Director of Philanthropic Advising

Who We Are:

With a vision of a joyful region of shared prosperity, belonging, and justice, Seattle Foundation works to support and sustain the ecosystem of community organizations who are most proximate to the issues we are trying to change. Through our work as a philanthropic advisor, grant maker, and convener, we invest in community-led solutions and ignite powerful and rewarding philanthropy to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all. 

Position Overview:

Seattle Foundation is seeking a Director of Philanthropic Advising to lead the team that stewards and engages the Foundation’s base of philanthropists and drives organization-wide fund development strategy and goals. Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the position will advance the team’s goals of centering impact and delivering excellent customer service to deepen connections between philanthropists and Seattle Foundation’s mission. The Director is responsible for increasing the recruitment, conversion, satisfaction, and activation of new fundholders and donors.

At their core, the Director of Philanthropic Advising will be a movement builder. They should be able to challenge, shape, and influence narratives that define philanthropy and, as a result, build excitement and momentum around what it means to be a member of Seattle Foundation. The Director should be passionate about inspiring joy and collective action through philanthropy.

The Director of Philanthropic Advising will lead the development of a replicable, sustainable, and impactful practice of philanthropic advising that guides donors toward aligning their giving with equity, social justice, and systems change principles. This role requires strategic vision, operational and people leadership, change management and a hands-on approach to creating and scaling a replicable model for fundholder engagement. The Director will be responsible for developing a consistent practice of advising, in addition to overseeing the Philanthropic Advisors’ outreach, education, engagement, and fundraising processes. The Director is responsible for ensuring philanthropists’ objectives are met and their understanding of impactful philanthropy and community-based solutions is broadened with the goal of greater awareness and, ultimately, deeper investment.

The Director will supervise a high-performing team and work collaboratively across the team and organization to develop evaluation strategies, metrics and dashboards to track donor engagement and movement toward impactful giving. Ideal candidates for this position will exemplify passion and commitment to the mission and hold demonstrated experience in the power of collective action. Seattle Foundation is seeking the following qualities in a future Director: empathy, humility, creativity resilience persevering through challenges, deep care for all stakeholders, ability to think outside the box and a willingness to learn from others.

Primary Responsibilities:

Leadership and Operations

• Develop and implement a strategic and replicable practice of philanthropic advising that can scale across diverse donor profiles and issue areas.
• Establish measurable goals and benchmarks for the advising practice to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Identify and facilitate conversations with fundholders to increase their understanding of Seattle Foundation’s vision and values.
• Identify potential conflicts and escalate appropriately to mitigate risk.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams to define key performance indicators for fundholder engagement and impact.
• In partnership with the Director, Philanthropic Strategies, build dashboards and reporting tools to track donor progress along the journey toward engagement, equity, and systems change.
• Use data to inform strategies, improve processes, and communicate outcomes to internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversight and responsibility for replenishment goals as outlined in the organizational budget.
• Build and lead a high-performing team of philanthropic advisors, focusing on their professional development, performance management, and alignment with organizational values.

• Oversee team budget, program evaluation, and reporting for the philanthropic advising practice.
• Continuously refine and lead team change management for the advising model based on donor feedback, evaluation findings, and emerging trends in philanthropy.
• Represent the organization at events and engagements to strengthen stakeholder relationships and brand presence.

Program Development

• Build a comprehensive suite of resources, tools, and workshops to educate fundholders about equity, social justice, and systems change.
• Guide fundholders through a values-based journey, helping them understand systemic inequities and align their giving to drive equitable and just outcomes.
• Oversee the design and implementation of personalized strategies for fundholders and their families to maximize their impact, focusing on long-term systems change.
• Oversee a portfolio of fundholders focused on impact investing and/or specific high-level needs.
• Institutionalize the practice of philanthropic advising, driving consistency and quality control by documenting procedures, formalizing policies, and internalizing systems within the Philanthropic Services team.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with and lead cross-functional internal teams, including with impact, communications, and development staff, to integrate advising services with broader organizational goals.
• Collaborate with external partners, thought leaders, and grantees to amplify impact and share best practices.
• Foster a culture of co-learning and collaboration between fundholders and the communities they seek to support.
• Partner with communications staff to effectively tell stories of both the fundholders’ and the Foundation’s impact through various channels.
• Participate in and contribute to marketing and communications collateral for philanthropists, including reports, newsletters, education briefings, other publications.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in philanthropy, donor advising, financial services, or transferable experience. Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy certification or equivalent knowledge gained through professional experience is highly desirable.
• 5 years leading teams with direct reporting relationships.
• Demonstrated experience developing and operationalizing long-term vision and short-term tactics to achieve strategic goals.
• Demonstrated experience engaging and activating new donors and building retention strategies for existing donors.
• Demonstrated experience forging and nurturing new and long-term relationships with diverse stakeholders to increase the flow of resources moving into community.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. The ability to articulate a compelling vision and inspire others to engage in (sometimes challenging) conversations.
• Demonstrated experience moving, securing, and mobilizing resources.
• Ability to lead through change, both as an individual competency and in leading a team.
• Experienced people manager who can mentor, motivate and develop staff to reach goals and achieve team success.
• Thought leadership and knowledge of trends and best practices in philanthropy.
• Demonstrated success and direct responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship at the major gifts level resulting in significant support for an organization and/or experience working with high-net-worth donors to help them achieve their philanthropic goals.
• Fluency with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:

Seattle Foundation envisions a thriving region of shared prosperity, belonging, and justice, where all individuals and communities have equitable access and outcomes, regardless of race, place, or identity. We are committed to advancing racial equity using an intersectional lens, and integrate our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts into all that we do. We hold ourselves accountable to uphold our organizational values and strive to do better every day.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

The work is performed remotely, in an office setting, or a hybrid combination. All positions require the capability of working at a PC for extended periods. Team efforts with event support may require periods of physical activity involving standing, walking, and moderate lifting. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary functions of the role.

Salary : $750 - $1,200