Individual and Planned Giving Officer

We are seeking a self-driven, experienced Major Gift and Planned Giving Officer who is familiar and experienced in the San Francisco philanthropic community to build and grow Spark’s major donor fundraising and planned giving support for our ambitious goals as SFUSD’s official 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

As a key member of the Spark Development team, the Individual and Planned Giving Officer will be an innovative and strategic development professional responsible for cultivating, soliciting, and securing major individual gifts—including planned gifts—as well as select corporate support. This role works closely with the President and Director of Development to collaboratively design and implement a mid-level, major gift, and planned giving program aligned with Spark’s short- and long-term fundraising priorities.

We are looking for talented individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences who are deeply committed to our mission and core values, grounded in equity, and motivated to help unleash the potential of San Francisco’s public school students. Ideal candidates are self-starters and strong collaborators, skilled communicators, thoughtful problem-solvers, and lifelong learners who thrive in a culture of continuous growth.

This role is well-suited for someone energized by the opportunity to build a major gifts program and shape strategy from the ground up. The successful candidate will be a strategic listener who understands donor motivations and interests, excels at identifying and activating high-impact fundraising opportunities, and is adept at developing and executing thoughtful solicitation strategies. The position requires experience cultivating high-net-worth individuals and effectively communicating the impact of major and planned gifts in the $5–7+ figure range.

Experience working within or alongside large, complex institutions such as education systems, healthcare organizations, or other multi-stakeholder public/private partnerships, is highly valued. Candidates from other sectors who bring transferable skills and experience navigating complexity, institutional environments, or cross-sector collaboration are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Research and qualify a pipeline of major gift prospects and donors
• Manage a portfolio of 75–125 prospects through discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit major gifts in the 5- to 7-figure range
• Develop a pipeline of mid-level donors
• Create and execute short-, intermediate-, and long-term solicitation strategies for individual prospects, including alumni, parents, trustees, board members, and friends of SFUSD
• Plan and execute donor engagement activities such as volunteer experiences, tours, receptions, and cultivation events
• Collaborate with the Development team to produce major gift materials, including proposals, briefing memos, and stewardship reports

• Research and qualify a pipeline of planned gift prospects
• Cultivate and expand planned giving opportunities with new and existing donors
• Integrate planned giving strategies into major gift solicitations in collaboration with the President and Director of Development
• Maintain working knowledge of tax laws, investments, and planned giving strategies to support legacy giving conversations

• Partner with Spark Board members, SFUSD leadership, and volunteers to identify and engage new prospects
• Build strong working relationships across Development, Communications, and program teams
• Participate in regular meetings to ensure alignment with organizational goals and fundraising strategy

• Monitor and report on weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual fundraising activity and performance goals
• Track prospect and donor activity using Salesforce

• Adhere to the CASE Code of Ethics for Fundraisers

Required

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• 5–7 years of demonstrated success in major and/or planned gift fundraising, or comparable experience in fields such as sales, marketing, or client relationship management
• Proven ability to achieve financial goals, including securing five-figure gifts and above
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences
• Experience developing compelling funding proposals and donor communications
• Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and project management abilities, with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities independently
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred)
• Availability to work evenings and weekends as needed

Preferred

• Experience working within or alongside large, complex institutions or initiatives involving multiple stakeholders
• Comfort navigating institutional systems, public/private partnerships, or cross-sector collaboration
• Experience with donor-advised funds (DAFs), planned giving, or legacy giving strategies
• Knowledge of endowment fundraising and long-term donor stewardship

• Passion for PreK–12 public education
• Understanding of urban public school systems, funding structures, and policy environments
• Experience with alumni development or education-based fundraising programs
• Strong analytical and systems-thinking skills to inform strategy and build infrastructure
• Ability to manage ambiguity, adapt to changing priorities, and make sound decisions under pressure

Spark SF Public Schools offers a competitive salary range of $125,000–$160,000, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health, vision, and dental coverage; vacation and sick leave; flexible spending accounts; and a retirement plan. We are proud to offer an inclusive, equity-centered workplace where staff are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, and a list of at least three professional references to hegartyc@sfusd.edu. Qualified candidates will be contacted directly if selected to move forward in the process.

Spark SF Public Schools programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression; or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. 

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at http://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification from this and future job opportunities with the San Francisco Unified School District.