LA Market Development Director - Civic Partnerships

Gilder Search Group; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

FUSE is seeking an entrepreneurial Senior Director, Market Development to lead Los Angeles market strategy, partnerships, and funding, advancing executive fellowship opportunities across government and philanthropy. You will build multi-year roadmaps, mobilize cross-sector teams, and shape sustained engagement with LA and select Western markets.

Reporting to the VP of Strategic Partnerships, you will oversee strategy development, funding pathways, and strategic partnerships, guiding contracts

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in partnership development, strategy, business development, or related leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing multi-year market or partnership plans that align multiple institutions, funding sources, and initiatives around a shared agenda.
• Demonstrated experience assembling resources from multiple sources to move initiatives from concept to funded implementation.
• Demonstrated experience convening senior cross-sector stakeholders and translating engagement into commitments, funding approaches, or multi-year plans.

Responsibilities

• Market Development, Funding & Partnership Roadmaps — Own the development and execution of a multi-year partnership and funding roadmap for Los Angeles, connecting community priorities, potential fellowship opportunities, institutional partners, and diverse funding pathways.
• Market Development, Funding & Partnership Roadmaps — Build sustained alignment across government, philanthropy, civic institutions, and community partners around shared priorities and necessary investments.
• Market Development, Funding & Partnership Roadmaps — Create deliberate funding plans drawing on municipal resources, grants, local philanthropy, and others to sustain engagement.
• Market Development, Funding & Partnership Roadmaps — Establish relationships, funding pathways, and partnerships to sustain a multi-year pipeline of opportunities.
• Opportunity Development — Convert the roadmap into a pipeline of executive fellowship opportunities and pursue opportunities outside the roadmap.
• Opportunity Development — Lead executive-level government and strategic partner relationships focusing on Los Angeles and select Western markets.
• Opportunity Development — Identify, scope, advance, negotiate, and contract executive fellowship opportunities with Operations staff support.
• Opportunity Development — Steward relationships toward recurring, multi-year engagement rather than one-time projects.
• Practice Advancement — Partner with leadership to test and refine market development approaches and inform future investments.
• Leadership and Management — Hire, direct, and manage external contractors and consultants with clear scopes and accountability.
• Leadership and Management — Model entrepreneurial leadership through curiosity and continuous learning.
• Leadership and Management — Build flexible teams and mobilize resources to advance market priorities.

Skills

Executive leadership

Partnership development

Strategic planning

Public-sector relationships

Contracting & procurement

Job description

FUSE is seeking an entrepreneurial Senior Director, Market Development to lead Los Angeles market strategy, partnerships, and funding, advancing executive fellowship opportunities across government and philanthropy. You will build multi-year roadmaps, mobilize cross-sector teams, and shape sustained engagement with LA and select Western markets.

Reporting to the VP of Strategic Partnerships, you will oversee strategy development, funding pathways, and strategic partnerships, guiding contracts