Director, Fundraising Strategic Initiatives

Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy•San Francisco, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is seeking a Director, Fundraising Strategic Initiatives. This high-impact, cross-functional role is designed to increase the effectiveness, accountability, and growth of PICI's fundraising program. Reporting to the Chief Organizational Advancement Officer, this position serves as a strategic partner and multiplier across the Advancement team, connecting fundraising strategy, executive priorities, donor engagement, data, moves management, and execution. The Director will function as a partner to the Chief Organizational Advancement Officer and team, providing high-level coordination, preparation, follow-through, project management, and strategic support, while also owning key fundraising initiatives and revenue goals. A central responsibility will be serving as the Advancement team's strategic point person for Salesforce, ensuring that the CRM is an accurate, actionable source of truth for fundraising activity, prospect pipelines, portfolios, goals, moves management, reporting, and performance.

Requirements

7–10+ years of progressive experience in fundraising, advancement operations, development strategy, nonprofit management, executive operations, or a related field
Demonstrated experience working with Salesforce or another sophisticated fundraising CRM; Salesforce expertise strongly preferred
Strong understanding of fundraising pipelines, moves management, prospect management, donor data, and fundraising performance metrics
Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple complex priorities simultaneously
Experience supporting a senior executive in a strategic capacity, preferably within fundraising, philanthropy, healthcare, science, or another mission-driven organization
Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Ability to turn data into clear insights and actionable recommendations
High level of discretion, professionalism, and emotional intelligence
Ability to work independently and effectively in a remote environment
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial organization where priorities can evolve quickly
Genuine interest in advancing PICI's mission and the future of cancer immunotherapy
Must be authorized to work in the United States; we do not sponsor work visas

Nice To Haves

No relocation assistance will be provided

Responsibilities

Partner with the Chief Organizational Advancement Officer to translate PICI's fundraising priorities into clear work plans, timelines, and measurable outcomes
Participate in high-priority fundraising initiatives from concept through execution, ensuring accountability and momentum
Support development and tracking of quarterly and multi-year fundraising goals across individual giving, major gifts, sponsorships, transformational philanthropy, events, and other strategic priorities
Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms to monitor progress against revenue, pipeline, prospect, and activity goals
Identify opportunities to improve fundraising effectiveness, eliminate barriers, and accelerate results
Coordinate cross-functional projects involving Advancement, Finance, Marketing, Communications, Events, Programs, and Executive Leadership
Serve as a project management resource for priority institutional fundraising initiatives
Serve as the primary Advancement point person and internal champion for Salesforce
Establish and maintain best practices for prospect management, moves management, portfolio assignments, contact reports, gift tracking, forecasting, and donor stewardship
Partner with Finance, Operations, and Salesforce/technology resources to ensure data integrity and accurate reporting
Develop and maintain fundraising dashboards, reports, and performance metrics for leadership
Ensure fundraising teams consistently use Salesforce to document activity, manage pipelines, and track progress toward goals
Identify opportunities to improve workflows, automate processes, and make Salesforce more useful as a strategic fundraising tool
Train, coach, and support Advancement staff in effective Salesforce utilization
Help translate Salesforce data into actionable intelligence for the Chief Advancement Officer and senior leadership
Serve as a trusted strategic partner to the Chief Advancement Officer, operating with a high degree of discretion, judgment, and independence
Manage and prioritize the CAO's strategic fundraising priorities and follow-up items
Prepare the CAO for donor meetings, leadership meetings, board engagements, staff meetings, and other high-priority interactions
Develop briefing materials, donor profiles, meeting agendas, talking points, presentations, and follow-up plans
Track commitments, decisions, deadlines, and next steps to ensure consistent execution
Coordinate complex meetings and communications involving senior executives, donors, board members, and external partners
Anticipate needs and proactively identify issues requiring leadership attention
Serve as a central connector between the CAO and Advancement team to ensure priorities are clearly communicated and executed
Maintain a high level of confidentiality regarding donor information, organizational strategy, personnel matters, and executive communications
Support the development and implementation of individual fundraising goals for Advancement team members
Monitor progress against annual revenue and activity targets
Create regular reporting for the CAO and senior leadership that clearly communicates progress, risks, opportunities, and recommended actions
Help establish a culture of accountability, urgency, and measurable performance across Advancement
Track major gift pipeline health, prospect movement, solicitation activity, and anticipated revenue
Identify gaps in the fundraising pipeline and work with fundraising leaders to develop strategies to address them
Support strategic fundraising events and special campaigns, including donor strategy, prospect identification, cultivation, solicitation, and follow-up
Coordinate special initiatives tied to PICI's institutional priorities, anniversaries, campaigns, scientific milestones, and other opportunities
Ensure fundraising opportunities are connected across major gifts, events, corporate partnerships, communications, and leadership engagement
Develop post-event and post-campaign reporting to measure revenue, donor engagement, and pipeline outcomes