Director, Environmental Initiatives

At San Diego Foundation (SDF), we are committed to inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life throughout our region. The Community Impact Division leads SDF’s programmatic initiatives and strategic partnerships to build a vibrant, equitable, and resilient San Diego County. 

The Director, Environmental Initiatives serves as the Foundation’s strategic and operational leader for environmental and climate-related initiatives. This role provides direct leadership to a multi-level team and works closely with internal colleagues and cross-sector partners, including donors, government agencies, academic institutions, businesses, and community-based organizations, to advance collaborative solutions to the region's most pressing environmental challenges.  

Building on SDF’s long history of environmental leadership and investment, the Director leads key initiatives that promote climate resilience, environmental equity, outdoor access, and sustainable community development. This role oversees a grantmaking portfolio of approximately $10 million annually in public and philanthropic resources.   

This is a hybrid position with regular onsite expectations at SDF's headquarters in Liberty Station, San Diego. 

Essential Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Portfolio Management

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for the environmental initiatives portfolio, ensuring alignment with SDF’s mission, strategic plan, and organizational goals. 
• Lead the implementation of environmental and climate-related strategies in partnership with internal stakeholders and regional partners.  
• Establish and monitor goals, outcomes, and evaluation measures to assess initiative performance and community impact. Develop annual program and operations budgets and track financial and program impact. 
• Identify emerging opportunities, trends, and challenges related to environmental resilience, conservation, sustainability, and equity across the San Diego region. 
• Support cross-functional planning, reporting, and alignment related to environmental strategies and priorities.  

Fundraising & Resource Development

• Develop and implement strategies to secure philanthropic, foundation, corporate, and government funding for SDF’s environmental initiatives. 
• Cultivate and steward relationships with national, state, and local funders, individual donors, and strategic partners to attract and sustain investments in environmental programs. 
• Partner with Development & Stewardship and Marketing & Communications teams to align fundraising efforts, donor engagement and communications. 
• Manage annual budgets, contracts, and approximately $10 million in grants (public and philanthropic) and charitable expenditures. 
• Prepare proposals, reports, presentations, and other materials that communicate progress, outcomes, and future opportunities to funders and leadership 

Grantmaking & Community Collaboration

• Oversee the design and implementation of strategic grantmaking processes that advance regional environmental priorities and donor intent. 
• Lead engagement with grant advisory committees and other stakeholders ensuring best practices in philanthropy, transparency, and impact measurement. 
• Foster collaboration among donors, nonprofits, civic leaders, academic partners, and government agencies to amplify collective impact and strengthen regional networks. 
• Ensure effective and timely grants management in partnership with internal staff and systems such as Foundant and Blackbaud. 
• Facilitate convenings, workshops, and educational events that promote knowledge-sharing, partnership building and regional collaboration. 

External Relations & Thought Leadership

• Represent SDF's environmental work in community meetings, conferences, funder collaboratives groups (e.g., Smart Growth California, The Funders Network, San Diego Grantmakers), media opportunities, and other public forums.  
• Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop storytelling, blogs, and other written communications that elevate SDF’s environmental initiatives. 
• Position SDF as a trusted leader and regional partner through thought leadership and data-sharing on climate resilience, sustainability, environmental equity, and equitable community development. 
• Represent SDF on boards, advisory committees, and partnerships that advance shared goals in environmental equity and sustainability. 

Team Leadership & Organizational Collaboration

• Champion SDF’s mission, vision, and values. Model inclusive leadership and contribute to organization-wide efforts that support employee engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to a team of 6-8 full-time staff and contribute to a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning. 
• Mentor and develop emerging leaders within the Foundation, building capacity for long-term organizational success. 
• Build strong partnerships across CI departments and across the organization, especially with Development & Stewardship, Marketing & Communications, Finance, and Grants Administration.