Executive Director of Philanthropy

Position Location:
Hospital for Special Care Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40 Work Shift:
First Shift Department:
Foundation

We are dedicated to creating an environment of care and engagement that makes us one of the most desirable places to work, providing exceptional care to each patient each and every day!

Executive Director of Philanthropy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in nonprofit management, business administration, healthcare administration, or a related field.
• Professional certification strongly preferred, including Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and/or Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (FAHP).
• Minimum of 8-10 years of progressively responsible nonprofit development experience, including at least 3-5 years in a director-level leadership role.
• Demonstrated success leading hospital-based or complex healthcare philanthropy programs, including capital campaigns, comprehensive campaigns, endowment growth, and major gifts.
• Proven, sales-oriented fundraising leader with a documented track record of securing seven-figure major gifts and significant corporate partnerships, using sophisticated solicitation, negotiation, and closing strategies.
• Experience partnering with CEOs and Board of Directors to set fundraising strategy and achieving ambitious philanthropic goals.
• Extensive experience across development functions, including major and principal gifts, planned giving, annual giving, corporate and foundation relations, grants, stewardship, special events, prospect research, and development operations.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen, with experience forecasting revenue, managing budgets, and reporting outcomes to executive leadership and boards.
• Advanced proficiency with fundraising CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge/RE NXT or comparable platforms) and Microsoft Office tools.
• Exceptional leadership presence, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders, physicians, board members, donors, community leaders, and corporate executives.
• Highly developed relationship-building and consultative sales skills, with a consistent record of advancing prospects from qualification through close. Ability to cultivate long-term, trust-based donor partnerships.
• Strategic, analytical, and results-oriented leader with the ability to adapt fundraising strategies based on data, trends, and organizational priorities.

JOB SUMMARY

The Chief Development Officer (CDO) serves as the organization's leader for philanthropic fundraising strategy and execution. Reporting to the Vice President of Strategy, Planning, and Business Development, the CDO provides leadership and operational oversight for all development and foundation activities, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, governance expectations, and long-term sustainability.

While not a C-suite executive role, the CDO functions as the organization's principal architect and lead strategist for fundraising, working in close partnership with the CEO, executive leadership, and the Board of Directors to secure major, corporate, and transformational philanthropic support.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Governance

• Serve as a member of the leadership team, integrating philanthropy into organizational strategy, capital priorities, and growth initiatives.
• Act as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Directors and designated committees (e.g., Foundation or Development Committees), providing pipeline reporting, performance metrics, and strategic recommendations.
• Partner closely with the Vice President of Strategy, Planning, and Business Development to align fundraising strategy with enterprise priorities and prepare the CEO and executive leaders for high-level donor and corporate solicitations.
• Engage, coach, and mobilize board members and physician leaders as effective fundraising partners through targeted solicitation planning and accountability frameworks.

Capital, Comprehensive Campaigns & Major Giving

• Provide overall leadership for capital, comprehensive, and endowment campaigns, including feasibility studies, campaign planning, goal setting, prospect strategy, solicitation sequencing, and post-campaign evaluation.
• Lead the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of principal and transformational gift prospects, often in partnership with the CEO, Board members, and senior clinical and administrative leaders. Ability to employ advanced sales, negotiation, and closing techniques to secure transformational gifts.
• Develop and oversee campaign governance structures, including campaign committees, leadership roles, volunteer engagement strategies, and accountability frameworks.
• Ensure alignment between campaign priorities and organizational capital plans, strategic initiatives, and long-term financial sustainability.

Comprehensive Development Program Oversight

• Provide leadership and operational oversight for all development functions, including:
• Major, principal, leadership, and annual gifts
• Corporate and foundation relations
• Planned giving and legacy programs
• Annual giving and donor acquisition
• Grant strategy and compliance
• Special events and community engagement
• Donor communications, recognition, and stewardship
• Prospect research and development operations
• Maintain a personal portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, with a focus on leadership-level, planned, and principal gifts.
• Design and implement donor engagement and stewardship strategies that strengthen long-term relationships and increase donor lifetime value.
• Leverage CRM systems, analytics, and fundraising intelligence to optimize performance, enhance donor engagement, and support informed decision-making.

Operations, Finance & Accountability

• Oversee foundation operations, ensuring efficient use of staff, systems, and financial resources and adherence to ethical, regulatory, and governance standards.
• Develop and manage fundraising and operating budgets, revenue forecasts, and performance dashboards for executive leadership and the Board.
• Leverage technology, data analytics, and fundraising intelligence to optimize performance, enhance donor engagement, and support informed decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with organizational philanthropic policies, gift acceptance standards, donor intent, and industry best practices.

Talent Development & External Leadership

• Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing development team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and sales excellence.
• Represent the organization externally with donors, corporate partners, community leaders, and regional and statewide healthcare philanthropy networks, including active engagement within the Connecticut Hospital Association.
• Monitor trends in healthcare philanthropy, nonprofit governance, and fundraising innovation, advising the VP of Strategy, Planning, and Business Development, CEO, and the Board on emerging opportunities and risks.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Combination of sitting, standing, walking, and occasional lifting of materials under 40 pounds.

COGNITIVE DEMANDS

• Continuous application of judgement, discretion, negotiation, analytical, presentation, salesmanship, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, stakeholders, donors and other hospital staff.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities independently under deadlines.

WORK DEMANDS

• Flexible schedule required including evenings and weekends for donor and community events.
• Primarily indoor, climate-controlled environment.