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 we