specialist and other specialized contractors, to ensure strong execution and resourcing across all fundraising functions.


ANNUAL REVENUE PORTFOLIO


The Director of Development is responsible for growing a diversified philanthropic revenue portfolio of approximately $1.55M annually across the Development Department. The makeup of the portfolio is approximately as follows:

• Foundations: 50%
• Individual Contributions: 30%
• Government Discretionary Funding: 15%
• Corporate Contributions: 5%

WHAT YOUR DAYS CONSIST OF

Development (65%)

Leadership & Strategy

• Partner with the Executive Director to design and implement annual and multi-year fundraising strategies to further SPLA's mission.
• Monitor and analyze the Development Department budget and fundraising performance, donor trends, and revenue data to identify and forecast opportunities for growth, and regularly reporting to the Leadership Team and Board of Directors.
• Supervise, coach, and mentor Development staff by establishing clear goals, fostering accountability, and cultivating an inclusive culture where individuals are heard and supported to thrive professionally.
• Oversee Development including gift processing, database management, stewardship systems, and reports.
• Develop and refine fundraising resources including an annual development plan, case statements, and collateral.

Individual Giving & Strategic Partnerships

• Manage a portfolio of major donors, individual supporters, and strategic community partners utilizing moves management best practices.
• Implement cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and recognition strategies that underscore SPLA's values of gratitude, respect, and kindness.
• Oversee strategy for corporate partnerships and sponsorship development.
• Lead annual giving campaigns including recurring appeals and new campaigns.

Donor Events

• Provide strategic leadership for fundraising events, donor cultivation gatherings, and stewardship activities.
• Collaborate with Leadership Team, Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff to maximize engagement, participation, visibility, and fundraising outcomes.
• Evaluate event performance and identify opportunities to strengthen donor relationships and increase revenue.

Foundation Relations

• Lead SPLA's strategy for institutional funders while supervising staff and contractors responsible for letters of intent, proposals, submissions, and reporting.
• Oversee the Development Manager's management of the organizational grants calendar and pipeline.
• Collaborate with Finance & Administration, Lot Operations, and Programs to ensure program activity, grant spending and reporting are in compliance with the law and in alignment with funder requirements and expectations.

Community Engagement (35%)

Communications & Storytelling

• Oversee strategic management of communications including donor-centric storytelling.
• Supervise Communications staff responsible for website management, social media, email marketing, annual reports, and other digital communications.
• Ensure consistency of branding and messaging to reflect SPLA's mission and values.
• Translate participant outcomes into compelling stories of impact as a core driver of visibility, fundraising, and donor engagement.

Volunteer Management

• Supervise staff responsible for volunteer recruitment, onboarding, stewardship, and recognition.
• Oversee the Development team's efforts to develop meaningful volunteer appreciation and engagement opportunities that strengthen long-term community involvement.
• Ensure volunteer engagement reflects SPLA's equity-centered and trauma-informed values.

Community Development

• Cultivate partnerships with community organizations, civic leaders, and other stakeholders to advance SPLA's mission.
• Help elevate and position SPLA as a nationally recognized leader in addressing vehicular homelessness through thoughtful advocacy, strategic partnerships, and other community engagement.

DIRECT SUPERVISION

Internal

• Development Manager (Full Time)
• Marketing & Communications Coordinator (Full Time)
• Community Engagement & Giving Officer (Full Time)
• Donor Database Administrator (Part Time)

External

• Grant Writer (Contract)
• Additional fundraising or communications consultants as needed.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE AT

• Fundraising: Meet or exceed SPLA's annual philanthropic fundraising goals of $1.55M.
• Revenue Diversification: Strengthen, diversify, and grow philanthropic revenue through foundation, individual, government, and corporate giving.
• Major Donor Pipeline: Expand the major donor pipeline while improving donor retention through effective stewardship.
• Board Engagement: Increase Board engagement in all aspects of the donor lifecycle, including 100% participation in SPLA's give/get.
• Development Team Excellence: Nurture trust and respect among a collaborative, high-performing Development team.
• Interdepartmental Collaboration: Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration to ensure fundraising strategies are informed by programmatic and operational data.
• Event Execution: Strategize and implement public-facing SPLA events to cultivate new donors and increase visibility in preparation for SPLA's 10-year anniversary in 2027.

QUALIFICATIONSREQUIRED

• 5+ years ofprogressively responsible nonprofit fundraising and development experience with demonstrated success at securing foundation funding, major gifts, and corporate partnerships for an annual fundraising portfolio totaling $1MM+.
• 3+ years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, strategic thinking, and ability to balance competing priorities with sound judgement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (including Teams) and donor CRM systems. Experience with Donor Perfect is preferred.
• Strong communications and public speaking skills, and the ability to communicate ideas with enthusiasm to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity-centered, trauma-informed leadership and practices.
• Passion for SPLA's mission. Experience in homelessness, housing, or human services is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends to support fundraising and community engagement activities.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Demonstrated excellence in preparing cohesive reports, grant proposals, and professional correspondence.
• Demonstrated excellence in presenting information to the Executive Director, Leadership Team, Board of Directors, donors, partner organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated excellence in responding effectively and compassionately to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.
• Spanish or other language skills is desired but not required.

REASONING ABILITY

• Demonstrated excellence in evaluating complex situations, analyzing data, and developing solutions-oriented strategies.
• Demonstrated excellence in reading, analyzing, and interpreting organizational procedures, governmental regulations, and news alerts from public agencies.
• Demonstrated excellence in exercising sound judgment while balancing organizational priorities, equity considerations, and stakeholder needs.
• Demonstrated excellence in interpreting written, oral, financial, or operational information.
• High level of ability to problem-solve in a dynamic and growing organization.

HIRING PROCESS


All open positions are posted for a minimum of one week via Safe Parking LA's job board here: Careers at Safe Parking LA (gusto.com)


Candidates are asked to submit a cover letter and resume through each individual job posting link to be considered for the role.


Safe Parking LA conducts three (3) rounds of interviews, consisting of a 30-minute screening, 1-hour virtual interview with department members, and an in-person interview at the main office. We anticipate the full hiring process to take 4-6 weeks. If you have questions about the position, application or hiring process, please reach out to [email protected].


The Company is an equal opportunity employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.


All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. By completing this application, you are seeking to join a team of hardworking professionals dedicated to consistently delivering outstanding service to our customers and contributing to the financial success of the organization, its clients, and its employees. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all qualified people. Those applicants requiring accommodation to complete the application and/or interview process can reach out to [email protected].


Salary


$115,000 - $130,000 per year