Director, Philanthropy & Strategic Partnership at City of Fort Collins in Fort Collins, Colorado

Job Description:

POSITION TITLE: Director, Philanthropy & Strategic Partnership (Full-Time Regular) (Unclassified Management)
REQUISITION #: req8069
DEPARTMENT: Finance Administration
LOCATION: 222 LAPORTE
BENEFIT CATEGORY: Unclassified Management View Classifications & Benefits
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-Time Regular
ANNUAL SALARY RANGE: $107,597.00 - 179,333.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)
ANNUAL ANTICIPATED HIRING RANGE: $127,000.00 - 157,000.00 (Salaries are paid biweekly)
SELECTION PROCESS: Application deadline is 3:00 p.m. MT on 3/28/2025.

The City of Fort Collins is a bias-conscious employer. We ask that you please avoid the use of photos when submitting a resume and/or an application for employment. You will receive an email acknowledgment when you have successfully submitted an application. Your completed application will be forwarded to the hiring manager. You will be notified if you are selected for further testing or interviews. Please keep your contact information up-to-date. The status of your application will be updated in your applicant profile. Post-offer background check required.

Why Work For the City of Fort Collins?

• Medical, dental, vision (for self, spouse, children) - eligible on the 1st of the month following date of hire


• Paid vacation, paid holidays, sick leave, and additional one-time bank of 40 PTO hours for new, full-time, Classified and Unclassified Management hires


• Retirement + company contributions - after 6 month probation period and immediate vesting


• Flexible spending: Medical expenses FSA, dependent FSA or both


• Employee Assistance Program: counseling, legal, financial assistance


• Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability


• Wellness program, workout facilities


• Employee/family onsite health clinic


• Learning and development opportunities at all levels in the organization with opportunities for career mobility


• Collaborative work environment

To learn more about The City of Fort Collins and Our Community, please read Our Community and Our Organization Brochure

Job Summary

The Director of Philanthropy & Strategic Partnership oversees the strategic development, coordination, and orchestration of philanthropic fundraising initiatives that benefit the City of Fort Collins. This role involves maintaining and further implementing the goals, strategies, and operations of the organization's philanthropic activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

Strategic Leadership & Policy Development

• Advise and collaborate with City Council, the City Manager, Senior Leadership, and department heads to establish and implement long-term philanthropic strategies and policies.


• Provide high-level guidance on philanthropic feasibility for City initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and sustainable funding opportunities.


• Develop and implement citywide policies and best practices for philanthropy, ensuring compliance with municipal governance and financial regulations.


• Serve as a key representative of the City in philanthropic partnerships, fostering relationships at the local, regional, and national levels to support long-term financial sustainability.

Enterprise-Wide Philanthropic Integration

• Direct and oversee citywide fundraising and donor engagement strategies, ensuring consistency in fundraising policies, processes, and reporting across all departments.


• Lead cross-departmental fundraising efforts, including capital and major giving, sponsorships, planned giving, and grant administration.


• Establish and oversee a centralized framework for managing and reporting philanthropic contributions, ensuring alignment with financial governance structures.


• Develop and lead internal training initiatives to enhance philanthropic capacity across City departments, ensuring staff and leadership are equipped with fundraising knowledge and skills.

Financial & Operational Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of philanthropic funds, including tracking, compliance, and reporting within municipal financial systems.


• Establish comprehensive fundraising metrics and evaluation benchmarks to measure the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of philanthropic efforts.


• Ensure all gift agreements, grant terms, and donor contributions are structured to support City priorities while adhering to financial and regulatory requirements.


• Direct and manage centralized philanthropic financial records, reporting, and stewardship practices, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Community Engagement & External Relations

• Act as the City's primary spokesperson for municipal philanthropy, representing Fort Collins in public forums, industry panels, and philanthropic events.


• Cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with donors, corporate leaders, foundation executives, and government partners to secure and sustain philanthropic investment in City initiatives.


• Lead strategic initiatives to expand public awareness and engagement around the role of philanthropy in municipal development.


• Provide expert guidance to community organizations, business leaders, and philanthropic partners to strengthen collaborative funding opportunities for the City.

Donor Relations & Fundraising Strategy

• Oversee enterprise-wide donor engagement and stewardship strategies, ensuring alignment with long-term funding goals.


• Develop and direct high-level fundraising strategies, including case development, campaign planning, donor solicitation, and stewardship.


• Ensure donor engagement and recognition plans align with City values and governance standards, fostering lasting partnerships.


• Establish and maintain rigorous accountability standards for donor interactions, ensuring transparency, ethics, and compliance in all philanthropic transactions.

Management Responsibilities

Yes

City Competencies

• Demonstrated cultural competence to effectively interact, work, and develop meaningful relationships with people of diverse identities, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds.


• Strong learning orientation. Leverages all resources and is creative in ways of learning for self to continue adapting to changing issues and trends.


• A desire and ability to understand the diverse needs of internal and external customers, and to create experiences and deliver services that exceed their expectations.


• A desire and ability to utilize digital tools for organizational information, individual, and teamwork.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated expertise in municipal governance and the integration of philanthropy into public-sector financial strategies.


• Proven experience in developing and implementing citywide fundraising policies and managing multi-million-dollar philanthropic programs.


• Strong leadership and strategic decision-making capabilities, with the ability to influence high-level policy and financial planning.


• Ability to present to and advise City Council, executive leadership, and external stakeholders on philanthropy-related initiatives.


• Extensive experience in donor relations and high-level fundraising, with a strong track record of securing major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.


• Proven record of achieving and managing annual revenue targets exceeding $1 million.


• Highly skilled in public speaking, community engagement, and strategic relationship management.

Required Qualifications

MinimumPreferredCollege degree or equivalent work experience. Some positions may require functionally related certification or advanced degrees. Bachelor's degree in Business/Public Administration, Finance, Marketing or related field. Master's degree in Business/Public Administration, Finance, Marketing or related field.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of progressive leadership experience in philanthropy, fundraising, or public-sector financial strategy.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may come from a less traditional background. The City may consider an equivalent combination of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

The content in this posting was created for recruitment purposes. To view the full job description click the link below.

Dir, Philanthr & Strat Ptnrshp

The City of Fort Collins will make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Please call (970) 221-6535 for assistance.

Notice Regarding Medical and/or Recreational Marijuana Use:
Because the possession and use of marijuana, whether for medical use or otherwise, constitutes a federal offense and because the City is a drug free workplace, the City will not accommodate the medical use of marijuana and enforces written policy prohibiting working for the City while marijuana is in the body. The fact that state law recognizes medical marijuana as a prescribed, or otherwise permitted, medication does not alter or otherwise change this policy.

The City of Fort Collins is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for positions for which they have applied without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation (including perceived sexual orientation), gender identity and expression, disability, age 40 years or older, pregnancy or related condition, genetic information, and, in certain specific circumstances, marriage to a coworker or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED.

Note: Some information in your application may be public information under the Colorado Open Records Act.Job Summary

The Director of Philanthropy & Strategic Partnership oversees the strategic development, coordination, and orchestration of philanthropic fundraising initiatives that benefit the City of Fort Collins. This role involves maintaining and further implementing the goals, strategies, and operations of the organization's philanthropic activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following duties and responsibilities are illustrative of the primary functions of this position and are not intended to be all inclusive.

Strategic Leadership & Policy DevelopmentAdvise and collaborate with City Council, the City Manager, Senior Leadership, and department heads to establish and implement long-term philanthropic strategies and policies.Provide high-level guidance on philanthropic feasibility for City initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and sustainable funding opportunities.Develop and implement citywide policies and best practices for philanthropy, ensuring compliance with municipal governance and financial regulations.Serve as a key representative of the City in philanthropic partnerships, fostering relationships at the local, regional, and national levels to support long-term financial sustainability.

Enterprise-Wide Philanthropic IntegrationDirect and oversee citywide fundraising and donor engagement strategies, ensuring consistency in fundraising policies, processes, and reporting across all departments.Lead cross-departmental fundraising efforts, including capital and major giving, sponsorships, planned giving, and grant administration.Establish and oversee a centralized framework for managing and reporting philanthropic contributions, ensuring alignment with financial governance structures.Develop and lead internal training initiatives to enhance philanthropic capacity across City departments, ensuring staff and leadership are equipped with fundraising knowledge and skills.

Financial & Operational OversightProvide strategic oversight of philanthropic funds, including tracking, compliance, and reporting within municipal financial systems.Establish comprehensive fundraising metrics and evaluation benchmarks to measure the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of philanthropic efforts.Ensure all gift agreements, grant terms, and donor contributions are structured to support City priorities while adhering to financial and regulatory requirements.Direct and manage centralized philanthropic financial records, reporting, and stewardship practices, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Community Engagement & External RelationsAct as the City's primary spokesperson for municipal philanthropy, representing Fort Collins in public forums, industry panels, and philanthropic events.Cultivate and maintain high-level relationships with donors, corporate leaders, foundation executives, and government partners to secure and sustain philanthropic investment in City initiatives.Lead strategic initiatives to expand public awareness and engagement around the role of philanthropy in municipal development.Provide expert guidance to community organizations, business leaders, and philanthropic partners to strengthen collaborative funding opportunities for the City.

Donor Relations & Fundraising StrategyOversee enterprise-wide donor engagement and stewardship strategies, ensuring alignment with long-term funding goals.Develop and direct high-level fundraising strategies, including case development, campaign planning, donor solicitation, and stewardship.Ensure donor engagement and recognition plans align with City values and governance standards, fostering lasting partnerships.Establish and maintain rigorous accountability standards for donor interactions, ensuring transparency, ethics, and compliance in all philanthropic transactions.

Management Responsibilities

Yes

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