Careers

Staff at The San Diego Foundation address the region’s most pressing challenges and identify opportunities by working with donors and partners to improve the quality of life for all San Diegans.

Thank you for your interest in the work of The San Diego Foundation. To learn more about our work and inquire about joining our team, contact jobs@sdfoundation.org.

Director, Environmental Initiatives

The San Diego region is set in a unique environment with a world-renowned climate which supports many aspects of our region’s quality of life and economy. As such, people throughout the County have a long and rich history of local community pride and protection of our region’s clean air and water, natural resources and quality of life. But our region faces significant challenges, like others throughout the world, from the impacts of climate change on the health and well-being of today’s communities and future generations.

We also know from Our Greater San Diego Vision that San Diegans value future growth in our region that ensures that nature is accessible, connected and protected for people to enjoy, with access to parks and open space, canyons and mountains, clean beaches and bays. They also want our region to grow up, not out, with convenient transportation options and neighborhood centers that are safe, vibrant and convenient, all aspects of a community that is resilient to climate change.

The purpose of this position is to lead The San Diego Foundation’s efforts to engage cross-sector partners – donors, government, business, academia and community organizations – to create, implement and collaborate on solutions to address the region’s most pressing environmental challenges. Building on The San Diego Foundation’s track record in environmental research and initiatives, the Director, Environmental Initiatives will work as part of the Community Impact Division, to implement multi-pronged environmental initiatives. The Climate, Thrive Outside, Opening the Outdoors and Water initiatives help achieve The San Diego Foundation’s overarching mission to improve the quality of life in all of our communities by providing leadership for effective philanthropy that builds enduring assets and by promoting community solutions through research, convenings and actions that advance the common good.

EXPECTED RESULTS

Provide strategic leadership of the environmental initiatives to facilitate donors, nonprofits, government, academia, business and other strategic partners working together to leverage resources and collectively drive toward growing a vibrant region.
Raise funding for environmental grantmaking and operations by developing and stewarding relationships with national, state and local foundations as well as individual donors.
Lead strategic grantmaking processes that invest funds raised and those held at The Foundation to create measurable results toward the region’s most pressing regional environmental issues.
Maintain a broad understanding of the San Diego community and environmental needs and use this knowledge to create data-driven action.
Create strategic partnerships with funders, donors, nonprofits, academia, business, or other civic organizations and leaders to meet environmental initiative goals beyond grantmaking, through research, convenings, public awareness, and other actions.
Represent The Foundation in the community, in media appearances, on relevant external Boards or Committees, in public speaking engagements, and as needed in presentations to the Board of Governors.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES/POSITION GOALS

Lead The Foundation’s environmental efforts to engage donors/foundation partners, community partners and volunteers to advance strategic and effective environmental initiatives that contribute to the protection of our region’s air, land and water resources and a high quality of life for all San Diegans. Responsibilities include:

Provide strategic direction for four environmental initiatives (Opening the Outdoors, Thrive Outside, Climate and Water) and two funds (Balboa Park Endowment and San Diego Regional Disaster).
Serve on relevant funder affinity groups to build relationships with external funders and build knowledge among funders about climate-related and environmental equity needs in San Diego (for example, Smart Growth California, Clean Energy, The Funders Network, San Diego Grantmakers)
Work with relevant internal and external stakeholders to identify where philanthropy can make the greatest impact with limited resources to address critical environmental needs of the region; identify initiative gaps that require attention and work collaboratively to fill those gaps.
Fundraise/secure external funding and manage donor, foundation, corporate and government relations for environment portfolio in coordination with organizational fundraising efforts.
Manage approximately $1 million in grants and charitable expenses annually, as well as associated budget, contracts and grant agreements.
Work with Vice President, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer and Community Impact Directors in division-wide strategy, reporting, communications and initiatives implementation.
Oversee relevant grant advisory committees including recruiting donors and volunteers and develop effective and efficient grantmaking approach based on philanthropic best practices and organizational alignment.
Ensure timely, efficient and effective grants management that meets donor intent by working with Grants Manager and relevant systems (i.e. Smarter Select, Blackbaud).
Work with The Foundation’s Communications Division to lead communications about environment and disaster initiatives through media, blogs, and other written communications.
Conceptualize and facilitate results-oriented convenings to inform environmental initiatives and educate stakeholders about local and regional needs.
Leverage Foundation efforts by linking with relevant environmental public policy.
Establish clear metrics for midterm and year-end benchmarks.
Seek and manage collaboration with other departments to meet shared goals (especially Communications, Development & Stewardship and Regional Affiliates).
Participate with other supervising managers at The Foundation in providing leadership and insights as requested on key organization planning issues that impact The Foundation’s goals, plans, and policies, as well as activities and operations and recommended courses of action.
Evaluate and secure consulting expertise when funded and appropriate.

SUPERVISES

Environment portfolio, Balboa Park portfolio, San Diego Regional Disaster Board, Thrive Outside Manager and Environmental Specialist

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Five to seven years of experience in a private or community foundation, or management position in a corporate, government or nonprofit organizations, and/or environment sector companies
Demonstrated leadership and organizational skills, able to engage and convene, facilitate meetings and build collaboration with diverse constituents
Broad knowledge of the range of issues facing San Diego’s environment, nonprofit, as well as San Diego’s diverse communities, and solutions to meet those challenges
Demonstrated success with fund development and grants management, including knowledge of and success in attracting foundation and corporate grants; ability to collaborate with other departments to identify, steward and solicit individual donors
Proven track record managing and leading complex projects, meeting deliverables and timelines
Initiative to recognize and anticipate problems, then solve them.
Supervisory and management experience
Interdisciplinary, analytical, innovative and critical thinking
Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to foster and encourage teamwork
Ability to inspire and motivate, and effectively manage conflict
Volunteer management experience preferred
Strong ability to persuade and influence
Outstanding written and oral communications skills
Computer literate, Microsoft Office Suite

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree in related field
Advanced degree in relevant field preferred

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, write and speak English fluently
Spanish fluency preferred

JUDGMENT/REASONING ABILITY

Use of good judgment and own initiative
Professional attitude and demeanor
Demonstrated ability to accomplish objectives with minimal guidance

At The San Diego Foundation, we value our diverse and experienced staff that are committed to our mission of improving the quality of life within all of San Diego’s communities. We strive to be an employer of choice, offering a competitive compensation package, and a professional and vibrant work environment for those who have a passion for our mission that is carried out every day by providing leadership for effective philanthropy and promoting community solutions.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit the following to jobs@sdfoundation.org

Cover Letter
Resume
Indicate in the Subject line: Director, Environmental Initiatives

Please direct all inquiries to: jobs@sdfoundation.org

Director, Professional Advisor Relations

We are seeking a dynamic person to be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with the financial and professional advisor community in order to build a pipeline of referrals for TSDF. Through donor advised funds (DAFs), planned giving, and other philanthropic vehicles our mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions. The Director will report to and work in collaboration with the Vice President, Chief Development and Stewardship Officer.

Qualities & Attributes

Proven track record in new business development resulting in significant client relationships and revenue.
Experience building relationships with professional advisors.
Have the desire to get out of the office and build external relationships to grow TSDF’s professional advisor network.
Ability to work independently and as an integral member of the Development & Stewardship team.
Possess a positive attitude, demonstrate presence, self-confidence, common sense, ability to actively listen and engage in goal-oriented conversation.
Thorough understanding of the San Diego professional advisor community.

Essential Duties and Principal Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Develop strategies to identify and cultivate relationships with professional advisors such as estate planning attorneys, wealth advisors, financial advisors, tax professionals, private fiduciaries and real estate professionals to facilitate their client’s charitable goals at TSDF.

Cultivate relationships with professional advisors new to TSDF with a goal of establishing new funds with a focus on AMPlify (Asset Management Partnership), a customized investment strategy that enables wealth advisors and their clients to set up charitable accounts at The San Diego Foundation that are managed personally by a donor’s advisor.
Participate in meetings with professional advisors, and attend conferences, events and networking organizations to increase the visibility of TSDF and our back office philanthropic services and solutions.
Collaborate cross-departmentally to build a synergistic and systemized approach to new business development; develop compelling professional advisor outreach and resource materials.
Maintain up-to-date contact reports and outreach activity in TSDF’s Raiser’s Edge database to track professional advisor activity.
Lead the planning of TSDF events to engage the professional advisor community and serve as TSDF’s representative at industry events and groups within the community.
Meet or exceed referral resource development goals.

We are looking for:

Minimum of 5 years business development experience with a legal or financial services firm.
Knowledge of charitable giving vehicles.
Superior and effective interpersonal, written communication, and presentation skills.
Commitment to providing first class customer service to TSDF advisors and donors.
Ability to influence and get things done through others not reporting to you.
Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred. Certified Financial Planner or Chartered Financial Analyst credentials desirable.
A broad network of professional advisor contacts in San Diego County is a plus.

The San Diego Foundation offers an excellent benefit package and competitive compensation.

If interested in joining our team, please submit your resume and a cover letter to: jobs@sdfoundation.org

Please place Director, Professional Advisor Relations in the subject line.