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Director of Philanthropy

Southwestern Law School | Los Angeles, California

Southwestern Law School seeks an entrepreneurial and ambitious Director of Philanthropy (DOP). The DOP will join the School during an exciting time under the aspirational leadership of Southwestern’s President and Dean, Darby Dickerson, one of the longest-serving deans in the United States. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Institutional Advancement, the Director is expected to be a highly collaborative colleague within the School and with other development officers across the campus.

The Director’s primary activities will be externally focused on securing private philanthropic support; identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic funding from constituents including, but not limited to, alumni, friends, employees, foundations, and corporations; and promoting the School’s educational mission in the broader community. The Director’s effectiveness will be evaluated on achieving financial goals and meeting established metrics. 

The successful candidate will have at least two to three years of progressively responsible experience in development, with a track record of successful cultivation and solicitation strategies for major gifts, ideally in higher education. The successful candidate will have demonstrated working knowledge of all areas of fundraising, including identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, with a particular emphasis on major gift acquisition; the personal energy, enthusiasm, and drive to continually surpass goals; and a strong personal commitment to mission of Southwestern Law School.

Southwestern Law School has a history of public-service, innovative teachers, brilliant scholars, and trailblazing alumni. Founded more than 110 years ago, the vibrant mid-city campus provides the ideal setting for the study of law, fostering an emphasis on community, diversity, and public service. The 2022 entering class represented 62% women, 52% historically under-represented, and 46% first-generation students. Southwestern’s more than 14,000 alumni have included prominent public officials, from members of Congress to mayors and over 160 judges, as well as founders of major law firms and general counsels of multinational corporations. The law school has strong ties to the legal, business, and civic sectors, and its Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute is closely linked to the entertainment industry in Hollywood and internationally. While the majority of Southwestern graduates choose to practice in California, alumni can be found in virtually every state, two territories, and 38 countries.

For additional information on this position, including compensation and benefits information, please see the full position profile below.  

Rachel Ellenport is leading this search with Emily Godamanna and Megan Gorman.

Southwestern Law School prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race (including hairstyle and hair texture), ethnicity, color, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, parental status, marital status, age (40 and over), disability (mental and physical), medical condition, citizenship status, military service, veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by law in matters of admissions, employment, housing, or services, or in the educational programs or activities Southwestern operates.

APPLY NOMINATE contact Emily Godamanna Full Description
617-262-6500
sales@imsearch.com
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