Description
THE ORGANIZATION
In 1987, the Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) was formed to make life better for the people of Ventura County. Initially, VCCF wanted to help nonprofits become more sustainable and give donors a way of leaving complicated gifts, like real estate and stocks. In 1990, the Foundation began giving people the opportunity to fund scholarships. In 2000, VCCF added community grantmaking, where donors could give together toward a common cause. Today, VCCF convenes large numbers of residents to work together as agents of change.
Since 1987, VCCF has granted approximately $250 million to support 9,500 unique nonprofit organizations and local businesses across Ventura County. More than 23,000 donors have contributed to VCCF’s mission, reflecting the broad support and trust of the community. Today VCCF manages about $280 million of philanthropic assets on behalf of others, partnering with outside investment advisors. The annual operating budget is just over $4 million.
The VCCF Mission
Connecting people, resources, and solutions to create a lasting impact in our shared world.
The VCCF Vision
We envision an engaged and thriving community inspired by growing generosity.
VCCF Values
Trust: We apply sound financial principles and invest wisely to steward the assets entrusted to us.
Transparency: We conduct our work with honesty, intentionality, and accountability.
Compassion: We bring empathy, respect, and heart to all of our interactions.
Equity: We listen to and elevate diverse voices and experiences to advance fair and just opportunities.
Tenacity: We respond to dynamic challenges strategically and with immediacy, persevering until sustainable success is achieved.
Excellence: We consistently invest in education, operations, technology, and our human capital to ensure the highest quality of service and support to our donor clients and those we serve.
Authentic Connection: We engage all partnerships with open collaboration and forthright communication, co-creating impactful solutions.
To learn more, visit www.vccf.org.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The Chief Advancement Officer is one of the two senior external leaders of the Foundation and one of two executives who, together with the President & CEO, form the Foundation’s leadership core. Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the Chief Advancement Officer serves as the external counterpart to the Vice President & Chief Financial and Operating Officer. The President & CEO sets strategy and leads the work of the Board. The Chief Financial and Operating Officer leads internal operations and finance. The Chief Advancement Officer ensures the Foundation has the resources, relationships, and visibility it needs to fulfill its strategic objectives. Together, the Chief Advancement Officer and the Chief Financial and Operating Officer coordinate the day-to-day work of the Foundation.
This is a resource generation and external leadership role at its heart. The Chief Advancement Officer marshals the resources required to advance the mission, raises funds for both program work and unrestricted operations so that the Foundation can grow its own capacity, and provides senior oversight of VCCF’s external-facing functions, including philanthropic services and planned giving, marketing and communications, and community leadership and strategic initiatives. The Chief Advancement Officer also personally manages a portfolio of the Foundation’s most significant donors and prospects and serves as a visible ambassador for VCCF throughout Ventura County.
Specific responsibilities include:
Executive Leadership & Strategic Partnership
Serve as one of two senior executives who, alongside the President & CEO, lead the Foundation, partnering closely with the Chief Financial and Operating Officer to manage the organization’s day-to-day work.
Translate the Foundation’s strategy into the resources required to achieve it, ensuring VCCF is adequately funded and equipped to deliver on its strategic priorities.
Establish departmental priorities, performance measures, and operating plans in coordination with each of the Directors of the various departments for the external functions, in coordination and connection with the President & CEO.
Foster a high-performing, innovative, and results-oriented culture that advances organizational effectiveness and community impact.
Implement ethical leadership through transparency, accountability, sound judgment, and effective communication.
Partner meaningfully with the President & CEO and Vice President & CFOO to grow VCCF’s culture of generosity, bringing joy, connection, and belonging to colleagues, donors, and the broader community.
Resource Development & Revenue Generation
Marshal resources and raise funds to advance the Foundation’s mission, with particular focus on unrestricted operating support and funding for VCCF’s community leadership activities.
Develop and lead a business development approach that identifies, cultivates, and secures the philanthropic and partnership resources needed to advance strategic priorities.
Provide oversight of grant writing and funder development, building a strong pipeline of institutional, foundation, and public funding.
Develop and execute strategies to retain, expand, and attract donor relationships and charitable assets.
Set measurable resource development goals and report progress against them.
Philanthropic Services, Planned Giving & Donor Engagement
Provide senior leadership for the Foundation’s philanthropic services, including deep expertise in planned giving, charitable gift planning, donor-advised funds, endowments, charitable trusts, and legacy giving.
Personally cultivate, manage, and steward a portfolio of the Foundation’s most significant donors, fundholders, and prospects.
Serve as a trusted philanthropic advisor, helping donors achieve their charitable goals while honoring donor intent.
Build and maintain relationships with attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, wealth managers, and other professional advisors to grow awareness of the Foundation’s philanthropic solutions.
Ensure donors remain informed, connected, and inspired by the impact of their philanthropy.
Marketing, Communications & External Affairs
Provide strategic oversight of VCCF’s Director of Marketing & Communications, ensuring the brand, messaging, and storytelling advance the Foundation’s visibility, reputation, and resource development goals.
Serve as a visible advocate and ambassador for VCCF’s mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities throughout Ventura County.
Build and maintain productive relationships with government agencies, nonprofit leaders, business leaders, and community partners.
Promote philanthropy, civic engagement, and charitable giving throughout the region.
Community Leadership & Strategic Initiatives
Provide oversight of VCCF’s Director of Community Leadership and Strategic Initiatives work, ensuring our community leadership efforts are well resourced and aligned with organizational priorities.
Support nonprofit organizations through technical assistance, capacity-building resources, and opportunities for collaboration and collective impact.
Apply a thorough understanding of nonprofit due diligence and review to the Foundation’s partnerships and funding decisions.
Identify opportunities to convene partners and mobilize resources around shared community goals.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
Lead, mentor, and develop the directors and teams responsible for philanthropic services, marketing and communications, and community leadership and strategic initiatives.
Establish clear expectations, provide ongoing coaching, and conduct performance evaluations.
Promote employee engagement, accountability, professional growth, and a culture of excellence and shared success.
Board & Committee Engagement
Partner with the President & CEO, the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, and committees on matters of resource development, philanthropic services, and external relations.
Prepare and present reports, recommendations, and strategic updates to the Board of Directors and relevant committees.
Support Board engagement in fundraising, donor relations, and community impact activities.
DESIRED TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS
The Chief Advancement Officer is a strategic, entrepreneurial, relationship-driven leader who is energized by going out into the community to secure the resources that make the mission possible. The successful candidate combines a genuine revenue and business development orientation with deep philanthropic expertise, including planned giving, charitable gift planning, donor-advised funds, endowments, charitable trusts, and other philanthropic vehicles, along with a strong understanding of donor stewardship, philanthropic advising, and nonprofit finance.
An exceptional communicator and relationship builder, the successful candidate establishes credibility and trust with donors, professional advisors, nonprofit leaders, board members, and community stakeholders. This is a leader who is comfortable as a visible external face of the organization and equally effective managing the internal functions that support it.
The ideal candidate has the executive maturity to serve as a true partner to the President & CEO and to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, sharing responsibility for the health of the whole organization rather than a single department. They will demonstrate sound judgment, strong financial acumen, and the ability to translate strategy into resources and results. They will exhibit integrity, accountability, and a strong sense of ownership, with a demonstrated ability to follow through on commitments, solve problems, and lead through both opportunity and challenge. A collaborative leadership style, a commitment to excellence, and a genuine passion for philanthropy and community impact are essential. Above all, this is a leader who brings joy with them and who deepens a culture of generosity, connection, and belonging wherever they go.
CAREER TRACK LEADING TO THIS POSITION
The ideal candidate will bring significant senior leadership experience in advancement, development, fundraising, or philanthropy, ideally within a community foundation, higher education advancement, healthcare philanthropy, financial services, or a related field. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated track record of raising funds and marshaling resources, cultivating major donor relationships, growing philanthropic assets, and leading high-performing teams across more than one function.
Experience in planned giving and charitable gift planning is essential, including familiarity with donor-advised funds, endowments, charitable trusts, and other philanthropic giving vehicles. Experience overseeing or partnering closely with marketing and communications is strongly preferred, as is a record of securing institutional, foundation, or public funding.
Community foundation experience is strongly preferred. Preference will also be given to candidates with the Certified Planned Giving Specialist (CPGS) designation or comparable training, as well as knowledge of nonprofit finance, grant writing and funder development, and nonprofit due diligence and review.
COMPENSATION & ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
The salary range is $150,000-225,000 based on experience. This position is also eligible for a 5% - 15% performance-based bonus. A comprehensive benefits package will be provided. Relocation assistance is not available.
This is a full-time, exempt position based in the VCCF Camarillo office. The position requires flexibility to attend evening and weekend meetings, donor events, and community activities. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a visible presence throughout Ventura County and to actively engage donors, nonprofit partners, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
The Chief Advancement Officer must also be prepared to respond to organizational and community needs during emergencies, disasters, and other critical situations.
