In a world often divided, Search for Common Ground stands for the power of bringing diverse people together to find solutions. We work to transform the way people deal with conflict, building healthy, safe, and just societies around the world. We do this through building trust and creating collaboration opportunities for adversaries, ultimately leading to breakthroughs for peace. By meeting this moment with Search, you join a powerful global peace movement that believes that all voices should be heard and respected in shaping a better, more connected world and that a collaborative vision is essential for lasting peace. 

Search for Common Ground is the world’s largest nongovernmental peacebuilding organization and has been doing this work since 1982. We take a dynamic, unique approach by building solutions that are based on inclusion and locally-led programs. We are community leaders. We are youth activists. We are women. We are peacebuilders. Peace moves at the speed of trust, so we invest for the long haul. When we’re no longer needed, we leave, leaving behind people and institutions with the ability to manage future conflicts. 

The Development team is composed of driven, collaborative, supportive, and passionate fundraising professionals who create synergies among donors, prospects, and the mission of Search for Common Ground. We bring our individual experiences and expertise to walk alongside our current and future peacemaking philanthropic community, cultivating, maximizing, and stewarding their financial resources with the needs and development of the communities we serve to stop the spread of violence. The Associate Director, who joins our effort thrives on challenges, especially creating a new major donor program and the opportunity it presents to realize the goals of an ambitious 5-year, $35 million fundraising campaign.

Position Summary  

The Associate Director, Major Gifts (West Coast), is an exciting new position, responsible for building a major donor program for the organization on the West Coast and ensuring those major donors have a positive and rewarding philanthropic experience. 

Reporting to the Director of Development, they will initially be responsible for leading major gift fundraising for our conflict resolution work in Israel and Palestine. Search’s Israel-Palestine initiative is growing at a critical time in the region. Our strategy emphasizes the significant roles of women and youth in driving social cohesion, offering a vision of empowerment, dialogue, and economic resilience as crucial components of lasting peace. 

The Associate Director will identify, cultivate, solicit, and successfully steward qualified prospects and donors at the $10,000 and above level, initially rallying Jewish American philanthropists with a goal of managing a 150+ person portfolio. 

This work and the person in this position value relationship-based fundraising and strategic year-round moves management, with an emphasis on long-term stewardship and engagement. The Associate Director position will work closely with Search board members and leadership to advance major fundraising priorities and goals and support the board/leadership’s fundraising efforts. The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of and comfort with the West Coast Jewish philanthropic community, has demonstrated leadership and success with major donor fundraising, and values the critical role of cultivating and sustaining philanthropic relationships.

How to Apply:  Search for Common Ground has retained S+R Consulting for recruitment support. To apply, please complete this form and in it you can attach a cover letter (no longer than two pages) and your resume. We ask that your cover letter include a high-level summary of how your experiences and skill set complement the requirements of this position. Please combine your cover letter and resume as one file in PDF form and use this subject line: “Last Name-SFCG Associate Director.” We are accepting applications on a rolling basis.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the position holder may be required to undertake other duties that are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities. 

Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please. Please see our website www.sfcg.org for full details of our work. All Search Employees must adhere to the values: Collaboration- Audacity - Tenacity - Empathy - Results. In accordance with these values, Search enforces compliance with the Code of Conduct and related policies on Anti Workplace Harassment, Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Conflict of Interest, and Anti-fraud. Search is committed to safeguarding the interests, rights, and well-being of children, youth, and vulnerable adults with whom it is in contact and to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for children, youth, and vulnerable adults.  Search for Common Ground does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. View our code of conduct here and our privacy policy here.