Director of Philanthropy- REMOTE

POSITION: Director of Philanthropy

REPORTS TO: Chief Development Officer

ABOUT KESEM

We are a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer with innovative, fun-filled programs that foster a lasting community.

About the Position

Kesem is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven, and mission-aligned Director of Philanthropy to lead and grow revenue across three key areas: special events, major gifts, and foundation partnerships. As we celebrate 25 years of transformative impact, this role will be critical to deepening donor engagement, expanding philanthropic investment, and driving sustainable revenue to support children impacted by a parent’s cancer.

This leadership role will report directly to the Chief Development Officer and serve as a key thought partner on national fundraising strategy, cross-team collaboration, and staff development.

Kesem’s Values

The Director of Philanthropy must uphold and build a culture that continues to support and strengthen the following behaviors to help us realize our vision:

• Continuous learning - We operate with curiosity and a willingness to try new things, and we see our successes and setbacks as opportunities for growth.
• Accountability - We are individually and collectively responsible for advancing our mission.
• Resilience - We empower and support each other through challenges while fostering a spirit of joy and hopefulness.
• Empathy - We seek to understand and appreciate other perspectives and experiences.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Major Gifts & Individual Giving (60-70%)

• Serve as the primary connection between the organization and major donors, building trust through personalized engagement, consistent communication, and strategic stewardship.
• Manages a portfolio of 75-100 qualified prospects and donors, with clear metrics for outreach, meetings, solicitations, and gift closings to ensure progress toward revenue goals.
• Use donor data, wealth screening, and giving history to prioritize efforts, customize asks, and forecast giving potential with accuracy.
• Work closely with marketing, program staff, executive leadership, and board members to align donor messaging and deepen the donor experience.

Special Events (15%)

• Supervise and support the Manager, Donor Engagement & Special Events, ensuring alignment with fundraising goals and organizational priorities.
• Setting clear performance expectations, providing regular feedback, and supporting professional growth.
• Ensure events meet or exceed fundraising goals while advancing Kesem’s visibility
• Support board and host committee engagement, sponsorship outreach, and post-event follow-up strategy.

Foundations (15%)

• Supervise and support the Manager, Foundation Relations in managing grant calendars, deadlines, and proposal submissions, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and timelines.
• Offer regular feedback, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to strengthen the Manager’s grant writing, research, and relationship management skills.
• Review and approve key deliverables, including LOIs, proposals, and reports, to maintain high-quality standards, narrative alignment, and data accuracy.
• Guide the Foundation Manager in coordinating with program, finance, and development teams to gather content and data for compelling grant materials and reporting.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive experience in nonprofit fundraising, including managing people and programs.
• Demonstrated success securing five- and six-figure gifts from individuals and foundations.
• Strong knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor cultivation cycles, and event-based revenue models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to inspire, influence, and build trust.
• Strategic thinker who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Commitment to Kesem’s values of continuous learning, accountability, resilience and empathy
• Skilled in vendor and sponsorship management, strategic event planning, data analytics, and optimizing ROI, with proficiency in tools like Salesforce, Classy, and Hive.
• Experienced in training and managing event volunteers or staff, incorporating DEI principles, and leveraging digital and hybrid technologies to expand reach.
• Entrepreneurial problem solver with a deep passion for empowering children and fostering impactful relationships.
• Professional certifications (CFRE or CSEP) are a plus.

Job Environment

• The Director of Philanthropy is a full-time and remote position, with responsibilities that require at least 40 hours of work per week, with some weeks requiring more.
• It is expected that the Director of Philanthropy will be available for staff calls, volunteer meetings, Board meetings, donor events, which may occur outside of normal work hours.

Location & Travel

Location for this role is flexible, with no preference for geography. The Director of Philanthropy should expect to travel 8-10 times per year, all within the United States. Travel includes major gift solicitations, national fundraising events, market prospecting, National Leadership Summit, Board meetings, camp-related gatherings and staff retreats if applicable.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Kesem’s mission of supporting children through and beyond a parent’s cancer, and our vision of ensuring that every child impacted by a parent’s cancer is never alone, can only be realized through an ongoing, steadfast commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in every part of our organization. To that end, Kesem makes the following commitments:

• To continually expand the communities we support and work with - our camper families, volunteers, staff, alumni, partners, donors, and boards - with attention to engaging communities we are not currently reaching.
• To strive for equity in delivering a transformative, fun, and empowering community that recognizes and embraces our differences.
• To aspire to create shared spaces that are safe for every member of the Kesem community to feel valued and respected.
• Kesem will engage in continued meaningful learning in order to better support our mission and our growing Kesem community.

Kesem is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Kesem offers a benefits package for full-time employees, including employer-subsidized health benefits, employee-funded dental and vision benefits, an employee-funded 403(b) retirement plan, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a healthcare concierge service, telecommuting, paid time off (PTO), Short-Term Disability, voluntary accident insurance, voluntary critical illness insurance, voluntary Long-Term Disability and parental leave offerings.