Philanthropic Advising Director

Overview

Position Summary: Reporting to the Senior Director of Strategic Philanthropy, the Director of Philanthropic Advising leads efforts to deepen relationships with family foundations, donor-advised funds (DAFs), and high-value individual donors. This position focuses on building a robust portfolio of family foundations and donor-advised funds (DAFs), providing tailored advising services, and developing the business line to deepen donor engagement with community-centered practices. By fostering long-term relationships and co-creating impactful philanthropic strategies, the Director will expand the program’s reach and ensure alignment with CCF’s mission of advancing racial, economic, and social justice.

The Director collaborates with internal teams to integrate donor engagement into broader organizational priorities and works to refine and scale the advising program. Success in this role requires a strategic mindset, experience in philanthropic advising, and a commitment to advancing equity and justice through community-driven solutions.

Responsibilities Include:

Philanthropic Advising and Relationship Management (30%)

• Serve as the primary advisor to family foundations and DAF holders, delivering personalized, values-aligned philanthropic guidance.
• Provide expert advice on giving strategies, including impact-focused philanthropy, legacy planning, and program-specific support.
• Cultivate and maintain long-term relationships with donors, ensuring consistent and meaningful engagement.
• Facilitate donor education opportunities, such as briefings on community needs, philanthropic trends, and CCF’s programmatic priorities.
• Develop strategies to encourage donors to adopt community-centered funding practices and deepen their commitment to equity and justice.

Philanthropic Advising Program  Development and Strategy (35%)

• Lead efforts to refine and expand CCF’s philanthropic advising program, including identifying new opportunities for growth.
• Design and implement innovative approaches to donor advising, leveraging insights from philanthropy and social justice movements.
• Collaborate with the Strategic Philanthropy team to align the advising program with organizational goals and long-term strategies.
• Build a portfolio of advising partnerships by identifying and cultivating relationships with prospective clients.
• Create scalable frameworks and tools to enhance the program’s effectiveness and impact.

Donor Engagement and Cultivation (25%)

• Develop and execute donor engagement strategies to strengthen connections between donors and CCF’s mission.
• Partner with the Communications team to create compelling donor materials, such as case statements, impact reports, and newsletters.
• Design engagement opportunities, such as donor roundtables, site visits, and learning sessions, to showcase the impact of community-centered philanthropy.

Data Management and Reporting (5%)

• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and advising activities in Salesforce (CRM).
• Prepare regular reports on advising program performance, donor activity, and philanthropic trends for internal and external stakeholders.
• Use data insights to identify growth opportunities and refine advising strategies.

CCF Staff Participation & Cross-Departmental Collaboration  (5% of time)

• Set personal and professional development goals and seek opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge related to strategic fund development
• Regularly interface with Program and Communications teams to ensure donor communications and campaign content reflect ongoing work and impact stories.
• Participate in organizational planning meetings, contributing a donor engagement perspective to overall strategic discussions.

Candidates for the Director of Philanthropic Advising position typically have /are:

• Interest in movement building and the work of CCF
• Experience in social change efforts, including previous experience in community organizing, donor organizing, and/or grassroots fundraising strategies
• Minimum of 5 years of experience as a foundations program officer, nonprofit fundraiser, or program leader in progressive social change organizations
• Familiarity with they rules and regulations of public charities, private foundations, donor advised funds, fiscal sponsorships and supporting organizations
• Proven track record in developing and refining fundraising goals and objectives, for leading nonprofit organizations with clearly defined priorities and advanced metrics
• Ability to be a self-starter, with proven research skills to identify new prospects and opportunities for Common Counsel Foundation
• Strong commitment to racial, economic, and social justice and equity
• Track record of expanding and sustaining donor relationships over time
• Results-driven, solution-oriented, and goal-oriented team player
• Demonstrates emotional intelligence, compassion, and creativity in the workplace
• Strong relationship building and collaboration skills
• Comfortable with public speaking, delivering presentations, and direct solicitations
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Adheres to the highest ethical standards and prioritizes confidentiality
• In-depth understanding of foundation business models
• Strong values alignment and commitment to the mission, vision, and values of CCF