Director of Development - Southern California

Seneca; United States; Hybrid; USD 124,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Medical, dental, vision benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

Seneca is seeking a Director of Major Gifts to lead a donor-centered program across Southern California, partnering with leadership, donors, and community partners to secure leadership gifts. You will build compelling cases, manage a portfolio, and coordinate Moves management to advance fundraising goals.

You will oversee a portfolio of high-potential donors, engage in strategic planning, and report progress to senior leadership, with in-person events in SoCal and occasional travel.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 4 years of progressive fundraising experience and demonstrated success in prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and closing donor gifts
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team
• Maintain confidentiality of donor information and adhere to fundraising ethics

Responsibilities

• Lead a comprehensive major gifts program across Southern California with a focus on leadership gifts of $10,000+
• Develop compelling cases for support to inspire leadership giving
• Coordinate donor outreach, meetings, proposals, and events with senior leadership
• Manage Moves management to progress prospects from identification to solicitation to stewardship
• Prepare regular fundraising and regional activity reports for senior leadership and the board
• Cross-functionally collaborate with Development and enterprise teams for coordinated donor communications

Skills

Problem-solving mindset

Diplomatic communication

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

Tools

Raiser’s Edge

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lead and grow a dynamic Major Gifts program by building meaningful relationships with donors, prospects, community leaders, and stakeholders who are passionate about creating a lasting impact for children and families. In this role you will partner with organizational leadership, board members, and program teams to identify philanthropic opportunities, develop compelling cases to support, and inspire transformational giving across Southern California. As our Director, you will utilize data, donor insights, and strategic planning to advance fundraising goals, strengthen long-term philanthropic support, and help shape the future of Seneca's mission. If you love connecting people to causes they care about and inspiring generosity that makes a different, become part of our team today!

Seneca has been nominated among the Bay Area’s Top Workplaces for several consecutive years. We’re committed to providing traditionally marginalized communities with a network of excellent mental health, community-based, and educational services. We are committed to building a diverse staff. Our programs deeply engage in conversations and training on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to bring equity and justice to the youth and families we serve.

Responsibilities:

Major Gifts Program Implementation

• Execute a comprehensive, strategic, donor-centered major gifts program in Los Angeles, San Diego and throughout Southern California that includes specific fundraising goals and targets, with a focus on acquisition of leadership gifts ($10,000+ annually) from high level prospects and donors
• Understand Seneca’s programs, priority initiatives, goals and financial needs to develop compelling cases for support that inspire leadership giving across diverse communities, with a focus on attracting new prospective donors to the work
• Support the development of efforts of other key primary relationship managers assigned to donors, including the CEO, Executive Director, Vice President of Development, other leadership staff and board members, including conducting prospect research and preparing briefing materials in advance of donor meetings
• Implement Moves management for the major gifts program that supports effective and timely progression of major gifts prospects from identification to solicitation to stewardship
• Work closely with the Development Assistant to plan and execute regular donor cultivation and stewardship events, house parties, program briefings, etc., in the NorCal region, partnering with program staff, board members and organizational leadership
• Prepare regular fundraising and regional activity reports for senior leadership and the board

Portfolio Management

• Develop and manage a portfolio of approximately 100 current donors and prospects giving or capable of giving $10,000+ annually, including individual, corporate and institutional funders
• Identify, engage, inspire and build relationships with all assigned donors through personalized, meaningful and timely engagement, outreach, site visits, donor meetings, proposals, and events
• Support effective prospecting to identify and research current donors and new prospects with capacity and inclination to make annual gifts of $10,000 or more
• Collaborate with cross-functional colleagues, both with Development department and enterprise colleagues, for coordinated donor outreach, stewardship reports, and impact communications
• Maintain effective Moves Management through accurate and timely recording of donor interactions, planned future engagement and gift opportunities in Raisers Edge
• Analyze portfolio performance, monitor progress toward goals, and prepare regular reports for senior management
• Support campaign planning and execution, including setting and tracking goals
• Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects to secure long-term philanthropic support

Qualifications:

Required

• Education/experience requirements:
  • Master's degree OR Bachelor's degree
• Minimum of 4 years of progressive fundraising experience and demonstrated success in independently and collaboratively prospecting, cultivating, soliciting, and successfully closing donor gifts
• Strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, trends, and donor engagement strategies
• Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member
• Maintain strict confidentiality of donor information and adhere to the AFP Donor Bill of Rights and ethical fundraising standards
• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Valid driver's license, clean driving record, and insurability through Seneca Family of Agencies' insurance policy
• TB test clearance, fingerprint clearance, and any other state/federal licensing or certification requirements

Preferred

• CFRE credential
• Working knowledge of donor databases Raisers Edge and Microsoft Office suite
• Experience in fundraising for health/human services
• Experience building and managing high performing teams that include hiring, supervising and developing staff

Skills of an Ideal Candidate

• A problem-solving mindset and diplomatic communication skills
• Credibility and sophistication to effectively engage with and work with high-level key partners across the broader progressive philanthropic ecosystem
• Experience as a strategic thinker with the ability to align philanthropic goals with mission and outcomes to design programmatic and campaign strategies to achieve ambitious fundraising goals

Schedule

• Full-time
  • Monday - Friday, 9am - 5:30pm
• Remote, must reside in Southern California to attend in person events as needed

Benefits

• Starting at $124,195 - $138,195per year commensurate rate with experience
  • Additional compensation upon pass the bilingual language proficiency exam
  • Salary increase every year
• $2,000 sign-on bonus for new Seneca employees
• 5weeks of Paid Time Off and 11 Paid Holidays
• Comprehensive benefits package:
  • Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic, acupuncture, fertility coverage
  • Long-term disability, family leave, and life insurance
  • 50% paid premiums for dependents
  • 403b Retirement Plan
  • Employer-paid Employee Assistance Plan
• Seneca is aPublic Service Loan Forgivenesscertified employer
• Promotional opportunities across the agency in California