Chief Philanthropy Officer

United Way of King County (UWKC) is one of the largest United Way affiliates in the nation. We exist to break down systemic barriers and create opportunities so every person can thrive—regardless of race, income, or zip code. With an annual revenue target of $60 million, UWKC invests in bold, equity-centered strategies across housing stability, economic mobility, and educational justice to drive both immediate and systemic change.

Job Summary:

The Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) serves as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team and is responsible for leading UWKC’s Engagement division, which integrates fundraising, marketing, communications, public relations, donor engagement, and development operations. This role manages an established and strategically aligned infrastructure, ensuring every function operates at the highest standard of excellence.

This is a leadership role for a seasoned manager, not a builder. The strategy and systems are in place—the CPO’s role is to execute the existing playbook with precision, discipline, and creativity within defined guardrails. The ideal candidate is an adaptive, people-first leader who thrives in complexity, drives results through others, and centers racial equity and community trust at the heart of all philanthropic activity.

Compensation:

• The pay range for this job is $194,750 - $205,000/annually.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 32 days of PTO (including holidays)
• 403(b) retirement savings plan
• Subsidized Transit Pass (Orca Card)

Essential Duties:

Organizational Leadership & Strategic Alignment

• Serve as a trusted advisor and peer on the Senior Leadership Team, co-creating and executing enterprise-wide strategies and culture-building initiatives.
• Translate UWKC’s mission, vision, and strategic plan into clear operational goals across all Engagement functions.
• Manage and implement the organization’s philanthropic and engagement strategy as outlined in the strategic playbook—ensuring alignment, continuity, and organizational discipline.
• Act as a key liaison to the Board of Directors on all matters related to fundraising and engagement, preparing reports and supporting board development efforts as needed.

Fundraising, Revenue Management & Donor Strategy

• Lead a high-functioning team to achieve and exceed an annual revenue goal of $60M+ through the following streams:
  • Workplace Giving
  • Major and Leadership Gifts
  • Annual Giving & Donor Engagement
  • Institutional Giving (corporate and foundation)
  • Planned Giving
  • Events and Sponsorships
• Manage UWKC’s donor pipeline strategy, segmentation models, and stewardship frameworks to deepen engagement, increase donor lifetime value, and retain multi-year partnerships.
• Ensure all fundraising approaches are consistent with community-centric fundraising principles that center equity and community voice.

Operational Excellence & Data-Informed Strategy

• Oversee development operations, data infrastructure, CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), prospect research, reporting, and performance tracking.
• Establish and maintain operational dashboards to measure progress against KPIs, using data to inform course correction, team accountability, and campaign effectiveness.
• Ensure systems and processes support scalable growth, effective donor journeys, and a consistent experience for all stakeholders.

Marketing, Communications & Brand Stewardship

• Provide strategic oversight of all external messaging and brand assets—including digital marketing, earned media, advertising, content creation, and storytelling.
• Lead a unified brand strategy that is bold, equity-forward, and designed to build visibility, deepen public trust, and inspire action across diverse audiences.
• Serve as a primary spokesperson and media representative alongside the CEO, where appropriate.

Talent Development, Culture & Team Leadership

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team through coaching-based, culturally responsive supervision practices.
• Foster a high-trust culture of belonging, performance, and collaboration where people feel seen, valued, and supported in their professional growth.
• Create clear accountability systems and capacity-building plans that support both technical excellence and equity-centered leadership development.

Risk, Compliance & Financial Stewardship

• Ensure adherence to ethical fundraising practices, regulatory standards, and brand reputation guidelines.
• Partner with Finance and Legal on audits, reporting, and due diligence processes to safeguard donor trust and organizational integrity.
• Identify and mitigate reputational and operational risks across all philanthropic and engagement activities.

Cross-Functional and Community Collaboration

• Collaborate across departments—including Programs, Policy, and Finance—to ensure alignment between funding strategies, community outcomes, and fiscal sustainability.
• Develop cross-sector partnerships and coalitions to amplify UWKC’s voice and increase community investment.

Engage in community dialogue and stakeholder feedback loops to remain responsive and adaptive to community priorities and emerging needs.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Strategic Execution and Operational Discipline

• Executes against a defined strategy with focus and clarity. Leverages systems, metrics, and infrastructure to manage complexity without deviation from organizational goals.

Revenue Leadership and Resource Management

• Demonstrates fluency in all aspects of philanthropic strategy, leading high-yield campaigns and donor engagement plans that reflect sustainability and equity.

Brand and Storytelling Leadership

• Manages a unified, bold brand narrative that uplifts community voice, demonstrates impact, and builds organizational credibility.

People-Centered Management and Team Culture

• Uses coaching-based leadership to cultivate inclusive, high-performing teams rooted in trust, feedback, and equity.

Cross-Functional and External Collaboration

• Navigates organizational silos and builds deep, strategic relationships with internal and external partners.

Equity-Focused Fundraising and Engagement

• Embeds equity into fundraising models and public engagement strategies. Advocates for systems-level shifts in power, narrative, and resource distribution.

Risk Awareness and Ethical Stewardship

• Ensures transparency, regulatory compliance, and ethical practices in all philanthropic and external engagement activities.

Data-Informed Decision-Making

Uses performance data, constituent feedback, and analytics to optimize strategy, drive accountability, and continuously improve.

Education and/or Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in philanthropy, engagement, fundraising, marketing/communications, or nonprofit management.
• Demonstrated success managing large, multidisciplinary teams and complex portfolios with multiple revenue streams.
• Deep understanding of racial equity, community-centric fundraising, and systems change.
• Strong background in executing existing strategy and managing established operations with excellence—rather than creating new systems from scratch.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
• Expertise in data-informed decision-making, donor segmentation, pipeline strategy, and CRM systems (Salesforce preferred).
• Experience navigating change management, organizational growth, and stakeholder engagement in large or evolving nonprofits.
• Proven ability to cultivate and steward relationships with high-net-worth donors, board members, corporate leaders, and institutional funders.

Additional Information:

United Way of King County is an exceptional workplace that can provide you with:

• Opportunities to work with smart, passionate, and enthusiastic team members and volunteers.
• Ongoing collaboration with diverse staff and other constituents
• A desirable culture of high-performance expectations and accountability
• Exciting and challenging work
• Opportunities to help solve the community's toughest problems.
• Competitive pay that is commensurate with demonstrated successful performance and experience.
• Many other benefits that we are happy to discuss with you.

Application Procedures:

Please click here to apply online via the following link. You will be asked to upload your resume and provide a cover letter as well as complete the United Way of King County application.

• **Applicants MUST apply at the United Way of King County Career Center to be considered for this position. Click here to access the Career Center to apply.***