Senior Director of Advancement, Siteman Cancer Center

Senior Director of Advancement, Siteman Cancer Center

Organization: Washington University in St. Louis – Medical Advancement
Location: St. Louis, MO (Hybrid / Travel Required)
Position Type: Full-Time | Senior Major Gifts Leadership

About the Opportunity

Are you a strategic, driven fundraising leader with a track record of driving major gifts in academic medicine and navigating complex clinician relationships?

Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine is seeking an ambitious and self-directed Senior Director of Advancement to lead philanthropic growth for key cancer specialty areas and academic departments.

In this elevated role, you will serve as the chief fundraising advisor to department chairs, division chiefs, and world-renowned faculty physicians. You will work at the forefront of grateful patient philanthropy and scientific innovation, turning high-level medical priorities into strategic, high-impact major gift opportunities.

Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a highly autonomous, sophisticated major gift professional who brings gravitas, diplomatic diplomacy, and creative strategy to healthcare philanthropy. You are:

• A Trusted Faculty Leader & Advisor: Expert at engaging and guiding high-expectation clinical leaders, department chairs, and physician-scientists—translating their vision into winning fundraising strategies and managing relationships with tact and authority.
• A Strategic & Independent Operator: Capable of working autonomously with high initiative, prioritizing complex workloads, making sound decisions, and driving pipeline development without needing step‑by-step direction.
• A Creative Prospect Specialist: Skilled at proactive prospect qualification and eager to collaborate innovatively with prospect research teams to uncover untapped donor pools and build high-value portfolios.
• A Grateful Patient & Academic Medicine Master: Deeply experienced in grateful patient programs, HIPAA compliance, and navigating the nuances of a top-tier matrixed academic medical center.

Key Responsibilities

• Chief Fundraising Advisory: Serve as the strategic advancement partner to department chairs, division chiefs, and key faculty, helping them define goals, articulate cases for support, and integrate philanthropy into their academic and clinical missions.
• Major Gift Solicitations: Strategically identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and principal gift prospects—focusing on individual donors, grateful patients, families, and foundation partners capable of commitments of $100,000+.
• Pipeline & Research Collaboration: Partner creatively with the internal prospect research team to identify new major gift prospects, conduct high-level qualification calls, and aggressively expand donor pipelines for assigned specialty areas.
• Physician & Faculty Partnership: Partner directly with department chairs, division chiefs, and clinical faculty to identify new donor prospects, develop tailored fundraising strategies and initiatives, and embed philanthropy into clinical care programs.
• Independent Strategy Execution: Develop and implement multi-year fundraising plans for assigned divisions, systematically tracking progress against performance benchmarks and campaign goals.
• Compliance & Stewardship: Maintain strict adherence to HIPAA guidelines, professional ethics, and meaningful stewardship protocols that deepen long‑term donor engagement.

Qualifications & Experience
Required:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience: Minimum of 6 years of successful, relevant major gift fundraising experience, with a proven history of managing complex prospect portfolios and securing six- and seven-figure gifts.

Why WashU and Siteman Cancer Center?

As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Missouri and southern Illinois, Siteman Cancer Center is globally recognized for pioneering research, exceptional clinical care, and breakthrough medical discoveries. Joining our advancement team puts you at the heart of an institution that empowers its leaders to make an indelible mark on healthcare and human health.