California Finance Director

Cim; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The Working Families Party in California is seeking a Finance Director to lead fundraising strategy and execution for the California donor community. You will design and implement a comprehensive finance plan and build the infrastructure to meet ambitious fundraising goals.

You will oversee major donor cultivation, events, donor research, and serve as a primary point of contact for fundraising efforts, working with state and national principals to accelerate their fundraising and grow a robust

Qualifications

• 2+ years in political fundraising, with federal or statewide campaign preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects.
• Experience coordinating with stakeholders and managing timelines.
• Attention to detail with data and donor records.
• Commitment to building a party for working-class people.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute a fundraising strategy for California campaigns focused on major donors, PACs, and events.
• Set and track monthly, quarterly, and cycle-to-date fundraising goals and KPIs.
• Organize call time for state and national principals; prepare briefings and follow-ups.
• Research current and prospective donors to expand the donor universe.
• Maintain accurate CRM data and donor segmentation (EveryAction).
• Plan and manage fundraising events from salons to statewide gatherings.
• Build donor relationships with personalized engagement and updates.
• Work with donor networks, organizers, and bundlers to expand support.

Skills

Fundraising experience

Clear communicator

Self-directed project management

Project management experience

Detail oriented

Mission alignment

Job description

The Working Families Party is seeking a California Finance Director to lead fundraising strategy and execution for the California donor community. The Finance Director will design and implement a comprehensive finance plan and build the infrastructure needed to meet ambitious fundraising goals. The finance director will also work closely with state and national principals to expedite their fundraising efforts including.

You will oversee all aspects of the finance operation, including major donor cultivation, events, donor research, and serve as a primary point of contact for fundraising efforts. You'll work closely with senior staff to drive call time, coordinate events and travel, track data, and grow a robust, mission, and values-aligned donor program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy for our California campaigns, with a focus on major donors, PACs, and events.
• Set and track monthly, quarterly, and cycle-to-date fundraising goals and key performance indicators.
• Organize and lead call time for state and national principals: prepare call lists and call sheets, draft briefings, track pledges, and manage timely follow-ups.
• Conduct research on current and prospective donors, organizations, and PACs to support strategic outreach and expand the donor universe.
• Ensure accurate data entry, clean records, and effective donor segmentation in our CRM (currently: EveryAction).
• Plan and manage fundraising events—from small salons and briefings to large-scale receptions and statewide gatherings.
• Build and steward strong donor relationships through personalized engagement, cultivation plans, and regular campaign updates.
• Work with donor networks, organizers, and bundlers to expand support and leverage the WFP donor community.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Fundraising Experience: 2+ years of experience in political fundraising, with at least one federal or statewide campaign strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to manage a major donor program and meet ambitious fundraising goals.
• Clear Communicator: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to brief and coach staff for call time and events.
• Self-Directed Project Manager: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment and work evenings/weekends as needed. Plans ahead and finds alternative paths, when needed, to get to the finish line. Holds a high bar even when things are hectic.
• Project Management Experience: Demonstrated experience managing projects and collaborating with stakeholders. Has managed systems to keep tasks from slipping through the cracks. Able to juggle competing demands and prioritize without sacrificing quality. Plans backwards to make deadlines. Asks for help when needed.
• Detail Oriented: Notices and fixes errors that others might overlook. Acknowledges mistakes and turns them into learning opportunities. Has a track record of leaving things better than they found them.
• Mission Alignment: A commitment to building a party that seeks governing power by, for, and with working class people of all races.

WFP is a unionized workplace. This is a non-managerial role eligible to join WFP's staff bargaining unit after six months of employment. WFP's union employees are represented by the California Metropolitan Area Joint Board, Workers United union.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor, or take over sponsorship of, employment visas at this time.