What Do Directors of Philanthropy Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for directors of philanthropy?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what directors of philanthropy do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Directors of Philanthropy Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about directors of philanthropy by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Directors of Philanthropy plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Philanthropy
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Development
- Grants Managers
- Grants Administrators
- Directors of Philanthropy
- Grants Management Specialists
- Grants Specialists
- Associate Directors of Development
- Grants Coordinators
- Assistant Directors of Annual Giving
- Fundraising Managers
- Directors of Major Gifts
- Major Gifts Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for directors of philanthropy can be found.
Best Industries for Directors of Philanthropy
Directors of Philanthropy Jobs By Industry
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 17.4%
- Grantmaking and Giving Services: 17.3%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 9.1%
- Religious Organizations: 6.6%
- Social Advocacy Organizations: 5.3%
- Elementary and Secondary Schools: 5%
- Other: 39.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of philanthropy can be found working in the Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools sector. In 2023, about 17.4% of all jobs for directors of philanthropy were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Grantmaking and Giving Services (17.3%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (9.1%), Religious Organizations (6.6%), Social Advocacy Organizations (5.3%) and Elementary and Secondary Schools (5%).
What Do Directors of Philanthropy Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what directors of philanthropy do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work directors of philanthropy do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that directors of philanthropy tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for directors of philanthropy, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Directors of Philanthropy
Based on 34,964 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Philanthropy
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 19,921 | 57% |
| Sales Prospecting | 13,026 | 37% |
| Marketing | 8,180 | 23% |
| Project Management | 7,159 | 20% |
| Philanthropy | 6,900 | 20% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Philanthropy
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,139 | 60% |
| Management | 18,303 | 52% |
| Leadership | 15,350 | 44% |
| Research | 12,905 | 37% |
| Writing | 12,890 | 37% |
Based on 34,964 job postings related to directors of philanthropy, fundraising was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 57% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for sales prospecting, marketing, project management, philanthropy and finance were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of philanthropy, followed by management, leadership, research, writing and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising | 19,921 | 57% |
| Sales Prospecting | 13,026 | 37% |
| Marketing | 8,180 | 23% |
| Project Management | 7,159 | 20% |
| Philanthropy | 6,900 | 20% |
| Finance | 6,535 | 19% |
| Planned Giving | 5,147 | 15% |
| Accounting | 4,687 | 13% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 4,083 | 12% |
| Grant Writing | 4,015 | 11% |
| Grant Applications | 3,599 | 10% |
| Raiser's Edge NXT | 3,305 | 9% |
| Prospect Research | 3,115 | 9% |
| Auditing | 2,921 | 8% |
| Financial Statements | 2,862 | 8% |
| Salesforce | 2,798 | 8% |
| Advertising Mail | 2,527 | 7% |
| Public Relations | 2,493 | 7% |
| Data Analysis | 2,093 | 6% |
| Newsletters | 1,809 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 21,139 | 60% |
| Management | 18,303 | 52% |
| Leadership | 15,350 | 44% |
| Research | 12,905 | 37% |
| Writing | 12,890 | 37% |
| Planning | 11,640 | 33% |
| Detail Oriented | 9,296 | 27% |
| Coordinating | 8,148 | 23% |
| Microsoft Office | 8,085 | 23% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 7,370 | 21% |
| Operations | 6,649 | 19% |
| Microsoft Excel | 6,282 | 18% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,065 | 17% |
| Budgeting | 6,014 | 17% |
| Organizational Skills | 5,783 | 17% |
| Presentations | 5,471 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 5,336 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 4,865 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 4,856 | 14% |
| Strategic Planning | 4,810 | 14% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Philanthropy
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Development | 13,961 | 34.8% |
| Grants Managers | 4,797 | 12% |
| Grants Administrators | 2,128 | 5.3% |
| Directors of Philanthropy | 2,150 | 5.4% |
| Grants Management Specialists | 1,521 | 3.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was directors of development, with 4,710 unique job postings. Grants managers were second, with 894 postings, followed by grants administrators, directors of philanthropy and grants management specialists.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to directors of philanthropy.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Development | 13,961 | 34.8% |
| Grants Managers | 4,797 | 12% |
| Grants Administrators | 2,128 | 5.3% |
| Directors of Philanthropy | 2,150 | 5.4% |
| Grants Management Specialists | 1,521 | 3.8% |
| Grants Specialists | 1,601 | 4% |
| Associate Directors of Development | 1,832 | 4.6% |
| Grants Coordinators | 1,538 | 3.8% |
| Assistant Directors of Annual Giving | 1,655 | 4.1% |
| Fundraising Managers | 890 | 2.2% |
| Directors of Major Gifts | 1,130 | 2.8% |
| Major Gifts Managers | 833 | 2.1% |
| Development Managers | 811 | 2% |
| Directors of Donor Engagement | 801 | 2% |
| Directors of Individual Giving | 861 | 2.1% |
| Annual Giving Managers | 924 | 2.3% |
| Individual Giving Managers | 501 | 1.3% |
| Directors of Leadership Giving | 776 | 1.9% |
| Assistant Directors of Development | 699 | 1.7% |
| Donor Relations Managers | 664 | 1.7% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for directors of philanthropy? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for directors of philanthropy.
How much do directors of philanthropy make?
Directors of Philanthropy: How do you become one?
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