California Academy of Sciences

Senior Leadership Gifts Officer

California Academy of Sciences · Senior · Full-time

Sponsorship not specified$70k-$90kDetected 5 days ago

ForecastingRecruitingResearchLeadershipCommunicationCollaborationMentoring

About the role

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 Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Our extensive collections span plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history.
Whether you're 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.

Manage a portfolio of 90-100 donors and prospects, with emphasis on leadership and principal gifts.
Independently develop and execute tailored cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each prospect.
Maintain disciplined moves management, forecasting, and pipeline reporting in Tessitura.
Deliver bespoke, high-touch experiences-behind-the-scenes tours, lab/collections visits, field and site visits-that deepen affinity and accelerate giving.
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.
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.
Collaborate with Donor Experience and Communications teams to provide personalized, timely stewardship touchpoints and impact reporting.
This job requires occasional in-person event support on evenings and weekends, which may fall outside of normal business hours.

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.
Experience designing and executing bespoke donor engagements (tours, field visits, events) tied to program impact.
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.
Strong organizational and project-management skills
adept at prioritizing across multiple donors, deadlines, and partners.
Collaborative, generous teammate with a coaching mindset
committed to sharing practices that strengthen team culture.

Proficiency with fundraising CRMs and reporting (Tessitura preferred)
data-driven approach to strategy and forecasting.
Deep interest in the Academy's mission
familiarity with science, climate, conservation, or museum philanthropy is a plus.

Consistently secure gifts of $100,000+, prioritizing unrestricted flexible support as well as advancing priorities across biodiversity science, environmental learning, and conservation.

This listing is sourced directly from California Academy of Sciences's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.