Director of Philanthropy

Priority Consideration Date: August 10, 2026

Located in the scenic Puget Sound area with nearby mountain ranges and Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is surrounded by outdoor recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating and camping. Tacoma, Washington has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the country, due to the increasing career opportunities, cultural diversity and community engagement, just to name a few.

Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup and Squaxin Island Tribes. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to Reservations to make way for colonizers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at a great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup and Squaxin Island people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of our community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. In addition, we strongly support the Stop Asian Hate movement and have an active Asian Pacific Islander Student Club as well as an Asian and Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Coalition. TCC is committed to developing more culturally responsive curricula by infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives, experiences, and contributions of Native, Black, Asian, and other marginalized communities. We continually strive to become an anti-racist institution.

We are specifically focusing on improved support for traditionally marginalized populations, including Black/African- American, Indigenous, People of Color, Dreamers, justice-involved, immigrants and refugees, Veterans, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community. To this end, TCC seeks applicants who:

• Value intellectual curiosity and innovative teaching
• Welcome difference and model respectful interaction with others
• Recognize and honor the important role that diversity brings to an educational community
• Are committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student population
• Are committed to teaching in a community college setting
• Care deeply about student success
• Intentionally support and promote efforts related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
• Honor TCC's mission promoting equitable access to educational opportunities
• Reflect the diversity of our community

The Director of Philanthropy works closely with the Executive Director of the Tacoma Community College Foundation (TCCF) to lead and execute comprehensive fundraising strategies in support of the College's mission and strategic priorities.

The majority of this role is dedicated to frontline fundraising and donor relationship management, with responsibility for building a strong pipeline of support through multi-year giving, major gifts, and planned giving. This position manages a portfolio of donors and prospects and plays a key role in advancing long-term philanthropic investment in the College.

Fundraising & Portfolio Management:

• Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects (alumni, community members, employees, and supporters), prioritizing gifts at the $5,000+ level as part of a long-term strategy to build sustained, multi-year support and advance donors toward major and planned gift commitments
• Develop and implement individualized engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies
• Execute the full fundraising cycle: identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
• Partner with the Executive Director on annual, major, planned giving, and campaign strategies
• Meet established short- and long-term fundraising goals, including support for scholarships, basic needs, programmatic, and unrestricted funding
• Identify and qualify new prospects to expand and strengthen the donor pipeline
• Portfolio donors are expected to demonstrate growth in engagement and giving over time, with increasing levels of philanthropic investment

Relationship Building:

• Build and sustain strong relationships with donors, alumni, volunteers, faculty, staff, and community leaders
• Increase visibility and engagement with TCC and TCCF through strategic relationship-building
• Participate in campus, foundation, and community meetings, committees, and events
• Deliver presentations that communicate mission, impact, and philanthropic opportunities

• Lead strategy for TCCF's internal employee giving campaign (~1,000 employees)
• Collaborate with leadership, HR, and Marketing to drive participation
• Track results and refine strategies to increase engagement and giving

• Partner with donors and campus stakeholders to enhance existing and establish new donor-funded scholarships
• Develop and manage MOUs outlining donor intent
• Support scholarship review and selection processes
• Ensure accurate and timely award distribution aligned with donor intent

Events & Donor Engagement:

• Support key Foundation events as strategic opportunities for donor cultivation and stewardship
• Participate in events to strengthen donor relationships and advance giving
• These include Reach Higher fundraising event, Scholarship Celebration, Alumni events, commencement, and other Foundation aligned events.

Operations & CRM Management:

• Maintain accurate and timely donor records in CRM systems
• Document donor interactions, strategies, and next steps
• Ensure timely gift acknowledgments and stewardship actions
• Support donor recognition efforts
• Recommend and implement process and system improvements

Communications:

• Partner with Foundation staff to develop fundraising communications and materials
• Contribute content for appeals, newsletters, and donor engagement
• Align messaging with donor engagement strategies

Leadership & Team Contribution:

• Provide guidance, mentorship and strategic support to staff, volunteers, and student workers as appropriate
• Foster a collaborative, equity-centered culture of philanthropy
• May supervise staff, work studies, volunteers, project-based team members

General Duties:

• Adhere to administrative systems and procedures.
• Participate in research and improvement of systems that support development activities, in collaboration with leadership.
• Support administrative and operational processes as they relate to development efforts.
• Control fundraising expenses related to donor solicitations.
• Make critical decisions and solve problems within the scope of the position in a timely manner.
• Utilize existing technology and donor information systems appropriately and effectively.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend new methods, processes, or technology tools to improve efficiency and streamline fundraising and donor engagement operations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Six years of progressive fundraising experience with demonstrated knowledge of fundraising strategies, principles and techniques.
• Successful track record and experience in retaining, growing and acquiring fundraising support, including individual, foundation, corporate, grants, and sponsorships.
• Experience in maintaining positive on-going relationships between volunteers, community organizations, or businesses and colleagues.
• Demonstrated experience leading or coordinating teams, including staff, volunteers, or project-based groups.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite.
• Experience accessing and utilizing donor databases, such as Bloomerang, Raisers Edge, Salesforce or other Client Management software.

• Advanced degree and/or certification indicating special expertise in facilitating philanthropic gifts, such as CFRE and/or CAP.
• Experience in community college, higher education, or complex institution/sector such as healthcare.
• Knowledge of Tacoma/South Sound community.
• Experience working with boards and volunteers.
• Active volunteer and/or community leadership.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Annual dollars raised
• Number of solicitations and closed gifts
• Portfolio movement and pipeline growth
• Donor retention and upgrade rates
• Internal giving participation

The Successful Candidate will Demonstrate -

• Strong relationship-building skills with staff, alumni, donors, and community partners
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including public speaking
• Knowledge of the community and ability to engage diverse audiences
• Leadership, sound judgment, and ethical conduct in all aspects of work and fundraising
• Organizational skills to manage multiple priorities, maintain accurate records, and meet deadlines
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the TCCF mission
• Understanding of and adherence to ethical fundraising practices and IRS regulations
• Professionalism, flexibility, and the ability to collaborate across diverse groups

• Duties of the position require the knowledge, skills, and abilities identified above. In addition to those requirements, the successful candidate will also possess and demonstrate the following personal attributes:

  • Authentic
  • Charismatic
  • Values and respects input and differences of opinion
  • Professional integrity
  • High vitality and energy
  • Passion and enthusiasm for TCCF's mission
  • Inspired by service, not by power
  • Self-starter
  • Multi-cultural competency
  • Strong professional presence in groups
  • High emotional intelligence
  • Politically astute/savvy
  • Desire to deliver exponential revenue growth
  • Good sense of humor
  • Humble and also appropriately assertive
  • Strategic with follow-through
  • Share credit for achievements with the internal team and external volunteers.
  • Expert social and interpersonal skills
  • Understanding and strategic use of social media and communications technologies
  • Commitment to lifelong learning and professional development
  • Chooses, develops, deploys, and rewards staff members appropriately

• The finalist for this position will be subject to a criminal background check prior to the start of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily prevent employment, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by HR staff.
• Tacoma Community College has no responsibility or obligation to sponsor an H-1B visa. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, proof of authorization to work in the United States will be required at the time of hire.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary.
• Frequent local travel expected.

Complete application packages must include the following:

1. Tacoma Community College application
2. Resume and cover letter. In your cover letter indicate how your background and experience meets the qualifications for this position.
3. UNOFFICIAL Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended (official transcripts will be required for the successful candidate).
4. Diversity Statement: Tacoma Community College is committed to creating and supporting a multicultural climate that welcomes, fosters, respects, and celebrates diversity. Please attach a statement (maximum two pages) describing your experiences with other cultures and communities, your level of cultural self-awareness, and how you have integrated both experience and self-awareness into your living/working environment.