Head of Philanthropy

Head of Philanthropy

POSITION OVERVIEW

As the impact of AI accelerates the organization's mission to protect and prepare children, philanthropic support will be essential for delivering fast, high-impact solutions.The newly created Head of Philanthropy role will lead the Individual Giving program, driving strategic initiatives to expand support from individual donors, family foundations, and grant-making organizations. Partnering with the Chief Development Officer, this leader will build and mentor a high-performing fundraising team focused on securing transformational six- and seven-figure contributions.

The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of securing major grants, scaling funding portfolios, and collaborating across complex organizations. They will be intellectually curious, passionate about Common Sense Media's mission, and adept at partnering with program officers to fund institutional priorities.

The Head of Philanthropy will collaborate with executive leaders and key teams to align donor investments with strategic goals. Managing a team of approximately three, they will oversee the full spectrum of individual support, from mid-level campaigns to principal gifts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Individual Giving Strategy

• Comprehensive Strategy: Design, implement, and lead an integrated, multi-year individual giving strategy that builds donor pipelines across all giving tiers (small-dollar, recurring, mid-level, major, and principal gifts).
• Principal Gift Roadmap: Develop tailored engagement and cultivation strategies for ultra-high-net-worth individuals and principal-level prospects capable of making multi-year, transformational investments.
• Pipeline Expansion: Partner with Marketing, regional leads, and leadership to convert transactional supporters and members into mission-driven, recurring annual givers.

Major & Principal Donor Cultivation

• Portfolio Management: Directly manage a high-value portfolio of major and principal gift donors and prospects.
• Executive Support: Prepare and partner with the CDO, Founder, Co-CEO, and executive leadership on high-level donor solicitations, briefing materials, and bespoke stewardship plans.
• Donor Journeys: Ensure rigorous moves management across the team, overseeing meaningful touchpoints, impact reporting, and elevated donor experiences.

Team Leadership, Mentorship & Structure

• Team Supervision: Directly lead, mentor, and professionalize a team of three philanthropy staff members, fostering an accountable, collaborative, and high-performance environment.
• Organizational Structure: Align team roles, portfolios, and workflows to ensure maximum coverage across major individual fundraising markets and strategic initiatives.
• Performance & Growth: Set clear performance benchmarks, support professional development, and establish robust metrics for donor acquisition, retention, and gift upgrades.

Operations & Strategic Integration

• Data & Analytics: Collaborate with Development Operations and Communications to leverage CRM insights, prospect research, and data analytics to inform decision-making and pipeline health.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Programs, Advocacy, Marketing, Communications, and Events to translate organizational initiatives into compelling philanthropic opportunities.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required

• 10+ years of progressive experience in major gifts, principal gifts, or high-net-worth fundraising, with a record of leading transformational asks and closing multiple seven-figure gifts.
• A strong record of building or significantly strengthening a development function, including team leadership, systems improvement, and culture setting.
• Fluency in the individual and family philanthropy landscape, including family offices, donor-advised funds, legacy giving structures, and impact-oriented giving.
• Command of the data side of modern fundraising: prospect research and wealth screening, moves management, CRM discipline, and the analytics needed to build and defend a pipeline forecast.
• Demonstrated ability to partner with programmatic colleagues and finance to translate complex ideas work into rigorous investment cases; education sector or technical literacy—the judgment to know which expertise to bring into a donor conversation and when—is essential.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the presence to represent Common Sense Media credibly with sophisticated donors.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed organizations, and the judgment to navigate relationships, priorities, and institutional dynamics with diplomacy.
• A genuine commitment to children's education and health, and the ability to represent Common Sense Media's mission and strategy with authenticity.

Preferred

• Experience in education, science, public health, or another field where donor trust depends on evidence, transparency, and strong technical credibility.
• Experience with annual campaigns, special initiatives, pooled funds, flexible funding vehicles, or other campaign-like fundraising efforts.
• Existing relationships in Los Angeles, New York, the Bay Area, or other philanthropic networks relevant to Common Sense Media's current and future donor base.
• Experience: 8 to 10+ years of progressive fundraising experience in a nonprofit environment, with a demonstrated track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts.
• Leadership Track Record: Proven experience managing, mentoring, and structuring fundraising teams to achieve strategic revenue goals.
• Strategic Vision: Ability to build cohesive, end-to-end individual giving programs spanning grassroots, mid-level sustainers, major gifts, and planned giving.
• Relationship Building: Exceptional interpersonal and storytelling skills, with the gravitas to represent the organization to high-net-worth donors, board members, and executive partners.
• Analytical & Operational Acumen: Fluency in donor database tracking (Salesforce preferred), forecasting, moves management, and data-driven pipeline oversight.

WHAT WE OFFER

• A mission-driven team with a 23-year track record of impact for families and children.
• The opportunity to shape how a new institution operates—its culture, its systems, and its relationships—at a moment when those choices matter enormously.
• Competitive nonprofit compensation and comprehensive benefits.
• A collaborative, flexible work environment with meaningful access to the Institute's leadership and the broader Common Sense Media organization.

ABOUT COMMON SENSE MEDIA

Common Sense Media is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the research-backed information, education, and trusted voice they need to thrive in the age of AI. Through our Youth AI Safety Institute, media ratings, advocacy campaigns, and Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum, we protect and prepare kids, reaching 150 million families and more than 90K schools worldwide. Learn more:https://about.commonsensemedia.org/