About the California Policy Center

The California Policy Center (CPC) is a nonprofit public policy organization dedicated to expanding freedom and opportunity across California. Through policy research, litigation, local elected official engagement, and citizen activation, CPC equips Californians with the tools and information needed to advance education freedom, fiscal transparency, and accountable government.

CPC is building durable policy and legal infrastructure to shape California’s future. Philanthropy is central to that mission.

About the Role

You will work directly with executive leadership and major donors to fund policy change, litigation, citizen organizing, and institutional growth. You will have real access, real responsibility, and real visibility.

The best candidates will be high-performance fundraisers who love meeting with donors, closing transformational gifts, and helping shape one of the most ambitious state-based policy organizations in the country.

If you want a quiet development role, this is not it. If you want to help take one of California’s most respected organizations to the next level, we want to talk.

The Director of Development will report directly to the President. The Director will have one direct report.

The Major Gifts Officer will report directly to the Director of Development. Candidates based in Orange County, California are preferred. Candidates working remotely within California or willing to relocate will be given first consideration, but exceptional candidates out of state will still be considered.  A hybrid schedule is available.

Responsibilities

  • Manage a personal portfolio of 50-60 major donors and foundations.
  • Design and execute a strategic moves-management plan for each.
  • Coordinate and drive activity for the President’s & CEO’s portfolio of 20 top donors.
  • Coach colleagues and leadership on fundraising strategy and execution.
  • Occasional travel, up to 20%.
  • Recruit and develop top tier talent to CPC’s development team.

Performance Outcomes

  1. Raise towards a $3.5M+ team goal.
  2. Complete regular, in-person donor meetings annually.
  3. Work closely with the President & CEO on their top 20 relationships with clear access and mutual accountability.
  4. Achieve 80%+ major donor retention through defined stewardship strategy.

First 90 Days Expectations

  • Review and design 12-month moves plan for top donors and foundations.
  • Begin donor meetings immediately (minimum 6–8 per week by month two).
  • Audit current pipeline, stewardship, and communications cadence.
  • Establish weekly reporting cadence with leadership.

Who Thrives Here

  • Fundraisers with 3-7+ years of experience in development, major gifts, donor relations, or a related field.
  • Closers that are comfortable asking for five- and six-figure gifts.
  • Experts in major gifts-heavy development strategy.
  • Strategic thinkers who also execute relentlessly.
  • Operators who like building and maintaining systems.
  • People energized by ambitious growth and measurable impact.

Who Should NOT Apply

  • Fundraisers who avoid making direct asks.
  • Fundraisers whose roles look more like event planning.
  • Candidates seeking a slow or purely administrative development role.
  • Those uncomfortable with clear revenue metrics and accountability.
  • Applicants misaligned with CPC’s mission and policy priorities.
  • Anyone not motivated by building something ambitious and visible.

Extra Credit If

  • You bring knowledge of the liberty movement.
  • You are a Salesforce power user.
  • You live in California.

Compensation & Bonus Structure

  • Competitive base salary commensurate with experience. Range: $100,000 – $160,000. Exceptional candidates with a demonstrated track record of major gift success and leadership may be considered for compensation above the posted range.
  • Performance bonuses tied directly to revenue and outcomes.
  • Competitive benefits plan.

To Apply

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

  • Cover letter including:
    • An introductory paragraph describing three distinct reasons you are drawn to California Policy Center’s mission
    • Key metrics that show your development experience
    • Salary requirements
  • Resume

Applications should be submitted to Talent Market via this link: talentmarket.org/apply-for-your-dream-job/

Questions can be directed to Bailey Drouant, Project Manager at Talent Market, who is managing the search process: [email protected].

There is no application deadline for this position. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. This job will remain posted on our site until it is filled.

While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest in this position, we are only able to contact those to whom we can offer an interview. Only direct applications will be considered. No phone calls, please.

Talent Market is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting liberty by helping free-market nonprofits identify talent for critical roles. We provide consulting and recruiting services at no cost to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that clearly and directly focus on advancing the principles of economic freedom, free enterprise, free trade, free speech, property rights, rule of law and limited regulation.