Foundation Director

Sacbar; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The San Diego Kingdom Impact Foundation seeks a Director to lead its formation, launch, and ongoing grantmaking efforts in San Diego County. You will build the foundation’s public presence, establish governance processes, and create grant evaluation methods aligned with our mission.

Responsibilities include developing the brand, cultivating relationships with faith-based and community leaders, sourcing strong grant candidates, and presenting due diligence summaries to the principals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent.
• 7–10 years in leadership roles within philanthropy or nonprofit sectors.
• Strong knowledge of San Diego nonprofit landscape and existing relationships.
• Financial literacy to assess organizational health and sustainability.
• Excellent interviewing, research, and written recommendation skills.
• Executive judgment with discretion and confidence presenting to principals.
• Experience launching a foundation or similar mission-driven venture is preferred.
• Ability to represent Christian mission with professionalism.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and stakeholder relations.
• Highly organized, proactive, and able to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead formation and launch efforts with principals and outside counsel.
• Develop brand identity, messaging, website, and public presence.
• Create systems and templates for grantmaking, governance, and administration.
• Understand local nonprofit landscape and build relationships.
• Source prospective grantees and evaluate alignment and impact.
• Prepare due diligence summaries and grant recommendations.
• Manage grant application, review, and reporting processes.
• Maintain professional communication with applicants.
• Monitor funded programs and impact reporting.
• Represent Foundation at meetings and site visits.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Donor relations

Communication

Strategic thinking

Governance

Project management

Analytical skills

Relationship building

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Job description

The San Diego Kingdom Impact Foundation is a newly established, privately funded charitable foundation created by two San Diego business leaders committed to making a meaningful impact throughout San Diego County. The Foundation strengthens nonprofit organizations serving the greater San Diego region whose missions and work are consistent with the Christian faith. Through strategic grants for transformative initiatives, we help effective organizations significantly expand their capabilities, strengthen their long‑term sustainability, and increase their impact in the communities they serve.

The Foundation Director will serve as the day-to-day leader and primary representative of the Foundation’s formation and launch, community outreach, nonprofit evaluation, and grantmaking efforts. This individual will help build the Foundation from the ground up, establish its public presence and operating processes, and identify, evaluate, and recommend nonprofit organizations for potential funding. The Foundation’s principals will retain final grant-approval authority.

Responsibilities Include:

• 1. Partner with the Foundation’s principals and outside legal counsel to support the Foundation’s formation and launch.
• 2. Lead development of the Foundation’s brand identity, messaging, website, application materials, communications, and professional public presence.
• 3. Create the initial systems, processes, templates, records, and tools needed for grantmaking, governance, communications, and administration.
• 4. Develop a strong understanding of the San Diego nonprofit landscape and cultivate relationships with nonprofit, faith, civic, and community leaders.
• 5. Source prospective grantees and evaluate their mission alignment, leadership, programs, financial health, sustainability, reputation, and community impact.
• 6. Conduct appropriate due diligence and prepare clear written evaluation summaries and grant recommendations for the Foundation’s principals.
• 7. Develop and manage the grant application, review, approval, documentation, payment, tracking, and reporting processes.
• 8. Maintain professional and respectful communication with prospective, approved, and declined applicants.
• 9. Monitor funded organizations, grant requirements, use of funds, intended outcomes, and impact reporting.
• 10. Represent the Foundation with professionalism, warmth, humility, and discretion at select meetings, site visits, and community events.

Qualifications:

• 1. Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent.
• 2. 7–10 years of relevant leadership experience in philanthropy, nonprofit management, foundation operations, fundraising, donor relations, or community engagement.
• 2. Strong knowledge of and established relationships within the San Diego nonprofit, philanthropic, civic, church, or community-service landscape preferred.
• 3. Strong financial literacy and the ability to assess an organization’s financial health, operating strength, and long-term sustainability.
• 4. Excellent interviewing, research, analytical, due-diligence, and written recommendation skills.
• 5. Executive-level judgment, maturity, discretion, and confidence presenting thoughtful recommendations to the Foundation’s principals.
• 6. Experience helping launch a foundation, nonprofit, community initiative, brand development, outreach, or other mission-driven organization preferred.
• 7. Ability to understand, respect, and professionally represent the Foundation’s Christian mission and faith-based charitable priorities.
• 8. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build trusted relationships with nonprofit and community leaders.
• 9. Highly organized, proactive, accountable, and comfortable working independently while managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• 10. Based in the San Diego region and available for regular in-person meetings, nonprofit site visits, and select community events.