VICE PRESIDENT, PHILANTHROPIC SERVICES
Position Profile
Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties
Reports To
President & CEO
Location
West Palm Beach, Florida
Foundation Assets
Approximately $318 million across 650+ active funds
Team Scope
Leads and grows the Philanthropic Services Team; core member of the Foundation's Leadership Team
Status
Full-time, Exempt
POSITION SUMMARY
The Vice President of Philanthropic Services sets and leads the Foundation's philanthropic growth strategy, bringing deep fluency in charitable giving vehicles, estate and tax planning, and investment concepts to bear on behalf of donors, fundholders, and the region's professional advisor community. The role requires the credibility to engage attorneys, CPAs, and wealth managers as technical equals; the relational skill to navigate complex family and business dynamics; and the leadership capacity to build and grow a high-performing Philanthropic Services Team.
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Executive presence with sophisticated professional advisors - donors at this level are routinely counseled by attorneys, wealth managers, and CPAs; this role must hold its own at that table as a peer.
- Fluency in complex charitable and estate planning vehicles - DAFs, CRTs, CRUTs, CLTs, IRA QCDs, and testamentary gifts should already be part of the candidate's working vocabulary, not a learning curve.
- Background in law, wealth management, trust administration, or planned giving - a J.D., CFP®, CTFA, CAP®, or CFRE credential - or equivalent practice experience - signals the technical depth this role demands.
- Comfort navigating high-net-worth family and business dynamics - succession planning, multi-generational wealth transfer, and family governance issues surface constantly in this work.
- Strategic ownership of philanthropic growth - this role sets direction for assets-under-management growth and advisor relationships - it does not simply process individual gifts.
- Team leadership and staff development - building, mentoring, and scaling a growing Philanthropic Services Team is core to the mandate.
- Integrity, discretion, and emotional intelligence - handling sensitive family, financial, and estate information requires absolute trust.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Philanthropic Leadership
- Design and execute a comprehensive philanthropic growth strategy aligned with the Foundation's asset growth targets and strategic plan
- Partner with the President & CEO and Board to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward the Foundation's most significant philanthropic relationships
- Forecast philanthropic revenue and establish measurable performance metrics for the Philanthropic Services Team
- Drive growth in assets under management through endowment fund development and deeper donor-advised fund engagement
Professional Advisor & Complex Gift Relationships
- Cultivate and steward an active network of estate attorneys, CPAs, wealth managers, and trust officers as referral partners and planning collaborators
- Serve as the Foundation's principal technical resource on complex charitable vehicles for donors and the advisors who counsel them
- Represent the Foundation at regional estate planning councils, bar association events, and wealth management forums to build the Foundation's standing as a sophisticated philanthropic partner
- Structure and close complex and multi-year gifts, including charitable remainder and lead trusts, bequests, and gifts of closely held business interests or real estate
Major & Planned Gift Development
- Manage a personal portfolio of high-net-worth and transformational donor relationships, including individuals, families, and family offices
- Lead proposal development and creative structuring for complex, multi-year philanthropic commitments
- Formalize and grow a dedicated planned giving pipeline, including marketing, tracking, and stewardship of legacy commitments
Team & Organizational Leadership
- Lead, grow, and develop the Philanthropic Services Team, including coaching, role definition, and professional development
- Serve as a core member of the Foundation's Leadership Team, contributing to organization-wide strategy beyond the Philanthropic Services function
- Partner cross-functionally with Marketing & Community Engagement, Community Impact, and Finance to ensure a seamless donor and fundholder experience
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
- Ten or more years of relevant experience in estate planning law, wealth management, trust administration, planned giving, or comparable philanthropic advisory work
- D., CFP®, CTFA, CAP®, CFRE, or equivalent credential strongly preferred, or demonstrated equivalent technical expertise
- Demonstrated experience structuring complex charitable gifts, including CRTs, CLTs, donor-advised funds, bequests, and gifts of closely held business interests
- A proven track record of cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals and/or the professional advisors who represent them
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced or professional degree preferred
Preferred
- Existing relationships within the Palm Beach and Martin County professional advisor community
- Demonstrated team leadership and staff development experience
YEAR ONE SUCCESS METRICS
- Enhance the professional advisor engagement program, including a recurring outreach calendar and at least one signature advisor-facing event
- Establish a structured planned giving pipeline with defined tracking, stewardship, and reporting practices
- Secure new complex or legacy gift commitments sourced through advisor relationships
- Grow Philanthropic Services Team capacity in line with the Foundation's staffing benchmarking analysis
- Demonstrate measurable progress on assets-under-management growth through endowment and donor-advised fund development
