Chief Development Officer

Center Theatre Group; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, CA seeks a Chief Development Officer to design and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy in collaboration with the CEO, board, and senior staff. The CDO will oversee a ~20-person team handling individual gifts, institutions, campaigns, events, and communications to sustain a culture of philanthropy.

The role requires building an expanded donor base, launching multi-year campaigns, and continuously improving fundraising operations through strategic

Qualifications

• Seeks 15+ years of development experience with progressive leadership roles.
• Experience in major gifts, annual fund, campaigns, stewardship, and donor communications.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy aligned with CTG’s mission and priorities.
• Lead a team of ~20 professionals across gifts, campaigns, events, and operations.
• Oversee $14–$16 million in annual contributions and grow the annual fund.
• Launch public phase of multi-year campaign and improve development operations through metrics.

Skills

Major gifts fundraising

Strategic fundraising leadership

Donor stewardship

Team leadership

Data-driven decision making

Tools

Tessitura

Job description

Chief Development Officer | Center Theatre Group

Los Angeles, California

Center Theatre Group Overview

Center Theatre Group (CTG), one of the nation’s preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles’ leading nonprofit theatre company. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Snehal Desai, Managing Director/CEO Meghan Pressman, and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, CTG programs the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Kirk Douglas Theatre. CTG has staged a wide variety of dramas, musical and classic productions, and numerous world premieres, drawing an annual attendance of over 400,000 visits.

Role Summary

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will design and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy that supports CTG’s mission and strategic priorities. Reporting to the Managing Director/CEO, the CDO will collaborate closely with the Artistic Director, board, senior staff, and volunteer leaders to build a sustainable culture of philanthropy. The CDO will lead a team of approximately 20 professionals in individual gifts, institutional giving, campaign management, special events, communications, and development operations, overseeing $14‑$16 million in annual contributions. Responsibilities include growing the annual fund, launching the public phase of a multi‑year campaign, and continuously improving the development function through strategic planning, metrics, and staff development.

Candidate Profile

• Passion for theatre and live performance, with deep appreciation for CTG’s mission.
• 15+ years of development experience with progressive leadership roles, including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, stewardship, and campaign management, ideally in performing arts or complex cultural environments.
• Knowledge of modern fundraising principles, ethics, and best practices.
• Commitment to building inclusion, belonging, and engagement within the development function.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team‑building skills, with a record of fostering a diverse, high‑performing workforce.
• Successful record of establishing and executing an impactful case for support, strategic initiatives, and communications, and of collaborating with executives and volunteers.
• Experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts ranging from six to seven figures or more.
• Forward‑thinking approach, leveraging new methods of constituent engagement and connectivity.
• Data‑driven decision maker, skilled in modern data management practices and innovations.
• Knowledge of the Los Angeles philanthropic landscape preferred.
• Familiarity with Tessitura is a plus.
• Flexibility to travel.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Center Theatre Group is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, color, ancestry, disability, age, national origin, pregnancy, veteran/military status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. CTG will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.