Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund

Vice President

Location – Remote with in the US

Salary: $180,000

BACKGROUND

The Organization

The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund (LSDF) is a private family foundation, created upon the deaths of Sophie and Leonard Davis in 2000 and 2001 respectively. One of their two sons, Alan, manages the foundation and serves as President of the foundation, which has had three separate and equal program areas: legacy, non-strategic, and social change.

The Legacy Program is designed to support in innovative ways the ten major philanthropic endeavors Leonard and Sophie created or with which they were most closely connected, including the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Active grantmaking in the Legacy Program has been discontinued.

The Non-Strategic Program allows each family member to direct gifts individually to the institutions they regard most highly.

The social change program, called the WhyNot Initiative (“some people see things as they are and ask why, I see things that never were and ask why not”) focuses on promoting democracy, reducing income inequality, advancing universal healthcare, and preventing gun violence.

LSDF has assets of approximately $150 million and made grants in 2025 of approximately $15 million. LSDF has ongoing responsibility to ensure compliance for a total of approximately 25 endowments, established in one of the program areas, and ranging from $1-10 million each with a total value of approximately $75 million.

The Position

The Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund seeks a thoughtful, analytical, and highly skilled Vice President to serve as the President's principal partner in managing the foundation’s philanthropic portfolio and helping guide it through its final chapter. The foundation is expected to sunset in 2036.

Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President will oversee the administration and stewardship of the foundation’s grantmaking activities, endowed funds, financial and organizational systems, and operational infrastructure.

This is an exceptional opportunity for someone who is committed to combatting inequality, advocating for meaningful campaign finance reform, and protecting voting rights for all, and who is a strategic thinker and has exceptional hands-on management experience. The successful candidate will be deeply engaged in every aspect of the foundation’s work and play a critical role in preparing for an orderly transition over the next five to ten years.

This position offers the opportunity to work closely with an experienced philanthropic leader and gradually assume broader leadership responsibilities over time. It is well suited for someone seeking a role with significant responsibility, meaningful impact, and the opportunity to help shape the legacy of a respected private foundation.

This position is remote anywhere in the United States and has a four-day work week. The salary for this role is $180,000. (The foundation is open to candidates who prefer to work in a full-time consultant capacity). 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Fund Leadership

• Serve as the President's primary strategic and operational partner.
• Help manage the overall operations of the Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund.
• Assume increasing responsibility for foundation’s management over time.
• Participate in long-term planning and organizational strategy.

Endowment & Grant Portfolio Oversight

• Oversee the administration of approximately 25 endowed funds.
• Monitor compliance with donor intent and endowment agreements, with the possibility of adjustments to the agreements.
• Maintain relationships with grantee organizations.
• Track grant requirements, reporting, and organizational performance.
• Ensure accurate documentation and stewardship of the foundation’s grants and performance.

Financial & Operational Management

• Maintain sophisticated financial tracking and reporting systems.
• Manage complex Excel-based analyses and reporting.
• Manage and improve internal data management systems.
• Assist in coordinating with outside financial, legal, and accounting advisors.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve systems, workflows, and operational efficiency.
• Recommend technology and process improvements.
• Build institutional knowledge and documentation to inform the next generation of family members in good philanthropic practice.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The successful candidate will be intellectually curious, highly analytical, creative, and equally comfortable discussing philanthropic strategy and managing detailed operational work. They will be passionate about combatting inequality, campaign finance reform, and protecting voting rights. And they will enjoy working in a small, entrepreneurial environment where initiative, judgment, and discretion are highly valued.

Qualifications:

Ideal candidates will bring many of the following:

• 10+ years of progressively responsible leadership experience within philanthropy, nonprofit management, law, finance, or related field.
• Experience working with foundations, donor-advised funds, endowments, or institutional philanthropy.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit governance and charitable organizations.
• Exceptional analytical and quantitative skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including sophisticated financial modeling and data analysis.
• Experience in fundraising and/or grantmaking.
• Experience in nonprofit and philanthropic accounting and/or legal issues.
• Experience managing complex databases and information systems.
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and discretion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Law degree, MBA, CPA, or comparable graduate education.
• Experience in tax policy, philanthropy, nonprofit finance, or nonprofit law.
• Experience overseeing endowments or charitable funds.
• Familiarity with FileMaker Pro or similar database platforms.
• Experience leading organizational change or technology transitions.

Personal Characteristics

The ideal candidate will be:

• Highly organized and dependable
• Analytical and intellectually rigorous
• Curious and eager to learn
• Comfortable working independently
• Collaborative and creative
• Practical and solutions-oriented
• Adaptable in a small-office environment
• Committed to mission-driven work

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is a completely remote position with a four-day work week.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion [include]

COMPENSATION

Salary: $180,000

TIMELINE AND NEXT STEPS

If you are interested in this position, please click here. All applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application.

We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply even if you do not meet all of the qualifications outlined above. If you are selected to move forward for an initial screening call, we expect you to hear from us by MONTH.

Sherry Ettleson

Principal

settleson@drgtalent.com

Chasity Nickleson

Talent Consultant

cnickleson@drgtalent.com

Submit an application HERE.