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California Academy of Sciences · 1 day ago

Associate Director, Leadership Philanthropy

San Francisco, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive

$117K/yr - $122K/yr

6+ years exp

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The Associate Director, Leadership Philanthropy, plays a key leadership role on the Academy’s Advancement team, overseeing high-net-worth donors and managing strategic initiatives to enhance major giving efforts.

Education

Responsibilities

Manage a portfolio of ~75-100 individual donors, focusing on cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of leadership and principal gifts

Personally secure and steward 6-figure+ commitments to advance institutional priorities, with annual contributed revenue targets

Plans and delivers cultivation events and experiences, from concept through execution, to deepen donor engagement—including bespoke, high-touch activations with internal stakeholders and external partners

Partner with the Director of LP, CAO, and SLT on select strategic initiatives or funding campaigns

Directly supervise the Leadership Philanthropy Coordinator, providing coaching, project oversight, and professional development

Assign and prioritize tasks related to donor engagement, stewardship fulfillment, and cross-team coordination to support the LP team’s overall effectiveness

Ensure clear communication and collaboration between LP, streamlining internal operations to maximize fundraising efficiency

Guide the Leadership Coordinator’s involvement in key projects, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and reinforcing a culture of shared accountability and continuous improvement

As needed, represent the LP team in recurring meetings with Advancement colleagues and across teams at the Academy

Provide thought partnership and mentorship across the LP team; model best practices in donor engagement, cross-functional collaboration, and moves management

Partner with Advancement Operations to enhance LP reporting, implement database improvements, and guide strategic use of tools like Tessitura

Collaborate closely with teams across the institution to design and deliver custom donor experiences that advance stewardship goals

Lead select major donor experiences, including behind-the-scenes tours, site visits, and field experiences that highlight Academy science

Oversee stewardship strategy for top donors in portfolio, coordinating with Donor Relations, Events, and Communications to deliver personalized and impactful touchpoints

Qualification

Major gift fundraisingDonor engagement strategyFundraising databasesSupervisingMentoringCollaboration across departmentsConservationExceptional communicationProject management