Filoli Historic House and Garden

Chief Development Officer

Organization

Just 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli Historic House and Garden (Filoli) is a historic home and vibrant landscape situated on the ancestral lands of the Ramaytush Ohlone people in Woodside, California. Encompassing 654 acres along the slopes of California’s coastal range, Filoli was built in 1917 as a private residence and was opened to the public in 1975. Its centerpiece is a 54,000+ square-foot Georgian revival style mansion that was designed by the architect Willis Polk and is considered one of the nation’s finest remaining 20^th Century country estates. The historic home is situated on 16 acres of formal gardens, over six acres of orchards, and hundreds of acres of natural land with six distinct ecosystems and nature trails. Filoli is on the National Register of Historic Places and a designated California State Historic Landmark. Filoli is also a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Filoli is dedicated to connecting its rich history with a vibrant future through beauty, nature, and shared stories, providing an opportunity for all people to honor nature, value unique experiences, and appreciate beauty in everyday life. Throughout the year, nearly 500,000 visitors explore the historic house, stroll through the meticulously maintained gardens, and enjoy the natural lands. Shopping and dining options are offered daily. Filoli hosts various events throughout the year, including seasonal celebrations and engagement programs, enriching the visitor experience, and fostering a deeper connection to the estate's history and natural beauty. Filoli has been a continuously working estate for over 100 years. The original owner, William Bourn planned Filoli to be self-sustaining, with agricultural fields, livestock, and orchards. Filoli continues today to produce fruit butter, hard cider, honey, dried lavender, and culinary herbs. On the site, there are six distinct ecosystems with 60% of the land covered in secondary growth redwoods. In recent years, Filoli has expanded the network of trails open to the public and is focusing on increasing public engagement with nature and land conservation.

After the successful completion of a first strategic plan in 2023, Filoli has embarked on its current plan, Connecting to Communities, centered on Strengthening Community Connections; Curating Unique Experiences; Stewarding the Environment through Sustainable Practices; Establishing a People-Centered Workplace Culture; and Embracing Industry Leadership through Innovation & Advocacy.

Filoli has a twenty-nine-member board of directors led by Board Chair, David Wessel, and Kara Newport serves as President & CEO. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, Filoli reported a total revenue of $16.7 million with $1.5 million from contributions and grants, $2.7 million from memberships, $9.7 million from program services, $1.4 million from net retail and $1.2 million other revenue. Total expenses were $15.6 million. Filoli’s operations in 2024 grew to $19.5 million and has had a break-even or surplus budget for the last five years.

Community

Filoli is located in unincorporated San Mateo County and has access to amazing towns, including Belmont, San Carlos, Redwood City, and Woodside. The surrounding area is known for its natural rural beauty, serene and wooded landscapes, rolling hills, and open landscapes. The location is further complemented by its proximity to Silicon Valley and world-class schools, including Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and Santa Clara University. Its proximity to San Francisco provides effortless access to an array of charming destinations, such as the scenic Half Moon Bay with its dramatic coastal cliffs along the Pacific Coast Highway, the world-renowned vineyards of Napa Valley, the alpine beauty of Lake Tahoe, and the awe-inspiring cliffs and waterfalls of Yosemite National Park.

Sources: visitcalifornia.com; census.gov; siliconvalleyguide.com; livability.com

Position Summary

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will be responsible for planning, implementing, overseeing, and assessing Filoli’s comprehensive development strategies to support the organization’s mission, vision, and long-term sustainability. The CDO will report to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and will serve as a key member of the Executive Team. The CDO will represent Filoli’s philanthropic goals to all constituencies, will foster a culture of philanthropy and will advance ambitious fundraising objectives, including the $75M comprehensive six-year campaign (2024-2030), Cultivating Filoli’s Future, that seeks to raise $50M to support Preserving Heritage and Enhancing Guest Experiences projects and $25M in support of Sustainable Practices and Ecosystem Management.

The CDO manages Filoli’s annual fund, major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, and fundraising events, and will oversee all aspects of donor engagement and stewardship. The CDO will be a member of Filoli’s Executive Team and will work closely with the CEO, Board of Directors, staff, fundraising volunteers, and community to cultivate new donors while energizing and stewarding existing relationships. In addition to maintaining a personal portfolio of major donors, the CDO will oversee campaign management, ensuring the success of initiatives that align with Filoli’s strategic vision and growth.

Role and Responsibilities

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

Lead and oversee all aspects of Cultivating Filoli’s Future campaign, including planning, strategy, prioritization, leadership recruitment, prospect management, performance targets, budgeting, policy oversight, and donor recognition.
Spearhead a comprehensive, goal-driven, short and long-term development plan that supports sustainable growth and financial health, implementing Filoli’s fundraising strategy in partnership with the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Team.
Establish policies, develop creative solutions, and contribute to unified decision-making as a member of the Executive Team.
Represent Filoli to external audiences, including individuals, organizations, and the broader philanthropic community, to enhance brand visibility and secure financial support through meetings, conferences, and speaking engagements.
Embrace other strategic leadership responsibilities as needed.

Board Engagement

Collaborate with the Board of Directors, Campaign Counsel, and the CEO to establish a Campaign Committee.
Devise strategies with the Campaign Committee to engage the Board of Directors, Development Committee, and other volunteer fundraisers in all phases of fundraising.
Build strong relationships with the Board of Directors, the Campaign Committee, and the Development Committee by reporting on the progress of all fundraising initiatives and engaging them in committee work.
Partner with the CEO and Nominating Committee to identify, cultivate, and recruit prospective board members.
Embrace other board engagement responsibilities as needed.

Development and Campaign Management

Lead and manage Filoli’s growing development function, strategically sustaining, and expanding its revenue base through campaign gifts, major gifts, individual giving programs, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, and fundraising and cultivation events.
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a personal portfolio of current major donors while exploring opportunities for additional individual, foundation, and corporate philanthropy.
Ensure the strategic use of the database and other development communication tools, coordinating communications with existing and potential donors to ensure the highest level of donor engagement, satisfaction, and expressions of appreciation.
Collaborate with professional campaign counsel to adhere to the highest campaign standards.
Establish performance metrics and provide regular internal and external reports to the CEO, the Board of Directors, and staff, recommending adjustments, as necessary.
Maintain thorough knowledge of Filoli’s programs and develop ongoing donor communication strategies that create diverse giving opportunities within annual plans.
Manage the Ambassadors program, including recruitment, onboarding, staffing, evaluation, communications, and events.
Maintain a strategic knowledge of best practices and trends in philanthropy, including tax laws and gift tracking standards, adapting strategies, as necessary.
Embrace other development and campaign management responsibilities as needed.

Management and Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Lead the daily operations of the Development team to ensure all administrative and operational processes and systems are executed with high quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
Recruit, diversify, train, mentor, inspire, and evaluate, a 10-person Development team with a focus on succession planning and professional growth.
Set performance standards and provide timely, constructive feedback while supporting individual professional development.
Collaborate with the Leadership Team to support project development, donor engagement, and organizational priorities.
Partner with Finance and Accounting to ensure timely completion of funder requirements, regulatory filings, and audit reports.
Work closely with Marketing to align development and campaign messaging with institutional branding and communication standards.
Partner with Membership and Experience teams to leverage platforms for new donor development.
Coordinate with the Property, Horticulture, Collections, and Education and Interpretation teams to maintain a fundraising grid and support project development for donor conversations.
Embrace other management and cross-departmental collaboration responsibilities as needed.

Traits and Characteristics

The Chief Development Officer will be an experienced and charismatic leader with a passion for Filoli’s mission and a deep appreciation of its beautiful setting. They will possess highly developed organizational skills and be well versed in development best practices. A dynamic and experienced development professional with a proven fundraising track record that includes capital campaigns, they will also be experienced in leading and mentoring teams. An inspiring communicator and authentic relationship builder, the CDO will be committed to Filoli’s efforts to integrate accountability to support and sustain a racially equitable organization.

Other key competencies include:

Customer Focus & Diplomacy – The sensitivity to anticipate, meet, or exceed customer needs, wants, and expectations while being able to handle difficult or sensitive issues effectively and tactfully.
Interpersonal Skills & Appreciating Others – The ability to communicate effectively, building rapport, and relating well to all kinds of people, and the disposition to identify with and care about others.
Teamwork – The ability to cooperate with others to meet objectives.
Flexibility & Personal Accountability – The dexterity to readily modify, respond, and adapt to change, paired with the commitment to being answerable for personal actions.

Qualifications

A minimum of seven years of progressive fundraising experience with a proven track record of closing major gifts, campaign oversight, and communication responsibilities in a comparable institution, program, or function is essential. Direct experience managing a professional team of fundraisers in a campaign environment is required. Experience serving on a senior staff or executive team and direct relationships with board and volunteer fundraisers is required. A working knowledge of databases, with experience in Blackbaud Altru or similar customer relationship management systems (CRM), is required. A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of trends and best practices in the philanthropic sector and a successful experience with large, comprehensive campaigns is needed. Educational credentials supporting leadership acumen, organizational growth, arts and culture experiences, and community engagement are highly desired. The successful candidate will embody leadership, collaboration, and innovation in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.

Compensation and Benefits

Filoli provides a competitive and equitable compensation package. The range for the annual salary is estimated between $223,000 and $259,000. Employee benefits include paid vacation (15 days based on management status), sick leave, personal days, holidays, health, long-term disability, life insurance, and a voluntary 401(k) retirement plan.

Applications and Inquiries

To submit a cover letter and resume with a summary of demonstrable accomplishments (electronic submissions preferred), please click here or visit artsconsulting.com/opensearches. For questions or general inquiries about this job opportunity, please contact:

Luisa Adrianzen Guyer, Vice President
Ernest Figueroa, Associate Vice President
Arts Consulting Group logo.
Address: 818 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 236
Portland, OR 97204-2405
Tel (888) 234.4236 Ext. 243
Email: filoli@artsconsulting.com

Filoli is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam-era veterans, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

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