Director, Environmental Initiatives

San Diego Foundation•San Diego, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

At San Diego Foundation (SDF), we are committed to inspiring enduring philanthropy and enabling community solutions to improve the quality of life throughout our region. The Community Impact Division leads SDF’s programmatic initiatives and strategic partnerships to build a vibrant, equitable, and resilient San Diego County. The Director, Environmental Initiatives serves as the Foundation’s strategic and operational leader for environmental and climate-related initiatives. This role provides direct leadership to a multi-level team and works closely with internal colleagues and cross-sector partners, including donors, government agencies, academic institutions, businesses, and community-based organizations, to advance collaborative solutions to the region's most pressing environmental challenges. Building on SDF’s long history of environmental leadership and investment, the Director leads key initiatives that promote climate resilience, environmental equity, outdoor access, and sustainable community development. This role oversees a grantmaking portfolio of approximately $10 million annually in public and philanthropic resources. This is a hybrid position with regular onsite expectations at SDF's headquarters in Liberty Station, San Diego.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, sustainability, public policy, nonprofit management, or a related field.
Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in philanthropy, nonprofit, government, corporate, or environmental sectors.
Demonstrated experience leading complex initiatives and cross-sector partnerships.
Proven success in fund development, including securing foundation, corporate, and government funding.
Strong understanding of environmental issues impacting the San Diego region, including climate resilience, conservation, sustainability, and environmental equity.
Experience managing budgets, contracts, grants, and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
Strong interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills, with the ability to engage and build trust with diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to convene stakeholders and support collaborative decision-making.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with sound professional judgment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with grantmaking and fundraising systems such as Blackbaud and Foundant.
Must reside in San Diego County.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in environmental science, sustainability, public administration, or a related field.
Experience working within a community foundation or philanthropic organization.
Knowledge of federal and state environmental funding systems.
Fluency in Spanish.
Experience supporting advisory boards, committees, or community-based partnerships.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction and oversight for the environmental initiatives portfolio, ensuring alignment with SDF’s mission, strategic plan, and organizational goals.
Lead the implementation of environmental and climate-related strategies in partnership with internal stakeholders and regional partners.
Establish and monitor goals, outcomes, and evaluation measures to assess initiative performance and community impact.
Develop annual program and operations budgets and track financial and program impact.
Identify emerging opportunities, trends, and challenges related to environmental resilience, conservation, sustainability, and equity across the San Diego region.
Support cross-functional planning, reporting, and alignment related to environmental strategies and priorities.
Develop and implement strategies to secure philanthropic, foundation, corporate, and government funding for SDF’s environmental initiatives.
Cultivate and steward relationships with national, state, and local funders, individual donors, and strategic partners to attract and sustain investments in environmental programs.
Partner with Development & Stewardship and Marketing & Communications teams to align fundraising efforts, donor engagement and communications.
Manage annual budgets, contracts, and approximately $10 million in grants (public and philanthropic) and charitable expenditures.
Prepare proposals, reports, presentations, and other materials that communicate progress, outcomes, and future opportunities to funders and leadership.
Oversee the design and implementation of strategic grantmaking processes that advance regional environmental priorities and donor intent.
Lead engagement with grant advisory committees and other stakeholders ensuring best practices in philanthropy, transparency, and impact measurement.
Foster collaboration among donors, nonprofits, civic leaders, academic partners, and government agencies to amplify collective impact and strengthen regional networks.
Ensure effective and timely grants management in partnership with internal staff and systems such as Foundant and Blackbaud.
Facilitate convenings, workshops, and educational events that promote knowledge-sharing, partnership building and regional collaboration.
Represent SDF's environmental work in community meetings, conferences, funder collaboratives groups (e.g., Smart Growth California, The Funders Network, San Diego Grantmakers), media opportunities, and other public forums.
Partner with Marketing & Communications to develop storytelling, blogs, and other written communications that elevate SDF’s environmental initiatives.
Position SDF as a trusted leader and regional partner through thought leadership and data-sharing on climate resilience, sustainability, environmental equity, and equitable community development.
Represent SDF on boards, advisory committees, and partnerships that advance shared goals in environmental equity and sustainability.
Champion SDF’s mission, vision, and values.
Model inclusive leadership and contribute to organization-wide efforts that support employee engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Provide direct supervision, coaching, and support to a team of 6-8 full-time staff and contribute to a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Mentor and develop emerging leaders within the Foundation, building capacity for long-term organizational success.
Build strong partnerships across CI departments and across the organization, especially with Development & Stewardship, Marketing & Communications, Finance, and Grants Administration.

Benefits

Salaried, Exempt $130,000.00-$160,000.00
Supportive, inclusive company culture; recognized as a Top Workplace by the San Diego Union-Tribune 5 years in a row
Hybrid work environment with support for home office setup
Option for a 9/80 work schedule, providing every other Friday off
100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and long-term disability insurance for employees
75% employer-paid premiums for eligible dependents
403(b) retirement plan with up to 4% employer match, plus annual discretionary contributions
Earned Incentive Program
Three weeks of paid time off annually, plus an additional organization-wide paid week off in July
13 paid holidays, plus 2 paid volunteer days each year
Extended Health Care Time accrual for sick leave, family care, and parental leave
Four-week paid sabbatical after every five years of service
$100 monthly cell phone and internet reimbursement
$75 quarterly wellness or gym reimbursement
Annual $600 match to a nonprofit of your choice through a Donor Advised Fund
Annual service recognition with a $100 donation to a nonprofit of your choice