Director, Philanthropic Strategies

Job Description:

The Role

Fidelity Charitable’s Private Donor Group is seeking a highly experienced professional with a range of skills and expertise that includes in-depth philanthropic advising, grantmaking, and relationship management to manage approximately 250 ultra-high net worth (UHNW) donors. The role is ideal for someone who enjoys building meaningful long-term relationships with individuals and multi-generational families, facilitating meetings to provide personalized guidance on giving strategies and implementation, exploring donor giving and needs through a values-based and empathetic lens, supporting innovative and intentional grantmaking, and leveraging fundraising donor strategies to cultivate and steward the relationships. This role will report to the Vice President, Philanthropic Strategies and working in close collaboration with others across the team.

The Purpose of Your Role

• Providing philanthropic guidance with the goal of retaining and deepening relationships. This may include developing their philanthropic strategy, helping to engage their family in giving, working through complex grant recommendations, assisting them with navigating internal systems and procedures, connecting them to like-minded peers for learning opportunities, or providing resources and tools to better navigate the philanthropic landscape.

• Representing Fidelity Charitable and the Private Donor Group in meetings, events, or conferences with sector partners and donors.

• Articulating the full suite of Fidelity Charitable products and services to donors such as Direct International Grant Program, Charitable Investment Advisor Program, and DonorFlex.

• Educating Private Donor Group donors on emerging trends in the broader philanthropy landscape, innovative funding approaches with DAFs, best practices, and evolving philanthropic models.

• Facilitating in-depth individual or multi-generational meetings resulting in shared values and philanthropic purpose that lead to impactful grantmaking.

• Coordinating across other teams to ensure donor satisfaction.

• Working alongside the Donor Effectiveness and Philanthropic Research teams, research and develop materials to engage high net worth donors on grantmaking. This includes participating in meetings and site visits with nonprofits, philanthropic firms and foundations. It also involves collaborating with others to design, coordinate, and facilitate learning communities that provide donors with an opportunity to share best practices, identify common challenges, and develop new practices.

The Expertise and Skills You Bring

• Bachelor’s Degree required.

• At least 7+ years experience in the philanthropy industry working with HNW/UHNW individuals and families required.

• Experience in philanthropic advising, major or principal gifts, and/or cultivating UHNW relationships background required.

• Demonstrated experience with donor cultivation and stewardship strategies to bring donors along to deepen relationships.

• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to clearly and persuasively articulate complex ideas to diverse audiences.

• Facilitation and presentation skills with the ability to run meetings and follow-through on necessary next steps.

• Track record of managing multiple priorities/projects, attention to detail, and timely execution.

• General knowledge of investments, alternative investments, and impact investments within donor advised funds.

• Demonstrated qualities of the highest personal and professional integrity, along with a sense of humor.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to deliver highly personalized service.

• Creativity in offering different philanthropic models for donors.

• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to work collaboratively across various teams.

• Proven ability to influence across all levels of the organization.

• Ability to operate effectively in an ambiguous or evolving environment with shifting priorities and limited direction

Travel Requirements

Building deep connections with Private Donor Group donors, and creating community among them, are key components of Fidelity Charitable’s work. As such, this role is expected to spend at least 35% of their time traveling to in-person meetings and events.

The Team

The overall team comprises of 15 members who support those individual donors and multi-generational families with their giving. The Director, Philanthropic Strategies will