Director, Membership & Sustainability

About SoCal Grantmakers (SCG) and Philanthropy California

SoCal Grantmakers (SCG) is the regional association for philanthropists and grantmakers working to make a difference in Southern California communities and worldwide. SCG's mission is to mobilize philanthropy to learn and take bold actions by acting as a leadership hub for its members to connect, improve their grantmaking, and amplify their independent efforts through collaborative work.

SCG is a philanthropy-supporting organization and nonprofit located in Downtown Los Angeles, California, but that champions effective philanthropy across eight Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. Our community includes 300 members representing the spectrum of philanthropy, including corporate giving programs, family foundations, public foundations, individual philanthropists, private, independent operating and community foundations, philanthropic advisors, government grantmakers, and grantmaking 501(c)(3) organizations.

SCG also co-leads Philanthropy California, an initiative of Northern California Grantmakers, SoCal Grantmakers, and Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Our alliance’s combined membership represents more than 700 philanthropic organizations investing billions every year to support communities across the state, the country, and worldwide.

About the Membership and Sustainability Team

The Membership and Sustainability Team (MST) is responsible for SCG’s resource development including grants, sponsorships, membership dues, and other forms of fund development including earned income. The team manages member recruitment, retention, and engagement. The layered team includes the Vice President, Membership & Sustainability; Director, Grants & Sustainability; Coordinator, Grants & Sustainability, and Coordinator, Membership.

Position Overview

The Director, Membership & Sustainability (DMS) is a key member of the Membership and Sustainability team, serving as a frontline fundraiser, building relationships with members and prospective members, and translating those relationships into revenue to sustain the organization. The DMS directly establishes and maintains ongoing relationships to cultivate and secure new members, conference sponsors, and grant funders for the organization. The DMS serves as a thought partner to the Vice President, Membership & Sustainability, Director, Grants & Sustainability, and the Coordinator, Membership.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

Fundraising (40%)

• Contribute significantly to the success of the Membership & Sustainability team in reaching its fundraising activity and revenue goals through a strong, frontline focus.
• Through networking and relationship building, the DMS will directly cultivate and engage membership and fundraising prospects via SCG and external programs and events, 1:1 meetings/calls, and email; activate VP/CEO/others as needed for strategic prospects.
• Research and identify SCG MVV (mission/vision/values) aligned prospective members and additional fundraising opportunities with new/current members to contribute to an active portfolio of prospects to move through the fundraising cycle.
• Work across teams to be able to effectively communicate about ongoing and new projects throughout the organization, identify strategic funding gaps, and pursue fundraising opportunities to fill those gaps.

Member Engagement (20%)

• Work collaboratively across teams to engage members who are at risk for lapsing, as well as key membership segments: family philanthropy, corporate philanthropy, and members funding outside Los Angeles County.
• Articulate the value of membership for individual members and key member segments
• Develop relationships with members online and in person, especially with strategic engagement targets.

New Member Onboarding (10%):

• Assist new members with understanding and accessing member benefits. Identify and address any initial challenges in becoming part of the SCG community.
• Connect new members to relevant SCG staff and board for further onboarding as appropriate.
• Inform SCG staff of new members’ grantmaking priorities and membership goals.

Supervise the Coordinator, Membership (10%):

• Provide thought partnership, motivation, feedback, and professional learning opportunities to achieve individual, team, and organizational objectives.

Membership Standards, Structures, and Special Projects (10%):

• Serve as a thought partner to the Vice President, Membership & Sustainability on membership eligibility rules, dues rates, and other membership-related standards and structures.
• Lead and/or support periodic dues increases, member directory profile and roster update campaigns, and other membership-related special projects.

Infrastructure (10%):

• Participate in team and staff meetings and trainings; and participate in key strategic initiatives as needed.
• Seek out professional learning opportunities to strengthen skills and knowledge.
• Document key systems and procedures for relevant job functions.

Qualifications and Requirements:

Demonstrated commitment to SCG’s mission, vision, and values. Minimum five years of experience in a similar capacity; proven track record of developing and executing highly successful fundraising campaigns; experience in the nonprofit/philanthropic sector; a proponent of and experience with community-centric fundraising that reduces harm and furthers social justice; excellent interpersonal and facilitation skills; excellent writing and research skills; strong attention to detail; ability to multi-task and work under pressure on multiple projects; strong technology skills including advanced Microsoft Office and database experience (Salesforce a plus).