Senior Director, Emerging Philanthropy

Description

Role Description

The Senior Director, Emerging Philanthropy is a newly created, forward-looking role within the SF SPCA’s Development team. Reporting to the EVP, Advancement and working in close partnership with the Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer, and senior Development leaders, this role is responsible for connecting and expanding the SF SPCA’s mission with the evolving landscape of high-net-worth philanthropy; engaging ultra-high-net-worth individuals, family offices, family foundations, philanthropic advisors, donor collaboratives, giving circles, and intermediary vehicles that are increasingly shaping how significant charitable capital is deployed. 

In 2026-2027, the SF SPCA will successfully complete the Access for All campaign—its most ambitious fundraising initiative in the organization’s 158-year history. The campaign funded critical programmatic expansion impacting 8 million animals across California, and —this role will help us maintain this high impact momentum by developing and stewarding a portfolio of current and prospective donors capable of making high six- and seven-figure commitments through both traditional and non-traditional gift vehicles. The Senior Director applies sophisticated donor strategy to design customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans that are responsive to the full spectrum of modern philanthropic structures.

This is a rare opportunity for an entrepreneurial, intellectually curious fundraising professional who is equally at home discussing animal welfare program impact with a passionate Bay Area philanthropist and navigating the mechanics of a donor advised fund recommendation with a private wealth advisor. The Senior Director will serve as a trusted thought partner to donors—helping them align their philanthropic values and financial goals with life-changing investment in the SF SPCA’s mission of saving, protecting, and caring for cats and dogs.

Core Responsibilities

Portfolio Management & Donor Strategy

• Build and manage a focused portfolio of 60–80 principal gift prospects and donors capable of making gifts of $100,000 and above, with an emphasis on donors whose philanthropic profiles involve complex structures, intermediaries, or non-traditional giving vehicles.
• Design and execute individualized, donor-centered cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans calibrated to each donor’s philanthropic interests, giving mechanisms, and decision-making timelines—including legacy, major, blended, and structured gift opportunities.
• Collaborate closely with the senior Development leaders to ensure seamless portfolio coordination, avoid duplication, and leverage the full breadth of SF SPCA’s giving programs including the Heart of Gold Society and Legacy Society.
• Partner with the EVP, Advancement and senior leadership to develop portfolio-level goals, pipeline forecasts, and progress reports aligned with Vision 2030 strategic plan priorities.
• Leverage prospect research, wealth screening, and relationship intelligence tools to identify, qualify, and prioritize new prospects—with particular attention to the Bay Area’s distinctive high-net-worth philanthropic ecosystem.

Complex & Non-Traditional Gift Vehicles

• Utilize a deep fluency in complex and non-cash gift structures—including donor advised funds (DAFs), charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), charitable lead trusts (CLTs), gifts of appreciated securities, real estate, retirement assets and IRAs, life insurance, and endowed funds to advise donors and their advisors on structures that optimize both philanthropic impact and personal financial outcomes.
• Serve as the SF SPCA’s internal subject matter expert on complex gifts, providing guidance and partnership to development colleagues navigating non-cash or structured giving situations in their own portfolios.
• Actively engage with DAF sponsors and community foundations—including the SF Bay Area’s robust community foundation ecosystem—to facilitate grant recommendations and build relationships that elevate the SF SPCA’s profile among advised fund holders.
• Work in partnership with the Director of Planned Giving to integrate gift planning solutions into principal gift conversations, ensuring donors are aware of the full spectrum of SF SPCA giving opportunities.
• Maintain current knowledge of federal and California tax law, estate planning regulations, and emerging policy developments affecting charitable vehicles, ensuring SF SPCA’s guidance to donors reflects accurate, up-to-date best practices.

Family Offices, Philanthropic Advisors & Private Wealth Ecosystem

• Develop and execute a proactive strategy for engaging the Bay Area’s family office and private wealth advisory community, positioning the SF SPCA as a compelling, high-impact philanthropic partner for families and individuals seeking to deploy significant charitable capital toward animal welfare.
• Cultivate and maintain trusted relationships with family office professionals, private wealth managers, financial advisors, estate planning attorneys, and philanthropic consultants who advise ultra-high-net-worth clients on charitable strategy—serving as the SF SPCA’s primary relationship manager in this space.
• Navigate the decision-making dynamics of family offices, including multi-generational family considerations, investment committee structures, and governance processes, to advance gift conversations effectively and respectfully.
• Participate in relevant private wealth and philanthropy convenings, forums, and professional networks—including Bay Area and national family office associations and philanthropic advisory roundtables—to build visibility and relationships.
• Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with donor collaboratives, giving circles, and pooled philanthropy vehicles whose investment themes align with the SF SPCA’s programmatic priorities, including animal welfare, community veterinary medicine, Bay Area companion animal services, and sustainable humane infrastructure.

Philanthropic Landscape Intelligence & Program Development

• Build the SF SPCA’s presence within Bay Area and national giving circles and philanthropic networks, leveraging these relationships as pathways to individual major and principal gift prospects.
• Serve as the SF SPCA’s internal monitor and analyst of macro shifts in the philanthropic landscape—including the growth and policy evolution of DAF assets, the expansion of collaborative and participatory grantmaking, generational wealth transfer trends in the Bay Area and nationally, evolving donor demographics, and the growing intersection of impact investing and traditional philanthropy.
• Translate landscape intelligence into actionable recommendations, advising the EVP and development leadership on how external trends should shape SF SPCA’s fundraising strategy, gift acceptance policies, and donor engagement frameworks.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of SF SPCA’s emerging philanthropic solutions infrastructure, including gift acceptance policy updates, marketing and educational materials for complex gift vehicles, and engagement frameworks tailored to family offices, DAF holders, and collaborative funders.
• Identify opportunities to position the SF SPCA as a thought leader and trusted partner in animal welfare philanthropy within Bay Area and national giving networks.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership

• Work closely with the SF SPCA’s finance, legal, and program teams to structure gifts compliantly, develop compelling funding opportunities, manage gift agreement processes, and produce meaningful donor impact reports.
• Engage SF SPCA’s executive leadership, President & CEO, and board members as strategic partners in donor cultivation and stewardship, providing thoughtful briefings, talking points, and logistics support.
• Contribute actively to a culture of philanthropy across the development team, sharing donor intelligence, emerging vehicle knowledge, and field learnings.
• Supervise and mentor Middle Giving Officer.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in nonprofit management, law, finance, philanthropy, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive fundraising experience, with a demonstrated track record of cultivating, soliciting, and closing major or principal gifts at the six- and seven-figure level.
• Substantive knowledge of complex and non-cash gift vehicles, including DAFs, charitable trusts, gifts of securities and real estate, retirement assets, and endowed funds.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with family offices, philanthropic advisors, or high-net-worth individuals in a development, advisory, or wealth management context.
• Fluency in and enthusiasm for the evolving philanthropic landscape, including collaborative giving, pooled philanthropy, DAF policy trends, impact investing, and generational wealth transfer dynamics.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with high emotional intelligence, discretion, and the ability to build deep trust with sophisticated donors and their advisors over long relationship arcs.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling, personalized proposals and present persuasively to diverse and discerning audiences.
• Proficiency in CRM platforms (Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge NXT, or equivalent); strong organizational skills and rigor in portfolio documentation and moves management.
• A genuine passion for animals and commitment to the SF SPCA’s mission of saving, protecting, and caring for cats and dogs in the Bay Area and beyond.
• Familiarity with the Bay Area philanthropic ecosystem, including local family foundations, community foundations, and giving networks.
• Established relationships within philanthropic advisory networks, family office communities, or Bay Area giving circles.
• Experience with participatory grantmaking, catalytic philanthropy, or systems-change philanthropy frameworks.
• Knowledge of animal welfare, veterinary medicine, or related mission areas is a plus but not required.

Salary & Benefits 

The starting salary for this position depends on the depth and breadth of experience. The expected range is $166,000 - $184,000. 

Regular, full-time positions are eligible for a benefits package including 

• Paid Time Off and Holiday pay 
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance 
• Life Insurance 
• Long-term Disability Insurance 
• 401k Retirement Plan and contribution matching 
• Student debt relief program 
• Pre-tax Commuter Benefits 
• Lifestyle Spending Account 
• Mental health and wellbeing support with Talkspace 
• Discounts on retail and pet supplies 
• Discounts on veterinary care at our SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital and Clinic 

The SF SPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This job description reflects the assignment of essential functions and does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The San Francisco SPCA is an at-will employer and may conduct pre-employment background checks and drug screening depending on the role.