Development Officer - Major Gifts & Planned Giving

Development Officer

The Development Officer is responsible for managing a portfolio of prospects and donors and for advancing a comprehensive, ongoing development program with an emphasis on major gifts and planned giving. This role focuses on the identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors capable of making significant outright and deferred gifts in support of Holy Cross Health.

The Development Officer plays a key role in building and strengthening philanthropic relationships with donors, grateful patients, executives, clinicians, board members, and community leaders. This position requires a high level of personal engagement, strategic thinking, and collaboration to align donor philanthropic goals with the long-term mission and priorities of Holy Cross Health.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Manages a portfolio of donors and prospects capable of making major gifts, as well as planned gifts, developing and executing individualized cultivation and solicitation strategies.
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards donors for significant outright and deferred gifts in alignment with Holy Cross Health priorities and performance expectations.
• Conducts meaningful donor engagement through visits, meetings, correspondence, and other relationship-based interactions.
• Integrates planned giving discussions into major gift cultivation, with emphasis on long-term donor relationships, blended gifts, and legacy opportunities.
• Educates and engages donors regarding planned giving vehicles, including bequests, beneficiary designations, charitable gift annuities, charitable trusts, and other deferred giving options.
• Works collaboratively with donors and, as appropriate, their professional advisors to facilitate planned gift arrangements consistent with donor intent and ethical fundraising practices.
• Serves as a planned giving resource for the development team, collaborating with other fundraisers to identify, cultivate, and advance planned gift opportunities across donor portfolios.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with Holy Cross Health leadership, clinicians, development colleagues, board members, and volunteers to support fundraising strategies and donor engagement.
• Provides leadership for donor stewardship and recognition initiatives related to major and planned giving, including planned giving and legacy recognition programs and content supporting the philanthropy annual report.
• Prepares or oversees the preparation of proposals, gift agreements, correspondence, reports, and other fundraising-related materials supporting major and planned gifts.
• Participates in capital campaign efforts as assigned, supporting donor strategy, cultivation, and solicitation initiatives.
• Ensures accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions, gift commitments, and planned giving intentions within the donor CRM system.
• Utilizes prospect research and wealth screening tools to inform strategy, identify opportunities, and manage the donor pipeline effectively.
• Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of four years of development experience related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Minimum two years of planned giving experience.
• Blackbaud donor database experience preferred.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office products.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability in planning and implementing long-and short-range development initiatives in conjunction with strategic planning processes.
• Strong leadership abilities and verbal and written communication skills with a keen attention to detail and ability to prioritize tasks appropriately.
• Communication Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, presentations, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from a group of managers, customers, and the general public.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to interact effectively with Hospital leadership, physicians, prospects, donors, and/or volunteers in a wide range of roles.
• Ability to conduct research, gather data, analyze information, and prepare effective, accurate, and timely reports and other documents to support development objectives.
• Database management skills.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, to demonstrate an understanding of ethics related to development activities, and to use discretion in interactions with donors, prospects, volunteers, and others.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and experience in managing complex activities in support of development objectives.
• Required to work occasional evenings and weekends.
• Community relations skills and the ability to communicate and work effectively within a diverse community.
• Ability to prioritize, organize and complete multiple tasks with strict deadlines and short turnaround times.
• Maintains good rapport and cooperative relationships. Approaches conflict in a constructive manner. Helps to identify problems, offer solutions, and participate in their resolution.
• Maintains the confidentiality of information acquired pertaining to patient, physicians, colleagues, and visitors to Holy Cross Hospital. Discusses patient and hospital information only among appropriate personnel in appropriately private places.
• Ability to interact well with various people, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, self-motivated, and work well in a team environment.
• Dedication to the mission of Holy Cross Health and Trinity Health.

Position Highlights and Benefits:

• Comprehensive benefit packages available, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, 403B, and education assistance.
• We serve together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within our communities.
• We live and breathe our guiding behaviors: we support each other in serving, we communicate openly, honestly, respectfully, and directly, we are fully present, we are all accountable, we trust and assume goodness in intentions.

Ministry/Facility Information:

• Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is a full-service, non-profit Catholic hospital, sponsored by the sisters of Mercy and a member of Trinity Health.
• We are committed to providing compassionate and holistic person-centered care.
• We are the only Catholic hospital in Broward and Palm Beach counties and are not for profit. We are part of Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Together, we serve people and communities in 21 states from coast to coast, providing nearly 2.8 million visits annually.
• Comprehensive benefits that start on your first day of work
• Retirement savings program with employer matching

Legal Info:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

Our Commitment:

Rooted in our Mission and Core Values, we honor the dignity of every person and recognize the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents each colleague brings. By finding common ground and embracing our differences, we grow stronger together and deliver more compassionate, person-centered care. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.