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Job Title: Sr. Philanthropic Advisor – Individual and Family Donors
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:
Bringing together people, ideas and resources, Tides actively promotes change toward a healthy and just society, one which is founded on the principles of social justice, broadly shared economic opportunity, a robust democratic process and a sustainable environment. Tides believes healthy societies rely fundamentally on respect for human rights, the vitality of communities and a celebration of diversity.
Tides offers an array of services that amplifies the efforts of forward-thinking philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations to make the world a better place. Made up of Tides Foundation, Tides Center and Tides Shared Spaces, Tides’ core capacities are in philanthropy, fiscal sponsorship and nonprofit real estate services.
Founded by Drummond Pike in 1976, Tides Foundation has provided professional and innovative services to individuals and institutions committed to accelerating positive social change through philanthropy. Tides Foundation offers donor advised funds and other grantmaking vehicles as well as professional philanthropic advice, institutional regranting services, comprehensive grants management, and much more. It also creates opportunities for learning and builds community among donors and grantees committed to fairness, equality and the sustainability of this world.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Working closely with the Director of Philanthropic Services, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor leads a team of Philanthropic Advisors, Associates, and Assistants to provide services to the Foundation’s clients. S/he coordinates with other Senior Philanthropic Advisors to develop proactive and responsive tools for client engagement and serves as a programmatic resource for other Tides Foundation staff. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor supervises staff and consultants as assigned by the Director and assists with the overall management and coordination of the Philanthropic Services Department. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor for the Individual Client team manages a portfolio of individual clients and donor advised funds.
Reporting to the Director of Philanthropic Services, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor is an exempt position. Exempt employees are expected to work the appropriate and necessary time in order to complete key assignments and related tasks on schedule.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Management of Individual & Family Donors Team
The Senior Philanthropic Advisor manages the staff team that works primarily with individual and family donors. Under the leadership of the Senior Philanthropic Advisor, this team will develop a strategy for engagement and service delivery that reflects an understanding and sensitivity to issues of individual wealth. This work will include developing opportunities for learning and engagement, fine-tuning services targeted to individual donor needs, and ensuring that these services reflect best practices in the sector.
Manage Client Portfolios and Advise Clients
The Senior Philanthropic Advisor and his/her team will manage an assigned portfolio for which s/he will bear primary responsibility for grantmaking activities, fund administration, and timely resolution of client-related matters. For some of these assigned funds, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor will work closely with either the donor or the designated fund advisor to provide programmatic expertise and/or guidance in the development of grant recommendations to the Tides Board of Directors. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor, in cooperation with the Grants Administration team, Finance, and Operations, will also oversee basic due diligence and ensure that all necessary processes and procedures are completed to successfully process grant requests.
Manage Assigned Staff & Consultants
The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will lead and manage a team of staff and consultants who provide high quality, coordinated services to individual clients and donor advised funds. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will also work closely with and sometimes manage projects along with Philanthropic Service Advisors, Associates, Assistants, and internal support staff. In addition, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor will coordinate the work of external consultants and assign projects to Advisors while providing appropriate oversight and supervision.
Provide Programmatic Leadership, Consultation & Analysis
The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will provide programmatic leadership, consultation, and analysis regarding specific issue or interest areas. Programmatic leadership includes developing educational and coordinated giving programs for donors, building and maintaining relationships with philanthropic and programmatic communities, and offering new giving opportunities that inspire philanthropists and contribute to global social justice. The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will also provide programmatic consultation or analysis to other Philanthropic Services Staff whose clients have contracted for enhanced levels of programmatic expertise. Such services might entail, for example, in-depth research, development of written materials, and/or providing a basic overview of a particular topic of interest. This responsibility requires the ability to research an issue area in a relatively short period of time and effectively communicate the results of this research to others.
Participate in Fund Development & Outreach Activities
The Senior Philanthropic Advisor will help identify and develop new grant making opportunities from current and prospective clients. Such efforts will entail the development of formal and informal client presentations, drafting of proposals, negotiation of fees, and partnering with other Foundation and/or staff of other Tides entities to help cultivate client relationships. Such efforts may also include soliciting support for initiatives, and providing strategy and content to support the fundraising efforts of colleagues or the institution as a whole. In addition, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor will represent Tides on a regular basis at external conferences, meetings, and other events.
Other Duties as Requested
Tides Foundation is an exciting and dynamic workplace. In an effort to remain responsive to the needs of our clients and to events taking place in the larger world around us, staff portfolios are evaluated on a regular basis and new clients and/or responsibilities may be added. In addition, the Foundation has a variety of internal and external work-teams on which the Senior Philanthropic Advisor may be requested to serve. The position also involves periodic travel to our New York office and other domestic travel as needed.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
We are seeking someone who will embrace and contribute to the mission and progressive social change vision of Tides Foundation. The position requires the ability to translate creative ideas into action in ways that balance progressive vision and values, donor input, organizational infrastructure and operations, and financial strategy. The ideal candidate will be able to think and lead strategically, collaborate effectively and manage operations efficiently. Some travel will be required. The successful candidate will also have:
Demonstrated commitment to progressive social change and ability to engage in strategic and analytical thinking around issues of social justice
Demonstrated experience in philanthropy
Demonstrated record of taking individual leadership and experience in working closely with and/or facilitating the work of staff teams
Proven track record in successful staff supervision and project management, including the ability to move a project from conceptualization to completion and to effectively manage assigned staff and consultants
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively via phone and email and to draft clear and concise memos and other documents
Strong analytic skills, including the ability to assimilate and present information in a clear and concise manner
Proven ability to develop proposals, make presentations, and communicate directly with clients to develop new business, negotiate fees, and solicit support for funding collaborations
Experience in working effectively with individual donors and clients
Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills
Good computer skills, including familiarity with MS Office and other types of software
Ability to manage, track, and understand basic financial management concepts
Strong motivation and an ability to simultaneously manage multiple tasks and assignments
Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to and appreciation for diverse viewpoints, different communication styles, and a wide range of diverse colleagues
Ability to remain flexible while dealing with the challenges of a changing environment and diverse client requirements
Ability to appreciate and contribute to a work environment that values integrity, adaptability, reliability, collaboration, a commitment to learning, and a sense of humor
Pluses include: Ability to speak and write in languages other than English (especially Spanish), direct work or consulting experience in the field of progressive philanthropy.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Only candidates who meet the above-stated qualifications will be considered. Your resume MUST INCLUDE A COVER LETTER EXPRESSING YOUR INTEREST IN WORKING TO SUPPORT TIDES AND WHY YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR THIS JOB. Please submit your application to jobs(at)tides.org. No phone calls please!
About Tides: Tides offices are located in San Francisco’s beautiful Presidio National Park. We have a casual work environment, a progressive work culture, and have been named one of the top 100 nonprofit organizations in the U.S.
Just a quick walk to the Beach, Crissy Field, and all the hot spots for lunch on Chestnut Street and the Marina District. Our employees are as diverse as they are fun to work with - making this a great place to learn while making new friends.
Other great aspects to working at Tides:
• Free parking (rare in San Francisco!)
• Free downtown shuttle service from Embarcadero BART and Transbay Bus Terminal
• Birthday is a paid day off!
• Casual work environment
• On-site organic café (breakfast and lunch)
• Mission and values based organization with like-minded coworkers
• YMCA & pool next door
• Non-exempt employees enjoy a typical 35 hour work week (time worked beyond 35 hours at manager’s discretion)
• A 1,480 acre national park from the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay to explore on your lunch break or after work!
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Tides is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, martial status, medical condition (cancer-related) of the conditions of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS Related Conditions (ARC).
APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.
