Chief Philanthropy Officer

Retained Search for Chief Philanthropy Officer at San Antonio Area Foundation

THE ORGANIZATION

The San Antonio Area Foundation (“Area Foundation”) serves as the community’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic partner, managing more than 500 charitable funds totaling $1.3B in assets. Coordinating efforts with numerous area nonprofits, the Area Foundation serves as a collaborative leader, connecting donors to address key community issues and investing in our future. Since 1964, over $900MM for scholarships and grants have been awarded to close opportunity gaps for those who need it most in San Antonio.

In addition to honoring fundholders’ individual philanthropic interests, the Area Foundation offers leadership, funding and support in several key areas throughout the community, including cultural vibrancy, livable and resilient communities, successful aging, youth success and animal services. The Area Foundation collaborates with area nonprofits, serves as a key leader and convener, and strives to be the area’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic partner. The Area Foundation’s values include excellence, passion, integrity and community.

Learn more about the foundation at saafdn.org

POSITION SUMMARY

The Chief Philanthropy Officer (CPO) serves as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and oversees two core revenue-generating departments: Scholarships & Philanthropic Services. The CPO sets the vision for fundraising and equity-centered program design, directs scholarship programs and leads major gift initiatives. This role cultivates transformative partnerships with donors, corporate partners and community stakeholders while fostering operational excellence and team performance. Working collaboratively across the Organization and with the Board of Directors, the CPO ensures exceptional stewardship, inclusive donor experiences and a high-performing culture aligned with the values and strategic goals of the Area Foundation.

Reports to:

Chief Executive Officer

Direct Reports:

Director, Scholarships & Relief Programs

Director, Student Success & Nonprofit Partnerships

Director, Development & Donor Services

Total Team: 16

Other Key Relationships:

Chief Impact Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Chief Marketing Officer

Officer of Board Relations & Governance

Board of Directors

Development Committee of the Board

Position Location: San Antonio, Texas; all employees are expected to live within a commutable driving distance to the office. In the current hybrid model, all staff are in the office at least three days per week and for ELT, board, committee and ad hoc meetings.

Compensation: The base pay range for this position is $210,000 - $230,000. Base pay is positioned based on several factors including an individual’s skills and experience, with consideration given to internal equity.

Benefits: Excellent benefits including generous retirement contributions, professional development, PTO/holidays

Travel: Periodic travel to meet local and state-wide nonprofit leaders, attend conferences, and participate in organizational off-site meetings

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership

Philanthropic Services & Scholarships Leadership

Team Leadership

Board & External Engagement

*Summarized for LinkedIn Posting

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

Summary

The ideal candidate will be an enterprise-minded philanthropy leader who combines strategic perspective with deep credibility in relationship-driven organizations. This leader will serve as a trusted partner to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, helping the Foundation strengthen its philanthropic approach, enhance donor engagement and position the organization for long-term growth and impact while building on its strong culture and community relationships without disrupting what is already working.

This individual will excel at developing and leading teams, building trust across the organization and influencing outcomes through collaboration and alignment. They will be grounded, thoughtful and practical—able to translate donor insights, organizational priorities and community needs into clear actions that improve focus, effectiveness and connection between philanthropy, scholarships and impact.

The successful candidate will have a collaborative and authentic leadership style, strong emotional intelligence and a demonstrated ability to balance relationship-building with accountability. They will be values-aligned with the Foundation’s culture and will serve as a visible and credible ambassador in the community.

Leadership Competencies

The Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Area Foundation is expected to demonstrate the following leadership competencies:

• Enterprise Leadership and Strategic
• Cross-Functional Alignment and Organizational Influence
• Culture, Talent, and Equity
• External Leadership and Community Partnership.
• Commitment to Mission & Values

Skills, Experiences, Qualifications

In addition to demonstration of the Leadership Competencies above, key skills and experiences desired include:

• 10 years of progressively responsible development leadership experience, preferably within a community foundation or philanthropic organization
• Commitment to equity, inclusion and community-centered philanthropy
• Deep knowledge of fundraising best practices, planned giving, donor cultivation and stewardship
• Demonstrated success in securing major and transformational gifts, planned giving and legacy commitments
• 8 years of proven ability leading, inspiring and developing high-performing teams
• Experience overseeing cross-functional teams and leading at the executive level, preferred
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work confidentially with high-net-worth individuals and community leaders
• Strong strategic planning, analytical and decision-making skills
• Experience with donor database systems and donor lifecycle management
• Knowledge of or connection to the San Antonio market, preferred
• Experience with scholarship administration is a plus

Leadership Style

• Highly relational and operationally disciplined, able to balance warmth with accountability
• Authentic and transparent communicator
• Builds trust at all levels of an organization
• Collaborative and inclusive, able to foster alignment across teams
• Comfortable setting expectations, addressing performance issues and holding others accountable
• Adaptable, resilient, able to navigate change in a dynamic environment
• Visible and credible presence in the community, able to represent the Foundation with confidence and authenticity

The San Antonio Area Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.