Chief Development Officer (Woodside)

Organization

Just 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli Historic House and Garden is a historic home and vibrant landscape situated on the ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone people in Woodside, California. Encompassing 654 acres along the slopes of California’s coastal range, Filoli was built in 1917 as a private residence and opened to the public in 1975. Its centerpiece is a 54,000+ square‑foot Georgian revival style mansion designed by Willis Polk and is considered one of the nation’s finest remaining 20th‑century country estates. The historic home sits on 16 acres of formal gardens, over six acres of orchards, and hundreds of acres of natural land with six distinct ecosystems and nature trails. Filoli is on the National Register of Historic Places, a designated California State Historic Landmark, and part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Filoli is dedicated to connecting its rich history with a vibrant future through beauty, nature, and shared stories, providing an opportunity for all people to honor nature, value unique experiences, and appreciate beauty in everyday life. Nearly 750,000 visitors explore the historic house, stroll through the meticulously maintained gardens, and enjoy the natural lands each year. Shopping and dining options are offered daily. Filoli hosts various events, including seasonal celebrations and engagement programs, enriching the visitor experience and fostering a deeper connection to the estate’s history and natural beauty. The estate has been continuously working for over 100 years, producing fruit butter, hard cider, honey, dried lavender, and culinary herbs. In recent years, Filoli has expanded the network of trails and is focusing on increasing public engagement with nature and land conservation.

Filoli’s 2024–2028 Strategic Plan centers on deepening community connection, including a $25 million capital campaign to expand guest access to nature and shape the future of the historic estate.

Filoli has a 29‑member board of directors led by Board Chair Sydney Leung, and Kara Newport serves as President & CEO. The Chief Development Officer reports to the CEO and has three direct reports: Director of Development Operations, Writer and Grants Coordinator, and Major Gifts Officer. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, Filoli reported total revenue of $30.2 million: 10% from contributions and grants, 16% from memberships, 60% from program services, 11% from the retail gift shop, and 3% from other revenue.

Position Summary

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) leads a professional Development Department and serves as a key Executive Team member and strategic leader for Filoli Historic House and Garden. The CDO partners with the Board, CEO, and leadership team in creating and implementing a long‑term development strategy that builds a philanthropic program designed to engage a broad audience in ongoing programs and ambitious projects. The CDO is instrumental in partnering with the CEO as Filoli’s top fundraiser, providing counsel and influencing high‑stakes decisions and big‑picture elements of the $25 million comprehensive campaign, Cultivating the Future.

Roles and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Work closely with the CEO, Executive Team, and Board of Directors on comprehensive long‑term planning that supports sustainable growth, and lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive contributed revenue strategy.
• Serve as a knowledgeable leader for philanthropic advancement, providing expertise in all development functions and working with the CEO to build fundraising strategies that secure Filoli’s financial health in line with the overall strategic direction.
• Serve as a collaborative leader and member of the Executive Team in establishing growth direction, developing creative solutions, and representing a unified voice for Filoli’s overall strategic direction.
• Represent the organization as requested in the absence of the CEO.
• Analyze fundraising results, evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising programs, and forecast annual and long‑term fundraising projections for organizational financial planning.
• Staff and provide leadership to fundraising committees, including the Gala and Development Committees and the Campaign Cabinet; proactively plan meeting agendas, present robust data, and develop direct relationships with board members and volunteer leaders through direct committee work.
• Represent Filoli to external audiences, including individual and organizational contacts and the broader philanthropic community; use external meetings, conferences, and speaking engagements to build brand visibility and financial support that advances Filoli’s mission.
• Play a significant leadership role in identifying and prioritizing fundraising projects, keeping current on cross‑departmental project development and implementation, and providing institutional reports for project process and completion.

Development and Donor Relationships

• Strategically lead, manage, and execute a complex and growing development function to sustain and grow Filoli’s revenue base.
• Build and grow a sustainable major gifts program, informed by prospect management and research.
• Execute a comprehensive individual giving program that includes the annual fund and leadership annual giving.
• Create platforms and opportunities for corporations and foundations to engage with Filoli and build a sustainable base of institutional support.
• Build a planned giving program through the Filoli Legacy Society.
• Create a fundraising and cultivation event platform designed to generate revenue and deepen relationships while being streamlined and efficient.
• Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of Filoli’s top major and principal gift prospects.
• Serve as primary partner with the CEO to advance fundraising activities.
• Partner with the Board of Directors, Development Committee, and other volunteer fundraisers to engage them directly in all phases of fundraising.
• Create performance measurables and ensure regular internal and external tracking and progress reports are in place.
• Maintain a thorough and current knowledge of Filoli’s programs and develop ongoing donor communication plans and strategies that create layers of giving opportunities within the annual plans.
• Develop comprehensive cultivation and stewardship programs that build from gifts for future giving potential.
• Ensure that all fundraising efforts are well organized, well executed, and lay the foundation for future increases in donor support.
• Keep abreast of federal and state tax laws and gift‑tracking standards that may be relevant to major donor gift administration.
• Ensure development communications across the department meet the quality and brand standards of the organization.
• Engage external partners, consultants, and other resources for training and professional development to ensure staff has the latest tools and techniques and the board has confidence in the solicitation process.

Campaign Management

• Oversee the overall campaign plan, including phasing and prioritization, leadership recruitment, prospect management, performance targets, communications, budgeting, policy oversight, campaign recording, and donor management and recognition.
• Ensure campaign strategies and reporting systems are in place to monitor and communicate progress to keep the campaign on track.
• Partner with professional campaign counsel, Huron, to ensure following the highest standards in campaign development.
• Drive the solicitation process through the engagement of executive leaders and development staff.
• Oversee the Campaign Cabinet, the volunteer leadership of the campaign, including recruitment, onboarding, staffing, evaluation, communications, and events.
• Ensure proper management of gifts, ensure ongoing gift stewardship is in place for all donors, and create robust recognition and acknowledgment programs.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the CEO, staff, and board leadership, tracking campaign statistics, evaluating progress based on established benchmarks, recommending next steps, and adjusting when necessary.
• Create programs and activities to raise public interest in the project.
• Be responsible for the implementation and equitable delivery of campaign policies; regularly review and update to meet evolving campaign needs.

Management and Cross‑Departmental Collaboration

• Develop annual department plans and budgets that support the overall needs of the organization.
• Hire, train, manage, evaluate, develop, and supervise Development staff with an emphasis on succession and professional development.
• Lead team members in setting work goals and maintaining accountability for goal achievement.
• Ensure that staff members are resourced with individual professional development plans.
• Provide oversight and continually improve internal processes and systems.
• Collaborate with the Executive Team to develop project overviews, create an internal support network for donor meetings and events, and ensure the organization’s needs and priorities are met.
• Collaborate closely with the Marketing team to align development and campaign messaging and materials with overall institutional messaging and brand standards.
• Coordinate with the Property team, including Horticulture, Collections, Learning & Engagement, and Interpretation, to maintain an institution‑wide fundraising project grid and support the creation of overviews and budgets to make project information available for conversat]]>