Development Director Jobs in California
Development Director jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in nonprofit fundraising, higher education, healthcare systems, and arts and culture organizations, with openings at every level from associate development director through chief development officer. The heaviest hiring is in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, where anchor institutions like the University of California system, Kaiser Permanente, and Cedars-Sinai maintain persistent demand for major gifts, institutional giving, and planned giving specialists. Individual giving strategy and capital campaign leadership are the most sought-after specialties in California listings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Overview
Baker Tilly is a leading advisory, tax and assurance firm, providing clients with a genuine coast-to-coast and global advantage in major regions of the U.S. and in many of the world’s leading financial centers – New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP (Baker Tilly) provide professional services through an alternative practice structure in accordance with the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and applicable laws, regulations and professional standards. Baker Tilly US, LLP is a licensed independent CPA firm that provides attest services to its clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities provide tax and business advisory services to their clients. Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and its subsidiary entities are not licensed CPA firms.
Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, trading as Baker Tilly, are independent members of Baker Tilly International, a worldwide network of independent accounting and business advisory firms in 141 territories, with 43,000 professionals and a combined worldwide revenue of $5.2 billion. Visit bakertilly.com or join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Please discuss the work location status with your Baker Tilly talent acquisition professional to understand the requirements for an opportunity you are exploring.
Baker Tilly is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable federal, state or local law.
Any unsolicited resumes submitted through our website or to Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, employee e-mail accounts are considered property of Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, and are not subject to payment of agency fees. In order to be an authorized recruitment agency ("search firm") for Baker Tilly Advisory Group, LP, there must be a formal written agreement in place and the agency must be invited, by Baker Tilly's Talent Attraction team, to submit candidates for review via our applicant tracking system.
Job Description:
The Business Development Director at Baker Tilly is a senior-level, strategic role focused on accelerating growth across the firm’s Tax, Assurance, and Consulting practices. This leader is directly responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities within the Real Estate sector in an assigned territory, while building, managing, and expanding strong client relationships.
The Director serves as a key member of the Real Estate Industry Practice leadership team, partnering with practice leaders to shape and execute go-to-market strategies and drive industry-focused growth initiatives. This includes collaborating across service lines to develop innovative, value-driven solutions that support clients engaged in the acquisition, development, financing, ownership, and management of real estate assets—including developers, owners/operators, and real estate investment firms such as real estate private equity funds and REITs.
This role requires a strong understanding of market dynamics, capital structures, and regulatory considerations impacting the Real Estate sector, and is critical to enhancing Baker Tilly’s market position and delivering differentiated value to clients.
You will have the opportunity to:
- Generate and manage a client facing pipeline- lead//own/participate in client pursuits (i.e. client discovery, proposal (pursuit) strategy, proposal development).
- Represent the firm and it’s entire suite of services serving the Real Estate ecosystem
- Co-Develop a sales plan for the assigned territory and report weekly on progress against that plan to senior management.
- Demonstrated ability to craft clear, concise, and compelling value propositions for services and solutions, tailored for both internal alignment and external positioning.
- Lead the deployment of sales techniques and strategies to integrate services and resources across all lines of services and geographies.
- Maintain deep knowledge of core service offerings and effectively position their application within target markets to influence decision-makers
- Create, sustain, and grow relationships with new and existing clients through regular, open communication; ensure performance standards and client satisfaction are consistently met, and proactively communicate and troubleshoot issues as they arise
- Account Ownership; Strategic Account Management
- Support the deployment and drive the use of industry-specific systems, technology development, and lead overall sales strategy for the industry.
- Innovate and grow the real estate industry practice through collaboration, teaming, and differentiation.
- Have conversational knowledge of other major service offerings outside of your team(s) with intersection into your target market(s); to leverage Firm strategy of providing or enhancing value for an integrated-reinforcing marketplace.
- Maintain strict compliance with CRM (Salesforce) requirements by consistently documenting opportunity notes and all related activities, and keeping an accurate, up-to-date pipeline of qualified opportunities in accordance with firm protocols.
- Attain closed business deal ($) goals associated with both new accounts and existing client accounts (as appropriate), to ensure a profitable return to Firm each fiscal year
- Perform regular, aggressive and prompt follow up on all Firm-generated leads assigned from campaigns, or ad hoc requests from practice leadership
- Collaborate with other Firm Industry, Service & Geography BD leaders and practice leaders for an integrated Go-to-Market (GTM) approach
- Perform account planning and key account research to optimize BD efforts and account penetration
- Make primary out-reach efforts, coordinated with marketing personnel on campaigns including prospect calls, emails and other mechanisms to secure appointments with COI individuals
- Coach, develop and lead sales professionals (as well as industry resources) within the industry(s), and support other sales professionals with service or geographic alignment.
- Demonstrate strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and thought leadership skills.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent years of experience in lieu of a degree.
- 10+ years of experience in Real Estate–focused industries or in professional services supporting these sectors (e.g., accounting, law, management consulting, real estate advisory), required
- Minimum of 10 years of experience selling or delivering tax, assurance, and/or consulting services within Real Estate environments (e.g., developers, owners/operators, investment firms, REITs), required
- Excellent sales skills and a proven track record of achieving KPI’s
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to build rapport with internal Partners, Senior Management and stakeholders of varying levels/experience
- Driven and ambitious individual with a strong desire to succeed
- Eligibility to work in the U.S. without sponsorship required
- Ability to travel up to 50% as needed
The pay rate range for this job position is $156,000 to $268,320. Actual compensation is influenced by a variety of relevant factors including but not limited to applicant’s skills, prior experience, qualifications, degrees, professional certifications, work arrangements and geographic location. Other compensation for this role may include performance and sales-based commissions.
Baker Tilly offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package to eligible employees.
See All 466+ Development Director Jobs in California
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Find Development Director JobsDevelopment Director Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Development Director Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals22
- Technology & Software13
- Staffing & Recruiting7
- Consulting & Professional Services6
- Education5
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in development director jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in communications, nonprofit management, public administration, or a related field
- Proven experience managing major gifts, planned giving, or capital campaigns
- Demonstrated ability to cultivate and steward relationships with major donors and foundations
- Familiarity with California's philanthropic landscape, including community foundations and regional grantmakers
- Experience with donor management platforms such as Salesforce Nonprofit, Raiser's Edge, or Blackbaud
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for grant writing, appeals, and board presentations
Development Director Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a development director in California?
Most development directors in California follow a path that begins with a bachelor's degree in communications, nonprofit management, or a related field, followed by several years in development associate or major gifts officer roles within California nonprofits, universities, or healthcare systems. California has no state-issued license for fundraising professionals, but the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential is widely recognized by California employers and signals professional credibility. Large institutions in the UC and CSU systems frequently hire from within their development departments, making entry-level development coordinator roles a reliable starting point.
Which companies hire development directors in California?
Employers hiring development directors in California right now include American Heart Association, Gilead Sciences, and Revolution Medicines, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's density of large nonprofits, research universities, and integrated health systems means hiring is spread across multiple sectors rather than concentrated in a single industry.
Which California cities have the most development director jobs?
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego account for the greatest concentration of development director openings in California. Los Angeles and San Francisco drive volume through their large nonprofit ecosystems, major research universities, and prominent arts and healthcare institutions, while San Diego's concentration of biomedical research organizations and military-connected nonprofits sustains consistent demand in that market as well.
Are there remote development director jobs in California?
Yes, though they are less common than in purely analytical roles, since development directors regularly attend donor events, board meetings, and community functions in person. About 63% of development director openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting a sector that has embraced flexible scheduling for research, writing, and stewardship tasks. Planned giving and grant writing responsibilities are the portions of the role most likely to be performed remotely.
How can I get hired as a development director in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a development coordinator or development associate role at a California nonprofit, community foundation, or university, then building toward a director title over several years. The University of California system, Stanford Health Care, and large community foundations across the state regularly post entry-level development positions that provide hands-on campaign and donor management experience. Earning the Certified Fund Raising Executive credential early signals commitment to the profession and gives candidates without years of experience a competitive edge in the California market.
Where can I find and apply to development director jobs in California?
You can find and apply to development director jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across nonprofit, healthcare, education, and arts sectors. Find roles that fit your experience and specialty, then apply directly to each employer through the listing.
See All 466+ Development Director Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Development Director Jobs