Job Information
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Senior Director, Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives in Brookline, Massachusetts
PLEASE NOTE: This search is being managed by Pearl Street Collective. Please direct all applications and inquiries to Adele Mezher via email:
Adele Mezher (she, her, hers)
Managing Partner
Pearl Street Collective
dfci-tgsi@pearlstreetcollective.com
Reporting to the Vice President of Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives, the Senior Director will be responsible for initiating, advancing, and closing gifts to reach Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives team metrics and revenue goals and assisting the entire Division with reaching ambitious financial goals.
The Senior Director will be expected to secure philanthropic support for Dana-Farber’s lifesaving research and care in partnership with the highest-level donors and potential donors across disease centers and programs, with a focus on institutional strategic initiatives. They will partner closely with a new Faculty Engagement team and Institute leaders in articulating these strategic objectives to gift audiences and work towards reaching ambitious revenue targets established on Institute priorities. They will inspire and mobilize the aspirations of prospects and donors and exemplify the sophisticated stewardship essential to maintaining and expanding donor relationships at the highest levels. The Senior Director will carry a personal portfolio of donors who have the capacity to make 7-, 8-, and 9-figure gifts, with responsibility for the full lifecycle of moves management including discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of principal gift prospects.
Ideal candidates will bring a track record of securing, at a minimum, seven-figure gifts; a deep understanding of giving behaviors and the ability to uplift the philanthropic capacity of donors; and a growth mindset when considering how to establish a robust portfolio and identify opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Candidates must respect the disruptive nature of the gifts they pursue, not only on the specific issues to be addressed but also on the Institute’s structure and organization. Success in this role will require authentic, transparent relationship building skills with an approach that equally values internal and external cultivation, high emotional intelligence, a drive to succeed, resiliency, an insatiable intellectual curiosity, and acting and speaking with transparency to contribute to a culture based on trust.
The onboarding of this role will include a comprehensive training process which includes completion of online modules, shadowing colleagues, as well as hands-on learning experiences throughout the first calendar year in the role.
Embody Dana-Farber’s Core Values: Impact; Excellence; Compassion & Respect; Inclusion & Diversity, and Discovery every day. Add value to the Dana-Farber community by seeking opportunities to collaborate across the Institute. Foster an ethical, positive, results-oriented culture founded on open communication.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Resume and cover letter required with application submission. If you wish to disclose your personal pronouns, please include them within your resume and cover letter submission.
Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.
Work strategically to meet personal metrics and to support the team's annual fundraising goals as determined by the Vice President of Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives.
Manage a dynamic portfolio of approximately 35-40 individual prospects with a goal of securing 8- and 9- figure gifts.
Partner with Donor Experience & Engagement and Faculty Engagement teams to determine funding opportunities and create gift proposals aligned with Institute priorities.
Collaborate with colleagues in other units, including Principal Gifts, Major & Planned Gifts, Annual Giving, Corporate Partnerships, Foundation Relations, Donor Experience & Engagement, Jimmy Fund, and Fiscal & Regulatory Management teams to maximize donor engagement and philanthropic commitment.
Conduct 5-10 substantive donor interactions including in person visits, video conferencing and/or phone calls monthly; submit 10 proposals or concept papers annually with specific ask level.
Track prospect and donor activity in CRM database; provide activity and revenue reports as requested.
Assist in planning bespoke donor stewardship events and uniquely tailored engagement opportunities. Responsibilities include coordinating faculty presentations, communication with co-chairs and attendees/members and follow-up.
With Vice President of Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives, contribute to the development of the team's anticipated annual fundraising goal, provide data to support mid-year revision, and deliver year-end reporting as requested.
Develop and recommend policies and recommendations to enhance fundraising to Vice President of Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives.
Travel as necessary for donor visits (national and international) to advance donor/prospect engagement and represent Dana-Farber.
Complete other special projects as assigned by Vice President of Transformational Gifts & Strategic Initiatives.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
N/A
- High school diploma or equivalency required; Bachelor’s degree preferred. 8+ years’ relevant work experience and a track record of successful principal gifts (seven- and eight-figure) solicitation and closure, preferably at a major academic or medical institution, in higher education, or other closely related field.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
Demonstrated ability to handle multiple, complex fundraising activities simultaneously and
coordinate strategies in a cross-team environment; flexible nature and demonstrated motivational and pragmatic consensus-building skills.
The ability to absorb and translate a broad range of biomedical and clinical healthcare science into inspiring visions for donors and the demonstrated ability to close gifts that align philanthropy with an institution's key strategic priorities.
An interest in understanding the national biomedical research and clinical healthcare market and trends therein.
Success staffing institutional leadership in donor cultivation and solicitation.
Superior interpersonal, management, and written and verbal communication skills.
The ability to extract and analyze data to make effective, efficient decisions about donor strategy and process.
An eagerness to be engaged in extensive discovery with a mindset that there are no dead ends, only other roads to pursue.
A natural inclination towards integrating efforts to achieve goals.
Able to recognize and seize opportunities to advance an organization to a level it hasn’t reached before.
Mastery of virtual meeting platforms (e.g. Zoom) and Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
A working knowledge of modern data management practices and techniques, including database information systems, data modeling, and analysis.
PATIENT CONTACT:
No
WORKING CONDITIONS:
This position is considered remote, 0-1 days onsite at 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA each week. Employees must reside in New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. Travel and evening and weekend work may be required.
DIVISION OF PHILANTHROPY INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, & EQUITY COMMITMENT STATEMENT:
We’re stronger together. In the Division of Philanthropy, we believe in the power of different voices. We encourage the authenticity and diversity of every individual within our community. Our collective voices – donors, volunteers, staff, and patients alike – allow us to work together toward a world without cancer. Committed to being a place of inclusivity, belonging, and change, these are our core values.
DFCI DISCLAIMER:
External and internal applicants, as well as position incumbents who become disabled as defined under state or federal law, must be able to perform the essential job functions either with or without a reasonable accommodation. T he above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties (including essential functions), responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Non-essential and/or marginal job functions may be adjusted to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise. Employment with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is “at will.”
DFCI offers a competitive benefits package including generous healthcare and retirement plans, at minimum 3-weeks’ vacation time in addition to 10 paid holidays, a flexible work environment, and work/life balance. Dana-Farber offers a variety of personal, professional, and leadership development opportunities to all members of its workforce through Institutional programming. Division of Philanthropy offers 75+ specialized professional development sessions designed for staff each year through its in-house learning program, the Center for Advancement Training.*
*All benefits subject to Institute changes
We’re hiring! Learn more about working in the Division of Philanthropy and view all open positions.
At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.
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