Associate Director, Leadership Philanthropy

About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Franciscos Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium aquarium research center and natural history museumall under one living roofour mission is to regenerate the natural world through science learning and collaboration.

Our extensive collections encompass plants animals fossils and cultural artifacts from around the world and throughout history. We are a diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists educators storytellers designers and communicators who work collaboratively to advance knowledge and inspire action through science and storytelling.

When you join the California Academy of Sciences you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity collaboration and innovation. Whether youre working behind the scenes in research or engaging the public on the museum floor your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

The Associate Director Leadership Philanthropy plays a key leadership role on the Academys Advancement team. This role oversees a portfolio of high-net-worth donors while supporting strategic initiatives internal collaboration and data infrastructure to enhance major giving addition to leading complex solicitations and managing key donor relationships this role will manage the Leadership Philanthropy Coordinator.

Organizational Culture
Join a team dedicated to the Academys mission vision and values! Currently the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives Hope for Reefs Thriving California and Islands 2030 that leverage biodiversity science environmental learning and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science learning and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco California.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Management & Fundraising

• Manage a portfolio of 75-100 individual donors focusing on cultivation solicitation and stewardship of leadership and principal gifts.
• Personally secure and steward 6-figure commitments to advance institutional priorities with annual contributed revenue targets.
• Plans and delivers cultivation events and experiences from concept through execution to deepen donor engagementincluding bespoke high-touch activations with internal stakeholders and external partners.
• Partner with the Director of LP CAO and SLT on select strategic initiatives or funding campaigns.

Team Management

• Directly supervise the Leadership Philanthropy Coordinator providing coaching project oversight and professional development.
• Assign and prioritize tasks related to donor engagement stewardship fulfillment and cross-team coordination to support the LP teams overall effectiveness.
• Ensure clear communication and collaboration between LP streamlining internal operations to maximize fundraising efficiency.
• Guide the Leadership Coordinators involvement in key projects ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and reinforcing a culture of shared accountability and continuous improvement.

  Internal Leadership & Strategy

  • As needed represent the LP team in recurring meetings with Advancement colleagues and across teams at the Academy.
  • Provide thought partnership and mentorship across the LP team; model best practices in donor engagement cross-functional collaboration and moves management.
  • Partner with Advancement Operations to enhance LP reporting implement database improvements and guide strategic use of tools like Tessitura.

  Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Collaborate closely with teams across the institution to design and deliver custom donor experiences that advance stewardship goals.

  Donor Engagement & Stewardship

  • Lead select major donor experiences including behind-the-scenes tours site visits and field experiences that highlight Academy science.
  • Oversee stewardship strategy for top donors in portfolio coordinating with Donor Relations Events and Communications to deliver personalized and impactful touchpoints.

Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:

• 10-plus years of major gift fundraising experience with demonstrated success closing six-figure gifts.
• Deep knowledge of donor engagement strategy moves management and best practices in nonprofit philanthropy.
• Strong fluency with fundraising databases and reporting (Tessitura preferred).
• Proven success collaborating across departments and with senior leadership.
• Exceptional communication skills and experience with high-profile donors.

• Experience supervising mentoring or leading teammates toward clear goals.
• Superb written and verbal communication; poised with high-profile donors and institutional leaders.
• Adept collaborator who thrives in a fast-moving mission-driven environment.
• Familiarity with science climate conservation or museum philanthropy.
• Proven ability to lead strategic initiatives manage complex projects and influence outcomes across multiple functional areas.

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $117000 - $122000. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidates qualifications and experience including skills knowledge relevant education certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Schedule: Full-time 40 hours per week

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our CareersPage portal.

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code Article 49).