Director of Strategic Philanthropy

Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles seeks a Director of Strategic Philanthropy to lead and grow the Foundation’s strategic philanthropy programs, including professional advisor engagement, legacy giving, and gifts of complex assets such as real estate, closely held businesses, and other illiquid assets.

The ideal candidate is an experienced legal, financial, or advisory professional with strong relationship-building and business development skills, who can develop charitable planning

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; JD, CFP, CPA, or comparable professional credential strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in a legal, wealth management, tax, charitable planning, or related professional role involving substantive advice to clients.
• Demonstrated success building trusted professional relationships, developing referral networks, and generating business opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to understand, analyze, and clearly explain complex legal, financial, or technical concepts, establishing credibility and trust with clients and professional advisors.
• Strong presentation, writing, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Exceptional organizational, project management, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple relationships and transactions simultaneously.
• Sound judgment, initiative, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.
• Strong interest in philanthropy and aptitude to develop expertise in charitable planning, including tax strategies, complex asset gifts, and legacy planning.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage relationships with attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and other professionals to generate charitable giving opportunities.
• Develop and deliver educational presentations, programs, and resources on charitable planning strategies.
• Help advisors recognize charitable planning opportunities for their clients and bring the Foundation into those conversations.
• Work with the Senior Vice President to develop strategies and initiatives for growing the Foundation’s professional advisor engagement program.
• Cultivate prospects referred through advisor relationships, identify charitable planning opportunities, and advance them toward completed gifts.
• Partner with colleagues managing existing client relationships to identify and develop complex asset and legacy giving opportunities.
• Educate clients and advisors on tax-efficient charitable giving strategies, including gift timing, asset type, and charitable vehicle or structure.
• Prepare illustrations of the tax and financial effects of proposed gifts for clients and advisors.
• Work with clients and advisors on legacy planning, including gifts made through estate plans and the terms of endowment and restricted funds that support charitable organizations over time.
• In consultation with the Senior Vice President, evaluate and structure charitable gifts and manage complex gift transactions through closing, including due diligence, documentation, and internal approvals.
• Work with the Senior Vice President to develop strategies and processes for growing the Foundation’s complex asset gift and legacy giving programs.

Skills

Relationship-building

Business development

Public speaking

Written communication

Project management

Analytical thinking

Collaboration

Philanthropy interest

Education

Bachelor’s degree

JD / CFP / CPA or equivalent

Tools

Job description

The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles is seeking a Director of Strategic Philanthropy to help build and grow the Foundation’s strategic philanthropy programs, including professional advisor engagement, legacy giving, and gifts of complex assets such as real estate, closely held businesses, and other illiquid assets.

The ideal candidate is an experienced legal, financial, or other advisory professional with strong relationship-building and business development skills. Prior expertise in charitable planning is helpful but not required; the successful candidate must have the interest and aptitude to develop it.

Key Responsibilities

Professional Advisor Engagement & Education

Independently develop and manage relationships with attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and other professionals to generate charitable giving opportunities.
Develop and deliver educational presentations, programs, and resources on charitable planning strategies.
Help advisors recognize charitable planning opportunities for their clients and bring the Foundation into those conversations.
Work with the Senior Vice President to develop strategies and initiatives for growing the Foundation’s professional advisor engagement program.

Charitable Planning, Complex Asset & Legacy Gifts

Cultivate prospects referred through advisor relationships, identify charitable planning opportunities, and advance them toward completed gifts.
Partner with colleagues managing existing client relationships to identify and develop complex asset and legacy giving opportunities.
Help clients and advisors explore ways to strategically integrate charitable giving into broader financial, tax, estate, and succession planning.
Educate clients and advisors on tax-efficient charitable giving strategies, including gift timing, asset type (such as publicly traded stock, retirement accounts, real estate, and closely held business interests), and charitable vehicle or structure.
Prepare illustrations of the tax and financial effects of proposed gifts for clients and advisors.
Work with clients and advisors on legacy planning, including gifts made through estate plans and the terms of endowment and restricted funds that support charitable organizations over time.
In consultation with the Senior Vice President, evaluate and structure charitable gifts and manage complex gift transactions through closing, including due diligence, documentation, and internal approvals.
Work with the Senior Vice President to develop strategies and processes for growing the Foundation’s complex asset gift and legacy giving programs.

Qualifications & Skills

Bachelor’s degree required; JD, CFP, CPA, or comparable professional credential strongly preferred.
7+ years of experience in a legal, wealth management, tax, charitable planning, or related professional role involving substantive advice to clients.
Demonstrated success building trusted professional relationships, developing referral networks, and generating business opportunities.
Demonstrated ability to understand, analyze, and clearly explain complex legal, financial, or technical concepts, establishing credibility and trust with clients and professional advisors.
Strong presentation, writing, and interpersonal communication skills.
Exceptional organizational, project management, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple relationships and transactions simultaneously.
Sound judgment, initiative, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.
Strong interest in philanthropy and aptitude to develop expertise in charitable planning, including tax strategies, complex asset gifts, and legacy planning.