Leadership Gifts Officer / Senior Leadership Gifts Officer

About the Role

The Leadership Gifts Officer / Senior Leadership Gifts Officer is a seasoned frontline fundraiser responsible for a robust portfolio of high-net-worth donors and prospects, with a focus on securing and stewarding major and principal gifts. The role leads complex identification, cultivation, and solicitation strategies, partners closely with Advancement Leadership, staff, and Leadership Philanthropy team, as well as Academy program leaders to design high-impact donor experiences, and models best practices that strengthen a donor-centered, data-informed culture across the division.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio Management & Fundraising:
  • Manage a portfolio of 70-90 donors and prospects, with emphasis on leadership (six-figure) and principal gifts (seven-figure +).
  • Independently develop and execute tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each donor and prospect.
  • Consistently secure gifts of $100,000+, prioritizing unrestricted flexible support as well as advancing priorities across biodiversity science, environmental learning, and conservation.
  • Regularly identify and cultivate opportunities for upgrading donor gifts from five to six-figure gifts.
  • Maintain disciplined moves management, forecasting, and pipeline documentation and reporting in Tessitura.
  • Identify pipeline development opportunities with internal stakeholders and partners to advance high-potential donors and prospects into the leadership gift pipeline.
• Donor Engagement & Events:
  • Serve as primary relationship manager for select high-profile donors, supporters, and prospects.
  • Deliver bespoke, high-touch experiences—behind-the-scenes tours, lab/collections visits, field and site visits—that deepen affinity and accelerate giving.
  • Collaborate with Donor Experience and Communications teams to provide personalized, timely stewardship touchpoints and impact reporting.
  • Support occasional in-person events on evenings and weekends, which may fall outside of normal business hours.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Experiences:
  • Partner with scientists and program leads to align donor interests with mission-critical work; translate complex initiatives into compelling donor offers.
  • Collaborate with the Donor Experience team to plan and execute curated on-site and field-based activations that advance cultivation and stewardship goals.
  • Work with Advancement Operations to leverage data, dashboards, and reporting that inform strategy and drive results.
  • Collaborate with Legacy Giving team to identify prospects for the Eastwood Associates and create custom solicitations for blended gifts.
  • Deepen relationships with well-cultivated new prospects following initial engagement by the Advancement Coordinator, Advancement Research Manager, or Direct Response fundraising team.
• Internal Leadership & Strategy:
  • Partner with the Director of Leadership Philanthropy and the Associate Director of Leadership Philanthropy to provide input on donor strategy goal-setting for the division.
  • Identify potential board candidates and help lead them toward deeper engagement and philanthropy.
  • Model donor-centered communication, rigorous planning, and cross-team collaboration; serve as a mentor and fundraising strategy expert for the wider division, reviewing approaches and coaching on donor conversations.
  • Represent Leadership Philanthropy in internal meetings as needed, contributing to seamless coordination across Advancement and program teams.

Qualifications

• Leadership Gifts Officer: 2+ years of relevant frontline fundraising experience or equivalent high-level relationship management, with a track record of securing $50,000+ gifts.
• Senior Leadership Gifts Officer: 6+ years of frontline fundraising or equivalent high-level relationship management, with a track record of securing $100,000+ gifts.
• Demonstrated success managing a robust major-donor portfolio, including gift forecasting and closing complex, multi-stakeholder solicitations.
• Experience with complicated gift vehicles such as DAFs, stock/security donations, and family foundations.
• Capital or comprehensive campaign experience welcomed.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership and board members on solicitations.
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills; poised and effective with high-profile donors and institutional leaders.
• Experience designing and executing bespoke donor engagements (tours, field visits, events) tied to program impact.
• Strong organizational and project-management skills; adept at prioritizing across multiple donors, deadlines, and partners.
• Proficiency with fundraising CRMs and reporting (Tessitura preferred); data-driven approach to strategy and forecasting.
• Collaborative, generous teammate with a coaching mindset; committed to sharing practices that strengthen team culture.
• Deep interest in the Academy’s mission; familiarity with science, climate, conservation, or museum philanthropy is a plus.

Pay

The salary range for the Senior Leadership Gifts Officer position is $90,000.00 - $100,000.00; the salary range for the Leadership Gifts Officer is $80,000 - $95,000. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience.

Schedule

Full-Time/Hybrid: 3 days onsite, 40 hours per week.

The California Academy of Sciences is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.