Director of Philanthropy

The Allan Hancock College Foundation is seeking a motivated and relationship-minded fundraiser to serve as Director of Philanthropy. In this role, you will manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, lead the President's Circle annual giving program, and continue building Hancock's planned giving program-all in service of students at Allan Hancock College. This position reports to the Executive Director and works closely with a collaborative team.

THE FOUNDATION

Established in 1977, the Foundation is a regionally recognized charitable organization on California's Central Coast with nearly $30 million in assets. Last year, the Foundation provided $1.5 million in critical financial resources to students and programs at Allan Hancock College. Hancock is a public community college and federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution that serves a predominantly local student body from low-income and first-generation households in northern Santa Barbara County.

The guiding purpose of the Foundation is straightforward and ambitious: we're working to Ensure College for All - to plan a future where finances are never an obstacle to students pursuing and completing college. The Director of Philanthropy will play a defining role in accelerating toward this vision

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a rare chance to join a high-performing, mission-driven team and take ownership of a fundraising program with real momentum. Over the next three years, the Director of Philanthropy will:

• Grow the major gifts portfolio by improving donor acquisition and closing 10+ major gifts of over $10k annually
• Scale unrestricted giving by increasing the President's Circle Campaign from its current base to 2X within 2-3 years through improved donor acquisition, retention, and upgrade strategies
• Improve the legacy giving pipeline by qualifying and cultivating a portfolio of 20+ planned giving prospects, securing at least 3 new legacy commitments annually

The Foundation has the assets, infrastructure, and community relationships to support ambitious growth, and this new position will have the opportunity to shape the program and see direct results.

THE POSITION

The Director of Philanthropy is primarily a public-facing role that builds and maintains meaningful relationships with individuals, families, organizations, and community members whose generosity supports student success. The successful candidate will be entrepreneurial, people-centered, and genuinely excited about connecting donors to our students' needs.

The Director of Philanthropy will make an impact through three primary areas of responsibility:

1. Major Giving: Identifying, cultivating, and securing significant philanthropic support

Success in this area will be measured by portfolio depth, visit volume, proposal activity, and closed gifts.

• Manage an active portfolio of approximately 100 major gift prospects and donors, maintaining a consistent schedule of personal visits (10+ monthly), proposals, and stewardship
• Close at least 10 major gifts ( $10k+) annually, with a target of growing average gift size year-over-year
• Build and advance a pipeline of 25+ qualified prospects in active cultivation, with clear next steps and projected ask amounts
• Identify and qualify at least 10 new major gift prospects annually from the Foundation's existing donor base, college alumni, and the broader geographic region
• Maintain timely and accurate CRM records (Raiser's Edge) to track donor activity, pipeline progress, and portfolio outcomes
• Work collaboratively with the Executive Director to coordinate relationships and solicitations with leadership donors
• Represent the Foundation and College at community events, cultivation gatherings, and donor recognition activities

2. Unrestricted Annual Giving: Growing the President's Circle Campaign

Success in this area will be measured by total unrestricted revenue, donor count, retention rate, and upgrade volume

• Serve as the primary relationship manager for the President's Circle, the Foundation's annual unrestricted giving program
• Develop a plan to increase annual unrestricted giving by 2X over 2-3 years through a combination of new donor acquisition, retention, and gift upgrade
• Develop and execute annual solicitation appeals to double donor acquisition and continue to retain existing donors
• Coordinate exclusive engagement opportunities for President's Circle members, including events, campus visits, and personalized stewardship touches
• Track membership trends and annual fund performance, using data to improve engagement and donor retention
• Identify 10+ President's Circle donors with major gift potential and develop intentional strategies for deeper relationship-building and cultivation

3. Planned Giving: Building a Legacy Pipeline

Success in this area will be measured by prospect qualification, legacy commitments secured, and society growth.

• Cultivate relationships with donors who have expressed interest in making a planned gift, supporting them through the process with care and clarity
• Draw on a working knowledge of common planned giving vehicles to guide donor conversations confidently
• Implement outreach strategies to raise awareness of planned giving opportunities among the Foundation's donor community
• Maintain accurate records of legacy commitments and provide meaningful stewardship to legacy society members
• Partner with the Executive Director and outside advisors on more complex gift arrangements as needed

YOUR KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

You will bring an essential understanding of nonprofit fundraising and donor relations, including:

• Thorough understanding of the gift cycle and demonstrated experience cultivating donor relationships that lead to meaningful gifts at $10k+ and above.
• Demonstrated success expanding major gifts, annual giving, and/or planned giving programs; experience in higher education preferred but not required
• Working knowledge of donor database utilization and management (experience with Raiser's Edge preferred but not required)
• Demonstrated familiarity with the use of AI tools for data analysis, workflows, and general workplace assistance preferred.
• Familiarity with annual fund strategies and donor engagement best practices that drive retention and upgrades
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tell compelling stories about impact
• Knowledge of local, regional, and national fundraising trends as well as applicable laws and regulations
• Understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse backgrounds and experiences of community college students, faculty, staff, and donors

At least 10 years of experience in a nonprofit fundraising environment with demonstrated success in securing major gift commitments

• Bachelor's degree preferred
• Proven experience maintaining and cultivating major donor relationships at the $10,000+ level, leading a high-function annual fund program, and/or a track record of securing multiple planned gifts annually
• Experience managing and using donor data to inform cultivation and solicitation decisions
• Experience working with diverse constituent groups externally and internally
• Proven ability to work successfully as part of a highly collaborative, high-trust team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; experience writing proposals, case statements, and donor correspondence

COMPENSATION

The Foundation offers a generous compensation package.

• Annual Salary: $100,000 - $110,000, commensurate with experience
• Medical / Dental / Vision / Life: Foundation pays 100% of employee premiums
• Retirement: Participation in a 403(b) retirement plan, with up to 12% employer match
• Vacation: 15 paid days annually for the first four years, with regular increases after that
• Holidays: 15 paid holidays (including your birthday off!)

Note: The Allan Hancock College Foundation team is not employed by Allan Hancock College, though the Foundation office is located on the college's main campus in Santa Maria. The Foundation office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, and the Director of Philanthropy will be expected to work evenings and weekends when circumstances arise.

TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, the candidate must submit the following application materials by the initial review date, Sunday, April 19, 2026 by 11:59 PST:

• Cover letter
• A current and complete resume of professional experience

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Allan Hancock College Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

ADA Accommodations: The Foundation is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Applicants requiring accommodations during the application or interview process are encouraged to contact us at AHCFoundation@hancockcollege.edu.

Classification and Background: This is a full-time, exempt position under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).