Director of Philanthropy

Job Description

Job Description

DIRECTOR/SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

The Miami Foundation

Department: Philanthropy

Reports To: Vice President of Philanthropy

The Miami Foundation is building the home base for generosity and community impact in Greater Miami. Since 1967, The Foundation has invested over $900 million to strengthen our community in partnership with more than 1,000 partners and over 60,000 donors.

By accelerating leadership, generosity, and a sense of belonging across Miami, we inspire people to become changemakers and create ways for donors, nonprofits, leaders, and locals to work together on solutions for our community.

 

At The Miami Foundation, everyone has a role they can play in creating a thriving Greater Miami.

 

Position Overview

The Director/Senior Director of Philanthropy will lead efforts to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth individuals and families whose philanthropic interests align with The Miami Foundation’s mission and community impact.

 

This is a relationship-driven fundraising role for an energetic, confident, and highly personable professional who enjoys meeting people, building trust, developing relationships, and creating opportunities.

 

The ideal candidate is someone who can comfortably walk into a room filled with high-net-worth individuals, business leaders, entrepreneurs, families, or community influencers and engage authentically. They know how to start a conversation, ask thoughtful questions, listen, identify interests, and build relationships over time. They are persistent and entrepreneurial without being transactional.

 

The Foundation is open to candidates with traditional fundraising backgrounds as well as non-traditional candidates who have significant experience working directly with high-net-worth individuals and families through fields such as wealth management, private banking, luxury real estate, professional services, hospitality, membership organizations, family offices, or other relationship-intensive environments.

 

The Director/Senior Director will manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, develop new philanthropic relationships, secure major gifts, and serve as a visible ambassador for The Miami Foundation throughout Greater Miami.

 

Key Responsibilities

Individual & Family Philanthropy

• Develop and execute strategies to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Manage a portfolio of current and prospective donors with a focus on deepening relationships and increasing philanthropic engagement.
• Build authentic, long-term relationships with donors based on their interests, values, goals, and desired community impact.
• Conduct thoughtful discovery conversations to understand donor motivations, philanthropic interests, family dynamics, and giving goals.
• Develop customized philanthropic opportunities that connect donor interests with the Foundation’s work and Greater Miami’s needs.
• Secure major gifts and other philanthropic commitments that advance the Foundation’s mission.
• Maintain consistent and meaningful stewardship of existing donors.
• Identify opportunities to engage spouses, family members, next-generation philanthropists, and other members of a donor’s network.

Business Development & Prospecting

• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of prospective donors.
• Generate new relationships through personal networking, referrals, community involvement, events, existing donor relationships, and professional networks.
• Proactively identify individuals and families who may have an interest in partnering with The Miami Foundation.
• Develop relationships with centers of influence who can provide introductions to prospective donors.
• Represent The Miami Foundation at community, civic, business, social, and philanthropic events.
• Consistently create new opportunities rather than relying solely on inbound interest.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues to develop strategies for high-value prospects and donor relationships.

Donor Engagement

• Serve as a trusted philanthropic resource for donors and families.
• Facilitate conversations around charitable giving, community needs, and opportunities for impact.
• Coordinate with Foundation experts and colleagues to develop sophisticated philanthropic strategies.
• Connect donors with nonprofit leaders, community experts, and other resources when appropriate.
• Create and participate in donor events, small gatherings, presentations, and other experiences designed to deepen engagement.
• Ensure donors receive a high-quality, personalized experience throughout their relationship with the Foundation.

Portfolio & Fundraising Management

• Maintain accurate donor and prospect information and activity within the Foundation’s CRM.
• Develop and manage individual fundraising plans and goals.
• Track pipeline activity, solicitations, commitments, and stewardship.
• Prepare reports and updates for the Vice President of Philanthropy and other leadership as requested.
• Collaborate with colleagues on annual fundraising goals and broader philanthropy strategies.
• Participate in Foundation-wide fundraising and donor engagement initiatives.

Leadership & Community Presence

• Serve as a highly visible ambassador for The Miami Foundation.
• Build a strong personal network throughout Greater Miami.
• Develop relationships across business, civic, philanthropic, and community circles.
• Depending on level and experience, mentor or supervise philanthropy staff.
• Partner with the Vice President of Philanthropy, CEO, Leadership Team, and Board members on strategic donor relationships and fundraising opportunities.

What We’re Looking For

 

Experience

We are intentionally open to both traditional and non-traditional backgrounds.

Candidates may bring experience from:

• Major gifts or nonprofit fundraising.
• Wealth management or private banking.
• Family office or private client services.
• Luxury real estate.
• Professional services or consulting.
• Hospitality or membership organizations.
• Business development or relationship management.
• Entrepreneurial or client-facing roles serving high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Other environments where the candidate has consistently built trusted relationships with sophisticated, high-value clients or stakeholders.

Additional preferred experience includes:

• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in fundraising, business development, relationship management, client development, private client services, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with high-net-worth individuals, families, executives, entrepreneurs, or community leaders.
• Experience cultivating relationships that result in significant financial commitments, business opportunities, or long-term partnerships.
• Experience managing a portfolio of relationships and maintaining a disciplined approach to follow-up and relationship development.
• Major gift fundraising experience is strongly preferred but is not an absolute requirement for candidates with highly transferable relationship-building experience.
• Supervisory experience is preferred for the Senior Director level.

Skills & Attributes

• Highly confident, personable, and engaging.
• Natural networkers who genuinely enjoy meeting and connecting with people.
• Comfortable initiating conversations with people they do not know.
• Able to “work a room” effectively and
• Strong listening and discovery skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Comfortable speaking in front of individuals and groups.
• Entrepreneurial, proactive, persistent, and results oriented.
• Able to turn an initial introduction into a meaningful long-term relationship.
• Strong emotional intelligence and social awareness.
• Comfortable interacting with sophisticated donors and community leaders.
• Able to navigate complex relationships with discretion and sound judgment.
• Highly organized and disciplined in managing a donor/prospect portfolio.
• Genuine interest in philanthropy and the Greater Miami community.
• High integrity and commitment to donor-centered service.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be demonstrated by the ability to consistently expand The Miami Foundation’s network of individual and family donors, deepen existing relationships, generate meaningful philanthropic opportunities, and secure increased philanthropic investment in the community.