Senior Director of Philanthropy

About TUMO TUMO Center for Creative Technologies is a free, global after-school technology and design program for teens aged 12–18. Our mission is to create life-changing learning experiences on a large scale, inspiring young people to think critically and develop the hard and soft skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world. Born in Yerevan, Armenia, TUMO has since expanded across international borders, with more than 20 centers worldwide and over 35,000 students participating each week. From Japan and Germany to Argentina, France, Netherlands, Portugal, and beyond, the TUMO model is revolutionizing education and rapidly becoming a global movement. Newly opened TUMO Los Angeles is the flagship U.S. center, offering teens a self-directed curriculum of workshops and project-based labs in fields such as animation, programming, game development, robotics, generative AI, music production, and more. The center currently serves 600 teens per week, with 700 on the waitlist, and has the capacity to reach up to 1,500 students as it scales. The Opportunity TUMO Los Angeles is seeking an entrepreneurial and mission-driven Senior Director of Philanthropy to build and grow a high-impact philanthropic program. Reporting jointly to the Vice President of Philanthropy and the Executive Director of TUMO Los Angeles, this senior leader will develop and execute an ambitious major and principal gifts strategy for our Los Angeles site. The ideal candidate will be a sophisticated relationship-builder with a proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and steward high-capacity individuals and charitable foundations, securing transformational support in the six-, seven-, and eight-figure range. The Senior Director will also design an innovative digital fundraising program to expand our reach. This is a rare opportunity to join a rapidly growing global movement and shape the future of tech education in one of the world’s most diverse cities. Key Responsibilities Lead major and principal gift strategy. Build and manage a robust portfolio of high-net-worth individuals and institutional funders. Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward donors capable of six- to eight-figure commitments. Create personalized donor strategies that move prospects through the pipeline Serve as a strategic partner and organizational leader. Collaborate closely with the Vice President of Philanthropy, TUMO Los Angeles leadership, and board members to align philanthropy with organizational priorities. Serve as a senior representative of TUMO in donor meetings, community spaces, and partner convenings. Help shape a culture of philanthropy across TUMO Los Angeles. Create exceptional donor experiences. Plan and execute cultivation events, site visits and thought‑leadership forums that showcase TUMO’s impact and inspire investment. Drive digital fundraising innovation. Design and implement an online fundraising program that leverages storytelling, social media and donor‑relationship management tools to attract and engage new supporters. Develop compelling proposals and reports. Prepare persuasive proposals, presentations and impact reports to secure funding and steward existing donors. Monitor fundraising trends, analyze data and continually refine strategies to maximize results. Manage and strengthen a high-performing team. Oversee a small but growing team, including a Foundation Operations Coordinator and a contracted grant writer. Set priorities, ensure high-quality execution, and build strong internal systems that support effective fundraising and donor stewardship. Qualifications Seven or more years of experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector, with a proven track record of securing major and principal gifts (including six‑, seven‑ and eight‑figure commitments) from individuals, foundations and corporations in a senior fundraising role, including at least one extended tenure of 5+ years. Experience supervising staff or managing small teams, with the ability to set priorities, support professional growth, and build effective operational systems. Demonstrated success in building and leading major‑gift programs and managing complex donor portfolios. Entrepreneurial mindset and self‑starter attitude: proactive in identifying opportunities, comfortable taking calculated risks and able to thrive in a fast‑paced, mission‑driven environment. Outstanding communication, storytelling and relationship‑building skills. Able to articulate TUMO’s mission and impact with passion and clarity to diverse audiences. Strong organizational and analytical abilities; adept at using donor‑management systems and digital fundraising platforms. Genuine commitment to education, innovation in technology, and improving access for underserved and historically marginalized communities. Experience in fundraising for education or edtech is a plus but not required. Bachelors required; Master’s degree preferred. Compensation and Benefits This position offers a competitive salary in the $160K-$200K range, commensurate with experience and includes eligibility for performance‑based bonuses. TUMO provides comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, flexible time off and a hybrid work schedule.