Senior Vice President, Advancement

Howe-Lewis International; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 380,000 - 425,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Attractive benefits

Job summary

The Music Center, a premier performing arts organization in Los Angeles County, seeks a Senior Vice President, Advancement (SVPA) to lead fundraising, donor engagement, and campaign strategy. This role reports to the President and CEO and chairs a high-performing advancement team driving major gifts and donor stewardship across diverse communities.

Ideal candidates bring at least 15 years in advancement leadership within nonprofit or arts sectors, with capital campaign excellence and a proven

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of progressive leadership experience in advancement within not-for-profit or cultural/educational sectors.
• Experience leading major capital campaigns and working with diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to partner with a CEO and build donor relationships across communities.
• Knowledge of advancement technology, data analytics, and metrics-based results.
• Excellent persuasive writing and presentation skills with a collaborative leadership style.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire The Music Center's advancement team and donor relations program.
• Serve as ambassador to the campus, resident companies, and Los Angeles community.
• Partner with the CEO and board to drive fundraising strategy and major gifts initiatives.
• Oversee development operations, campaigns, and fundraising events to support growth.

Skills

Fundraising leadership

Major gifts

Campaign management

Board relations

Donor stewardship

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree desirable

Job description

ABOUT THE MUSIC CENTER:

With America’s most diverse population, Los Angeles County is the cultural hub of the West Coast and the location for more entertainment options as well as performing and visual arts venues than anywhere else in the U.S. As one of the nation’s largest performing arts centers, and as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County, The Music Center brings together artists, communities, and ideas with the goal of enriching the cultural lives of all Angelenos.

The $80 million non-profit performing arts organization has three divisions: TMC Arts, TMC Ops and TMC Business Services. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Gloria Molina Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—and in schools and neighborhoods all over the county. These programs include world‑class dance experiences with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center; free and low‑cost public participatory dancing experiences and concerts; as well as K–12 arts learning programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the plaza, and Gloria Molina Grand Park, which comprise $2 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. TMC Business Resources includes services provided by the organization’s Advancement, Finance, Marketing and Communications, People and Culture and Technology Services teams.

Beyond its potential for increasing artistic leadership, The Music Center is poised to maximize its role as a cultural anchor in Los Angeles County. That will be particularly important as Los Angeles prepares to host the Olympics in 2028, which will provide the organization with international visibility and programming opportunities. Likewise, The Music Center has a key role in activating a new cultural district along Grand Avenue, which involves more than 15 arts organizations, e.g., The Broad, MOCA, Colburn School, DATALAND, Grand Performances, The Music Center’s resident companies, the Los Angeles Central Library and more, all of which are working together to uplift the region in Downtown Los Angeles as a premier corridor of arts and civic engagement.

The Music Center operates the campus in a public/private partnership with Los Angeles County and is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil.

To learn more about this Los Angeles cultural focal point, please visit musiccenter.org.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

In 2015, under the leadership of Rachel S. Moore, The Music Center began a major transformation to become a more relevant, public-centered, inclusive and dynamic performing arts center. Through the renovation of Jerry Moss Plaza, an influx of resources for free and low-cost programming, a long‑term lease with Gloria Molina Grand Park, a revitalized board of directors, and a strengthened and energized staff, The Music Center has evolved significantly over the past 11 years and is now poised to realize its vision of deepening the cultural life of every resident of Los Angeles County and continue creating an increasingly relevant, multidisciplinary center for the arts. Today, the organization is well positioned to lead the field and to understand and embrace what it truly means to be a performing arts center of the 21st century.

The Senior Vice President, Advancement (SVPA) will report to the President and CEO, Rachel S. Moore, and work closely with The Music Center’s Board of Directors. The SVPA will serve as an ambassador for The Music Center, both on the campus with constituent organizations and to the greater Los Angeles community. The individual in this role will lead and inspire a committed and talented advancement team and work in partnership with colleagues across the entire organization.

FUNDING:

The Music Center operates as a public/private partnership. The organization has a fiscal year 2026/27 operating budget of approximately $82 million, of which approximately half is provided by Los Angeles County. The remaining funding comes from earned income including ticket sales, rent and concession income, as well as contributed income comprised of major/institutional gifts, board support, membership/annual fund and special events. The current annual fund raises approximately $14 million. The Music Center has an endowment with a current market value of $112 million. As it looks forward to the next few years, The Music Center is refreshing the case and structure of its current comprehensive campaign, which is in its quiet phase. The “Let’s Create More” campaign has raised $40 million toward a working goal of $195 million. The campaign encompasses all fundraising activities with a focus on TMC Arts programming. Most prominent among the program opportunities is the pursuit of the Dance and Dancing Vision, which stakes out TMC’s ambitious goal of becoming the premier presenter of world‑class concert dance and the leading organizer of community participatory dance in the United States.

IDEAL CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 15 years of progressive leadership experience in advancement with a significant track record of fundraising success within a not-for-profit institution in a competitive marketplace, and in particular, a cultural, educational, philanthropic, or similarly complex, mission-driven environment. Performing and/or cultural arts background and/or education-related experience is a plus.
• Major capital campaign planning and leadership experience preferred.
• Extensive experience working effectively with board members and other volunteers.
• Ideally, knowledgeable about the Greater Los Angeles cultural, business, social, and philanthropic communities, with the ability to build and sustain relationships across these communities.
• Prior experience serving as a strategic advancement partner to a CEO.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and establish effective relationships with donors, partners, colleagues, and community stakeholders.
• Ability to drive innovation, develop best practices, and keep pace with emerging trends in advancement.
• Demonstrated success as a frontline major and principal gift solicitor.
• Knowledge of the entire range of development tactics to secure major individual, foundation, and corporate philanthropy.
• Demonstrated proficiency in advancement technology. Ability to analyze complex data and translate insights into metrics-based results.
• Persuasive writing and presentation skills with the ability to articulate a compelling case for support to diverse audiences.
• A collaborative, inclusive, collegial, and team-driven style.
• A genuine interest in/passion for The Music Center’s mission and values.
• Politically savvy—the ability to work diplomatically and effectively within a large, complex, and multidimensional environment.
• A demonstrated commitment to attracting and fostering a diverse, collaborative workplace and community.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience is required; a master’s degree in a relevant field is highly desirable.

The compensation range for the SVPA is $380,000-$425,000 plus attractive benefits.