Introduction

The Superintendent/President and Board of Trustees of the Sonoma County Junior College District/Santa Rosa Junior College are seeking an innovative and experienced philanthropy and resource development professional who will be an inclusive and visionary leader of the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation. This position is responsible for the planning, organization, direction, and implementation of a comprehensive resource development program. The District is committed to hiring an Executive Director who understands how cultural diversity in the academic environment promotes academic excellence; fosters cultural, racial, and human understanding; provides positive role models for all students and employees; and creates an inclusive and supportive educational work environment for its students, employees, and the diverse communities it serves. 

Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) is a single college district located in Sonoma County, California. Sonoma County is rich in history, beauty, and culture and is an excellent choice for a place to live and work. The District is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, reflecting the great responsibility to the educational attainment and economic well-being of the surrounding community. The District prides itself on being an inclusive, diverse, and sustainable community that fosters the growth and development of its students, faculty, and staff. SRJC is a unique institution in a unique environment. It offers a leadership opportunity for the right person to continue the human resources work that is in progress and become a part of a dynamic educational enterprise, an energetic leadership team, and a vibrant, supportive workplace and community. 

The SRJC Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation focused on the critically important role of raising and stewarding funds to support students and educational programs at Santa Rosa Junior College. The SRJC Foundation holds the distinction as one of the largest and most successful California Community College foundations, with assets exceeding $95 million. The Foundation is number one among 114 California Community College foundations for funds raised to provide student scholarships. The Foundation currently oversees an investment portfolio exceeding $75 million.  

THE MISSION OF THE SONOMA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT IS:
Santa Rosa Junior College transforms the lives of our culturally rich student body, employees, and community by cultivating a welcoming and antiracist environment, centered on social responsibility and cultural awareness. We offer exceptional teaching and learning in support of associate degree, certificate, transfer preparation, workforce preparation and community education programs, integrated with comprehensive student support services.

THE VISION OF THE SONOMA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT IS:
Santa Rosa Junior College commits to setting the standard in cultivating an accessible, open, barrier-free, sustainable environment for students, employees, and the community. The college envisions equitable, impactful, transformative, enriching, and holistic learning opportunities that inspire our students to thrive.

SONOMA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT VALUES:

• A Healthy and Resilient College grounded in kindness, innovation, collaboration, and restorative justice that identifies and removes oppressive structures;
• Teaching and Learning that encompass excellence, freedom, and responsibility in academics that promote civic engagement, a love of learning, and success for all students;
• Community Engagement and Relationships founded on cultural competency, trust, embrace of difference, and interconnectedness;
• Wellbeing centered on the physical and mental wellness of all members of our community;
• Integrity that emphasizes honesty, transparency, and ethical engagement;
• Effectiveness and District Stability that support fiscally responsible planning centered on student needs; and
• Our Responsibility to the Environment and Society expressed in our commitment to sustainability and social equity.

ABOUT THE SONOMA COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT
Santa Rosa Junior College has been an integral part of the Sonoma County community and its rich history, beauty and culture for more than 100 years. 
SRJC is a public two-year community college, which serves the County of Sonoma and portions of Marin and Mendocino counties. The District has two campuses, located in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, California, two centers, a Public Safety Training Center located in Windsor, California, and the Robert Shone Agricultural Center located in Forestville, California, and our newest site in the Roseland area of the City of Santa Rosa. Students may choose from over 100 associate degree majors and certificate programs, complete courses toward the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program, or pursue courses for other professional or personal reasons. 

SRJC serves approximately 22,000 students each semester and is committed to inclusion, diversity, equity, anti-racism, and accessibility. The ideal candidate will share SRJC’s commitment to be an inclusive, diverse and sustainable learning community that engages the whole person.
Please see the following Online Resources to learn more about SRJC:

• Office of the President
• Student Services
• SRJC Factbook
• SRJC Foundation

SRJC’s Superintendent/President Dr. Angélica Garcia is an educational leader with a demonstrated commitment to improving access, equity, and student success in higher education. Dr. Garcia earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership at San Francisco State University, a Master’s in Social Work at San Diego State University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal and Civic Studies at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Dr. Garcia was appointed the Superintendent/President of Santa Rosa Junior College on July 1, 2023. Dr. Garcia’s leadership underscores the honor and pride that SRJC has in being designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), which advances the learning and development for Latinx students throughout Sonoma County. She recognizes that this designation calls on SRJC to serve the needs, career and academic goals, and create a pathway for access to higher education for diverse student populations.

Dr. Garcia’s experience as an educator, social worker, adjunct faculty, and administrator has afforded her the opportunity to develop the leadership and community-building skills needed to impact institutional change. Her experience as a first-generation college student, and as a student of color, informs her teaching and leadership lens. She is known for her inclusive leadership which centers participatory governance for institutional change efforts.

Under the direction of the Superintendent/President of the District and working in collaboration with the SRJC Foundation Board of Directors, the Executive Director provides senior leadership and management of all facets of Foundation operations and its advancement program.  The Executive Director is responsible for management of the nonprofit corporation, serves as the senior fundraiser for the Sonoma County Junior College District, and oversees multiple programs to engage donors, alumni and the community. The Executive Director works collaboratively with both internal and external individuals and organizations and is expected to develop a comprehensive fundraising program that encompasses all of the District’s campuses and centers.
 

With current fundraising goals exceeding $6 million annually, this position directs and supervises all Foundation operations including: campaigns, annual giving, planned and deferred giving, corporate and foundation giving, the Foundation’s scholarship program, alumni and corporate relations, and special fundraising campaigns and events. In the execution of these responsibilities, the Executive Director also provides broad oversight of volunteer committees of the Foundation, including the Investment Committee.
 

As a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Executive Director supports the leadership and provides oversight of external relations and partnerships to advance the District’s mission, strategic initiatives, and governmental policies that impact students and the District. The Executive Director supports strategic partnerships, both public and private, acting as a liaison to reflect the District’s priorities and support community engagement.  
 

The Executive Director is an employee of the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit, tax exempt, auxiliary organization of the Sonoma County Junior College District. The Executive Director provides leadership and management of a comprehensive advancement program for the District; hires and supervises management team, classified staff and student employees; and administers an annual budget for all assigned activities

Key Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities listed below are representative of the position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list.

• Serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet and participates in strategic planning, policy formulation, budgetary decisions, and problem solving and offers advice and counsel on the implications of institutional decisions.
• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive advancement program that reflects District priorities, including annual giving, transformational and major gifts, planned giving, and special campaigns. Build and maintain relationships with donors, corporate and community partners, alumni, and other stakeholders to secure support for SRJC programs and initiatives.
• Oversee and develop community engagement strategies to strengthen relationships with key partners, foster collaborations, and promote the District’s mission within the wider community ensuring alignment with strategic goals and values.
• Serve as key contributor to the legislative strategies with local, state, and federal representatives, representing the objectives and goals of the District in discussions of policy and relaying the District's agenda to maximize diverse funding sources in support of the mission.
• Provide leadership for District relations with community organizations and other local partnerships; maintains contact with corporate, industrial, community, governmental, and educational leaders to advance the mission and strategic initiatives of the District.
• Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned staff; interview and select employees and recommend transfers, reassignment, termination, and disciplinary actions according to established procedures.
• Develop and prepare the budgets for assigned programs and operations; analyze and review budgetary and financial data; authorize expenditures in accordance with established guidelines.
   

• SRJC is widely regarded as one of the top community colleges in the state and the nation. Over 2 million students are estimated to have attended SRJC since 1918.
• SRJC is considered a “treasured” institution in the local community
• SRJC contributes significantly to training the local/regional workforce and education of our community
• Faculty reputation and standards of teaching excellence are extremely high
• Foundation reputation and placement of trust by donors and community is very high
• SRJC Foundation provides more than $2 million in scholarship support, and the Doyle Trust Scholarships provide an additional $3.9 million.
• SRJC Foundation is #1 in the state among CCC for scholarship awards and number of students assisted 
   

Challenges

• Enrollment numbers are still recovering to pre-COVID levels
• District restructuring has impacted programs and departments
• Foundation’s role to raise program funds has increased
• Staffing demands and need for more experienced advancement professionals
• Building a Board of Directors that is more reflective of the student population
• Providing DEI leadership in times of backlash and uncertainty
• District education and creation of an institutional culture of philanthropy
   

Nominations and Inquiries
Nominations and inquiries about this opportunity (prior to the position closing date) should be directed to Jenne Arden using the information below:

Application Requirements

The Sonoma County Junior College District requires the following application materials for this position:

1. A Santa Rosa Junior College/GovernmentJobs.com Employment Application and responses to Agency-wide Questions, located on the Employment Page.
2. A current resume or CV of no more than six pages including all work experience, formal education, and training related to this position's requirements.
3. A cover letter, no more than four pages in length, addressing the applicant’s qualifications for the position.
4. Candidates selected for an interview will be required to submit a list of eight references that includes:  two supervisors, two subordinates (including one classified professional), one administrative peer, two faculty (or equivalent), and one community member or external partner. Candidates will be asked to submit a contact number and email address for each reference. References will not be contacted without the candidate's permission unless the applicant is offered a final interview. At that time the District will contact all listed references, and also contact people not on the applicant’s list of references. Information provided by all references will be shared with the Superintendent/President, her final interview committee, and the Board of Trustees. The names of individual references will not be provided as part of this report to ensure the confidential nature of reference checking.

Note: If any required application materials are omitted, the committee will not review your application. Items not required (including reference letters) will not be accepted. For full consideration, all application packets must be received by 11:59 pm on the closing date. 

Copies of transcripts of all college-level coursework and a current (within the last 6 months) DMV Driver’s Record report verifying an acceptable driving record and possession of a Class C Driver’s License will be required upon request. 

The search for the Executive Director, Foundation and District External Relations is a confidential process.  Applications will be reviewed by a screening committee following the closing date. 

The following timeline dates are tentative and subject to change, as determined by the screening committee:

• Position Release: February 12, 2025
• Position Close Date: March 18, 2025
• Application Screening Date, March 19, 2025; Position is open until filled
• First Round of Interviews: Week of April 21, 2025
• Finalist Interviews: May 2, 2025
• Board Approval of new Executive Director: May 2025
• Target Start Date: June 2, 2025 

For additional position requirements, review the full application for employment.

Santa Rosa Junior College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to maintaining a workforce that demonstrates an understanding of, sensitivity to, and respect for the diverse academic, socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, disability, and sexual orientation of community college students, faculty, and staff.

Santa Rosa Junior College attracts and retains the most qualified faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. This is achieved through an inclusive recruitment strategy and a rigorous, thorough hiring process that begins with the fair and consistent evaluation of each application for minimum qualifications and demonstrated skills specific to each position/assignment. Because the ability to serve students from broad cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds and genders is a key commitment of the District mission, Santa Rosa Junior College actively encourages applications from candidates who recognize the value that diversity brings to a professional educational community.