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 designed to create or maintain a favorable public image or raise issue awareness for their organization or client.
Popular Job Titles For Directors of Philanthropy
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Directors of Development
- Communications Managers
- Communications Directors
- Outreach Coordinators
- Public Relations Managers
- Marketing and Communications Managers
- Community Managers
- Community Outreach Coordinators
- Major Gifts Officers
- Internal Communications Managers
- Grants Managers
- Campaign 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
- Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services: 10.9%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 8.9%
- Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations: 8.1%
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools: 5.4%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 4.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 4.5%
- Other: 57.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of directors of philanthropy can be found working in the Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services sector. In 2022, about 10.9% of all jobs for directors of philanthropy were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Management of Companies and Enterprises (8.9%), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8.1%), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (5.4%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (4.9%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (4.5%).
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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 141,230 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Directors of Philanthropy
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 59,522 | 42% |
| Project Management | 34,071 | 24% |
| Fundraising | 32,923 | 23% |
| Public Relations | 32,530 | 23% |
| Sales Prospecting | 23,716 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Directors of Philanthropy
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 105,342 | 75% |
| Leadership | 61,719 | 44% |
| Management | 60,611 | 43% |
| Writing | 56,678 | 40% |
| Planning | 41,147 | 29% |
Based on 141,230 job postings related to directors of philanthropy, marketing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 42% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for project management, fundraising, public relations, sales prospecting and social media were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for directors of philanthropy, followed by leadership, management, writing, planning and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 59,522 | 42% |
| Project Management | 34,071 | 24% |
| Fundraising | 32,923 | 23% |
| Public Relations | 32,530 | 23% |
| Sales Prospecting | 23,716 | 17% |
| Social Media | 19,741 | 14% |
| Journalism | 17,779 | 13% |
| Newsletters | 16,022 | 11% |
| Media Relations | 15,556 | 11% |
| Internal Communications | 15,453 | 11% |
| Press Releases | 15,447 | 11% |
| Strategic Communication | 12,108 | 9% |
| Finance | 11,775 | 8% |
| Marketing Communications | 11,713 | 8% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 10,482 | 7% |
| Philanthropy | 10,260 | 7% |
| Corporate Communications | 9,941 | 7% |
| Business Development | 9,256 | 7% |
| Content Creation | 9,164 | 6% |
| Thought Leadership | 8,614 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 105,342 | 75% |
| Leadership | 61,719 | 44% |
| Management | 60,611 | 43% |
| Writing | 56,678 | 40% |
| Planning | 41,147 | 29% |
| Research | 34,802 | 25% |
| Presentations | 33,901 | 24% |
| Detail Oriented | 33,189 | 23% |
| Coordinating | 28,625 | 20% |
| Operations | 27,156 | 19% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 25,267 | 18% |
| Microsoft Office | 24,924 | 18% |
| Customer Service | 22,281 | 16% |
| Sales | 22,141 | 16% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 21,020 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 20,995 | 15% |
| Self-Motivation | 20,710 | 15% |
| Organizational Skills | 20,203 | 14% |
| Microsoft Excel | 19,725 | 14% |
| Innovation | 19,273 | 14% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Directors of Philanthropy
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Directors of Development | 18,045 | 15.7% |
| Communications Managers | 15,907 | 13.9% |
| Communications Directors | 8,747 | 7.6% |
| Outreach Coordinators | 7,785 | 6.8% |
| Public Relations Managers | 5,424 | 4.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was directors of development, with 7,527 unique job postings. Communications managers were second, with 3,131 postings, followed by communications directors, outreach coordinators and public relations managers.
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 | 18,045 | 15.7% |
| Communications Managers | 15,907 | 13.9% |
| Communications Directors | 8,747 | 7.6% |
| Outreach Coordinators | 7,785 | 6.8% |
| Public Relations Managers | 5,424 | 4.7% |
| Marketing and Communications Managers | 5,549 | 4.8% |
| Community Managers | 5,166 | 4.5% |
| Community Outreach Coordinators | 6,429 | 5.6% |
| Major Gifts Officers | 5,547 | 4.8% |
| Internal Communications Managers | 4,214 | 3.7% |
| Grants Managers | 4,386 | 3.8% |
| Campaign Managers | 2,878 | 2.5% |
| Directors of Communications | 3,073 | 2.7% |
| Directors of Marketing and Communications | 4,406 | 3.8% |
| Development Officers | 3,536 | 3.1% |
| Associate Directors of Development | 3,163 | 2.8% |
| Corporate Communications Managers | 3,032 | 2.6% |
| Directors of Philanthropy | 2,368 | 2.1% |
| Marketing Communications Managers | 2,419 | 2.1% |
| Assistant Directors of Annual Giving | 2,531 | 2.2% |
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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