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Many people want to help others, and they look for ways to make a difference in a way that has a real-world impact and that can help them with the bills and such.

One great way to do this is through corporate philanthropy jobs.

These are jobs inside corporate entities, where the main goal is to help the company give back, managing donations and volunteer programs while working closely with charities. Without these employees, the company would have no forward-facing initiatives, leaving them misunderstood by their community and inciting, at the very least, resentment.

What Are Corporate Philanthropy Jobs?

Corporate philanthropy jobs focus on a company’s altruistic efforts. These professions fall under the umbrella of Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, which is the idea that corporations and such have an obligation towards their community.

People with these jobs manage the company’s charity work: deciding where to donate money, organizing employee volunteer days, and generally, making sure the company is a good community member.

Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich shows that giving is not just for the very rich; companies can commit to giving, too.

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Dr. Susan Gitelson writes:

“Many of the wealthiest individuals are concerned with giving back to society and are searching for ways to do this most effectively.”

Because of this altruistic basis, companies have begun to do the same, creating corporate social responsibility careers to lead this worthwhile effort.

Types of Corporate Giving Roles

There are as many corporate philanthropy jobs as there are opportunities for philanthropy. As such, each philanthropy job is geared towards a specific objective for charity and community communication.

• CSR Manager — this is the person who’s in charge of the company’s giving programs, working primarily and coordinating with nonprofits to plan events and initiatives. CSR managers track how much money and time the company provides to NGOs and other charitable organizations, both local and global. These people report on the good the company does and the benefits that are being made. This is a key role in corporate giving.
• Director of Philanthropy — this is a leader who sets the strategy for the company’s charity work. They manage the whole team and are provided with a budget to achieve their goals. Directors of philanthropy work with top executives. Gitelson mentions people like Michael Bloomberg, who uses his business success to fund his philanthropic efforts through Bloomberg Philanthropies.
• Social Impact Analyst — this person measures the results of the company’s charitable efforts, using data to see what is working and extrapolating from them the possible and potential future of these programs. The social impact analyst is essential for sustainability and social impact roles because they are the ones who ask: Are our donations helping? Are our volunteer programs effective?
• Corporate Foundation Program Officer — this is the person who runs the foundation’s many grants. Because many large companies and corporations have their own foundations, it is necessary to have an officer in charge who sits in a leadership position, finding good causes to support and deciding which people and organizations to work with. Corporate foundation program officersmanage the application process and make sure the money is used well.

Why Companies Create These Jobs

Companies are not required to have corporate philanthropy jobs. It’s not in any laws, and no one is asking for them to be regulated as such.

So why do they create them? There are plenty of good reasons.

Firstly, it helps the community. Companies and corporations have a lot of resources, and they can use these resources to fix problems, such as feeding the hungry, supporting schools, and protecting the environment. Just as it is good for people to do charity work, it is equally good for companies to do so as well.

Secondly, having corporate philanthropy jobs is also suitable for business. Customers like companies that help others. They become more loyal, and employees also enjoy it. People want to work for a company that cares. Dr. Gitelson notes that “people who give are usually happier than those who do not.”

This is true for companies, too; a company that gives has happier workers.

Dr. Gitelson explains that in America, giving is a significant activity.

“Americans have been extremely generous even in difficult times, giving around $300 billion a year to charitable causes.”

Companies are a big part of this giving, but they need people to manage it all. This creates more corporate social responsibility careers.

Skills and Pay for These Jobs

What skills do you need for corporate philanthropy jobs? Well, first off, you need to be organized and know how to communicate well. You should understand business and charity, and you should care about people and their communities deeply.

What about thesalary? Pay can be excellent for people working in corporate philanthropy. A manager often earns a substantial salary, and a director earns even more. Remember that the pay reflects the importance of the job.

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The Bigger Picture of Business Giving

Corporate philanthropy jobs are part of a bigger and growing trend in the corporate world. Companies are now thinking more about their role in the world. They don’t just think about making money anymore; they are also thinking about how to make a difference.

This leads to more sustainability and social impact roles.

Dr. Gitelson shows how many business leaders are also great givers, writing about people like Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay, who started a network to invest in “for-profit companies as well as grants to nonprofit organizations, with social impact being the unifying criterion.”

This blend of business and charity is the future, and it creates new and exciting corporate philanthropy jobs.

These jobs let you use your business skills for good, so you can help your company do the right thing and make a real impact on the world.

As Dr. Gitelson says, “You can accomplish a great deal as a… nonprofit professional.”

Now, you can do this inside a company.

Ready to learn how you can turn your career into a force for good? Get your copy of Giving Is Not Just for the Very Rich by Dr. Susan Aurelia Gitelson!