Associate Director of Development

Reports to:

Executive Director
Supervises:
Development Associate

Location:

Pasadena, California
Classification:
Full-time, Exempt, Hybrid

Create CA seeks a full‑time Associate Director of Development who will oversee individual giving, major gifts, events, and corporate sponsor ships. The Associate Director of Development will be a key member of the development team, providing critical support for institutional giving, the donor management database, and other development needs for Create’s Pasadena office and statewide team. This position reports to the Executive Director.

Create CA’s mission is to advocate for high‑quality arts education for all students by providing policy expertise and by mobilizing a statewide network of advocates and allied partners. Create CA is the only statewide organization that brings together all primary constituencies for arts education, including arts organizations, K‑12 teachers, professional teacher associations, state and local education departments, professional development providers, parents and PTAs, and interested community members in higher education and business.

Racial Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are core to our organizational values and integrated into our external and internal processes. For more information, please visit (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). and createca.org/racial-equity-statement

• Working closely with the Executive Director and Deputy Director, oversee individual giving, major gifts, events, and corporate sponsor ships, and support institutional giving by processing grant paperwork, monitoring deadlines, and submitting proposals and reports
• Build relationships with, cultivate, and solicit donors, including but not limited to: board members, individual donors, major donors, legacy society members, and corporate sponsors
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders, including but not limited to: fund development consultants, event planners, and other contractors
• Supervise Development Associate (whose duties will include grant writing/copyediting, grant reporting, database management, fundraising communications, event planning support, and assigned prospect research)
• Develop and implement a legacy giving program
• Coordinate logistics, prepare materials, and execute donor meetings and special events
• Work closely with the operations team to ensure development activities comply with legal and fiscal guidelines
• Support the processing, tracking, and acknowledgment of donations
• Oversee direct mail campaigns
• Produce fundraising dashboards, reports, and monitor development goals on an ongoing basis, and provide recommendations for improvement including new and innovative fundraising ideas
• Work closely and serve as staff liaison for the Board Fund Development Committee on meeting planning and objectives

• Conduct donor prospect research
• Develop major gifts relationships, cultivate and maintain foundation and donor relationships
• Support the Executive Director in securing and finalizing major grants
• Implement and refine Fund Diversification Plan, striving to meet or exceed annual development goals
• Maintain donor development database and coordinate with third‑party vendors as appropriate
• Work with leadership to evolve the board to become active fundraising partners, shifting from a supportive to a fundraising role
• Provide training and technical assistance to board and staff engaged in donor solicitation

• Respond to public inquiries and represent Create CA effectively to the public
• Provide strategic guidance and feedback on communications projects related to development materials, including email campaigns and social media content
• Inform the design and implementation of a communications strategy that builds brand awareness and supports fundraising efforts that reflect Create CA’s unique role in advancing equitable access to the arts
• Model and cultivate a healthy workplace culture, including uplifting racial diversity, equity and inclusion values as described in Create CA’s Racial Equity Statement
• Provide other development support as needed

Duties require…