Individual and Planned Giving Officer

Who We Are

Spark SF Public Schools is the San Francisco Unified School District’s (SFUSD) non-profit arm. It is an independently incorporated 501(c)((3), which was established to build the private philanthropic partnerships necessary to pilot new programs, understand and develop preK-12 educational best practices, and scale them district-wide to transform public education at SFUSD. SFUSD is the seventh largest school district in California, serving almost 49,500 students who speak more than 44 documented languages across 132 schools in the city of San Francisco every year. We aim for every student who attends SFUSD schools to discover his or her spark, along with a strong sense of self and purpose, and that all students graduate from high school ready for college and career, and equipped with the skills, capacities and dispositions outlined in SFUSD’s Graduate Profile. Every day in our quest to achieve this mission we provide each and every student, each and every day, with the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century.

What It Means to Work Here

Spark SF Public Schools is guided by SFUSD’s Core Values:

• Student-centered: We put students’ needs first
• Fearless: We persist through challenges
• United: We celebrate and build on each other’s strengths
• Social Justice: We stand with those most vulnerable in our community
• Diversity-driven: We respect and seek to understand each person

Who We Want

We are seeking a self-driven and experienced Major Gift and Planned Giving Officer to develop and build Spark’s major donor fundraising and planned giving efforts that will help Spark as SFUSD’s 501(c)(3) non profit, Spark, to achieve its ambitious five-year student outcome goals. 

As part of the SPARK Development team, the Individual and Planned Giving Officer will be an innovative development professional responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and securing major individual (including planned gifts) and corporate gifts for SPARK SFUSD. The Individual and Planned Giving Officer works closely with the President and Director of Development, and works collaboratively and strategically with and in support of the San Francisco Unified School District to develop and implement strategies for individual (including planned gifts) and corporate donor relationship management and cultivation, to meet the short and long-term fundraising goals of SPARK.

We want talented people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who are committed to and will champion our Core Values, are inspired by our mission steeped in equity, and who are motivated to unleash our children’s potential. We want people who are strong collaborators, skilled communicators, problem solvers and who are comfortable in a community of continuous learning.

This individual would need to be skilled in understanding donors' motivations and interests, as well as adept at identifying and activating strategic fundraising channels and crafting strategic plans for soliciting significant gifts. Their ability to cultivate relationships and effectively communicate the impact of major and planned gifts would be key in securing substantial gifts in the 5 - 7+ figure range. Additionally, experience in developing and implementing fundraising strategies tailored to high net worth individuals would be invaluable.

Duties & Responsibilities

As the Major Gift and Planned Giving Officer, you will be responsible for the following key areas:

Major Gift Fundraising

• Research and qualify a pipeline of major gift prospects and donors.
• Manage a portfolio of 75-125 prospects, guiding potential donors through the stages of discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit major gifts, securing donations in the 5- to 7-figure range.
• Develop a pipeline of mid-level donors.
• Develop and implement short-, intermediate-, and long-term solicitation strategies for individual prospects, including alumni, parents, trustees, friends of SFUSD, board members, faculty, and staff.
• Plan and execute events and activities, such as volunteer experiences, tours, receptions, and friend-raisers, to engage and cultivate major gift donors.
• Work closely with the Development team to create major gift materials, including research, briefing memos, proposals, and stewardship materials.

Planned Giving

• Research and qualify a pipeline of planned gift prospects.
• Cultivate and expand planned giving opportunities with both new and existing donors.
• Integrate planned giving objectives into major donor requests in collaboration with the President of Development.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of tax laws, investments, and planned giving strategies, applying this knowledge in legacy giving cultivation and solicitation.

Collaboration & Relationship Management

• Collaborate with Spark Board members, SFUSD leadership, and volunteers to identify and engage new prospects.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Development team members, communications staff, and other organizational teams.
• Participate in regular meetings to ensure alignment with organizational goals and strategies.

Performance Tracking & Reporting

• Monitor and report on weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual activities to meet individual performance goals, including meetings, proposals, and major gift revenue.
• Track and report relationship management activity using Salesforce.

Ethics & Professionalism

• Adhere to the CASE Code of Ethics for Fundraisers.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required.
• 5-7 years of proven success in major or planned gift fundraising, preferably in higher education, or significant experience in comparable fields such as sales, marketing, or client management.
• Demonstrated ability to achieve financial goals, including a strong track record of cultivating and securing five-figure gifts and above.
• Experience in cold calling, with the ability to develop and execute effective cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively to diverse audiences, ranging from large groups and staff meetings to executive briefings and public board meetings.
• Experience in crafting clear, concise, and compelling funding proposals.
• Strong strategic and creative thinking abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to develop and implement effective fundraising strategies.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build and maintain relationships with donors, colleagues, and stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and handle multiple assignments simultaneously with minimal supervision.
• High attention to detail and a professional attitude and appearance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, with intermediate to advanced skills.
• Familiarity with fundraising software and CRM systems, preferably Salesforce.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as needed.

The strongest candidates will have:

• Passion for Prek-12 public education
• Experience with donor-advised funds (DAFs) and legacy giving programs
• Knowledge of planned gift models and software
• Understanding of endowment fundraising and legacy giving
• Experience fundraising for education institutions in alumni development and legacy giving programs
• Experience with using digital software tools and databases for prospecting, moves management and planned gift models
• Knowledge of urban public school landscapes including policies, politics, education practices and funding
• Strong analytic and systems thinking necessary to interpret data to inform goals and strategy, as well as build infrastructure where none exists
• Ability to build relationships across all organizational levels and functions
• Ability to manage ambiguity, risk, and changing direction of projects and strategies
• Ability to work effectively in high-pressure situations that require sound decision making

What We Offer

Spark SF Public Schools offers a competitive salary of $100,000 to $135,000 commensurate with experience in a similar position. We offer a competitive benefits plan including health, vision and dental coverage, vacation, sick leave, flexible spending account options and retirement plan. We also offer an inclusive and equity-centered environment where we encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work.

How to Apply

• Submit a letter of interest (cover letter), resume, list of professional references (at least 3) and any applicable credentials or licenses to hegartyc@sfusd.edu
• Our team will then review your entire application to determine your eligibility status and contact you directly should you move forward in the process.

Verification

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found

at http://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification from this and future job opportunities with the San Francisco Unified School District.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Spark SF Public Schools programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression; or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.