The Moran Company Seeking Major Gifts Officer for Friends LA

March 31, 2025 – For not-for-profit organizations, these are particularly challenging days. Declining support from government sources, increased demand for their services and competition for donor dollars are just a few of the issues that charitable groups must overcome to stay afloat each year. Simply put, major gift officers are top-level fundraisers. They identify potential donors, cultivate relationships and, above all, raise much-needed funds from key supporters. For many non-profits, major gift officers are, in a word, indispensable. Recruitment firms that can find the right person to do the job are among a non-profit organization’s most valued partners. And for recruiters, the business of finding major gift officers is booming.

Non-profit specialists The Moran Company is currently leading the major gifts officer search for Friends of the Children – Los Angeles (Friends LA). Senior search consultant Angie Heer is leading the assignment.

Friends LA has a solid track record of securing strong government and foundation funding and is now poised to expand its individual major gifts program. For this newly created role, Friends LA seeks a dynamic and relational major gifts officer to build and expand its individual giving program. This executive will be a key strategic partner in leading and growing major philanthropic support (gifts of $10,000 and above) from individual donors, family foundations, and donor-advised funds.

The ideal candidate will be a high-achieving, mission-driven, relationship-focused fundraiser with a proven track record of successful major gift fundraising, engaging board members, and building a culture of philanthropy. This individual should be able to authentically convey the impact of Friends LA’s two-generational approach and systems-change work, inspire and engage donors, and lead with warmth, confidence, and authenticity.

Related: The Moran Company Recruits CEO for Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise

The successful candidate will bring:

• A bachelor’s degree and/or at least five years of relevant fundraising experience.
• A passion for Friends LA’s mission and two-generational approach.
• Experience with donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and regularly closing major gifts of six figures and greater.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills, adept at storytelling.
• A proven ability to confidently engage, motivate, and inspire others to action.
• Ability to maintain donor and beneficiary confidentiality.
• Consistent high energy, optimism, and a positive attitude.
• Superior interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate professionally with a culturally diverse group of volunteers, co-workers, and donors.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor database management.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team, seeking guidance as appropriate.
• A resilient “doer” and goal-driven to initiate regular donor visits and fundraising calls.
• Leadership skills to work with and motivate Board members and other volunteers.
• Familiarity with child welfare systems, foster care prevention and intervention strategies, and/or lived experience in or with the foster care system is a plus.

Founded in 2017, Friends LA is a chapter of the national Friends of the Children network, which began 30 years ago. Friends LA’s mission is to impact generational change by empowering youth facing the greatest obstacles through long-term professional mentorship relationships for 12+ years.

Serving Non-Profits

The Moran Company, based in Leawood, KS, specializes in searches for non-profit leadership, including executive directors, fundraising/development directors, hospital foundation directors, and other senior executives. Bill Moran founded the search firm in 1996. He has worked on more than 70 non-profit searches. He brings a rare combination to the search sector having spent 10 years as senior fundraising staff and 12 years as a successful fundraising consultant serving more than 100 clients.

Ms. Heer is a non-profit fundraising and marketing executive with more than 24 years of experience leading strategic and integrated fundraising, marketing and communications for nonprofits to increase financial support, community engagement, and brand awareness. Over her career, she has led teams in raising more than $112 million to advance gender equity, higher education, hunger relief, and affordable housing. Ms. Heer is the founder and president of Lasting Impact LLC, a fundraising consulting firm that helps nonprofits diversify their fundraising revenue and focus on a relationship-based approach to maximize fundraising sustainability.

Related: The Moran Company Recruits New Leader for Ronald McDonald House Charities

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media