Senior Philanthropy Advisor

About Us

Climate Lead empowers philanthropic leaders everywhere to take immediate and far-reaching climate action. Climate Lead equips new climate philanthropists with the information and insights they need to drive transformative solutions by serving as an impartial guide. We cut through the complexity by curating roadmaps in partnership with a diverse network of experts to help philanthropists make a bold impact on climate from day one.

Summary

Reporting to the Vice President, Philanthropic Advising, the Senior Philanthropic Advisor (SPA) will guide UHNW individuals and families in developing bold, high-impact giving strategies. The SPA will join and contribute to a collaborative team dedicated to catalyzing significant climate investments and fostering transformative philanthropic action at the highest levels. Ideal candidates will bring a demonstrated track record of principal gift fundraising in the eight- to nine-figure range and/or sophisticated philanthropic advising, resulting in measurable and transformational philanthropy; a genuine passion for climate action; and the ability to build authentic relationships that inspire urgent and scalable impact.

Managerial Responsibilities

This role does not have any managerial responsibilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Proactively Draw in New Philanthropists to Climate

• Proactively develop strategies to engage philanthropists new to climate, including through peer volunteers, influencers, and curated events and experiences.
• Represent Climate Lead externally, building credibility and trust across a range of philanthropic constituents and partners. 

Serve as a Trusted Guide for Philanthropists New to Climate

• Deeply understand the interests, influencers, and decision-making of philanthropists new to climate and design the impactful steps and strategies that will help them give and scale their giving. This could include support for climate learning, help in setting goals and values, processes to choose their priorities once they understand what is important for climate, portfolio development, and more. 
• Partner with the Global Climate Strategies and Communications teams to create products translated for philanthropists new to climate, including thematic landscapes, presentations, tailored portfolio recommendations, vetted solution briefs, and more. 
• Speed philanthropists’ climate journeys through curated connections with peer philanthropists, which can include strategically choosing the right peer connections, briefing participants for maximum impact, and facilitating peer-to-peer engagements for maximum impact and follow-up. 

Support Experienced Peer Volunteers

• Staff a select number of experienced climate philanthropists in their principal-to-principal engagement with peers as “ambassadors” for climate, akin to campaign volunteer engagement in a development organization.

Success Criteria

• Philanthropic Transformation: Builds deep trust with UHNW individuals and families and enables significant, values-aligned philanthropic commitments to climate.

• Results Orientation: Drives high-quality outcomes with a relentless focus on team goals and collective success; adapts with agility to a dynamic landscape.

• Strategic Judgment: Demonstrates strong situational judgment and delivers tailored solutions in complex, high-stakes scenarios; applies judgment with intentionality, focusing energy where it matters most and setting bold strategies to advance philanthropic engagement. Elevates collective ambition among the philanthropy team, influences the pace of giving, and leverages external networks to accelerate progress.

• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Brings creativity, innovation, and a builder’s spirit to pipeline development; demonstrates comfort with ambiguity and energy for creating opportunities from the ground up.

• Mission and Values Alignment: Embodies Climate Lead’s core values of care, courage, integrity, collaboration, a growth mindset, and purpose, while demonstrating a strong, unwavering ambition for transformative climate impact.

Required Experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• A minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in philanthropy, principal gift fundraising, or UHNW client advising, or equivalent fields such as political, venture capital, or technology sectors. 
• Proven track record of securing principal gifts, advising large-scale philanthropic investments, or engaging highly influential leaders in the political, technology, or similarly complex sectors.
• Exceptional ability to design and execute tailored strategies that engage, inspire, and mobilize UHNW individuals and families toward ambitious, high-impact giving. 
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment and maintain a learning mindset.
• Deep commitment to climate action and the power of philanthropy to drive systemic change.

Salary Range: $250,000 to $280,000

Work Environment

The Climate Lead is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. This position operates in a hybrid environment and is based in our San Francisco, CA, office. Staff in the San Francisco Bay Area currently work in the office Tuesday through Thursday each week and typically work from a home location the other days.

At the Climate Lead, we value diversity and always treat all employees and job applicants based on merit, qualifications, competence, and talent. We do not discriminate on the basis of or traits historically associated with race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.