Senior Director For Philanthropy

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

UW Medicine Advancement has an outstanding opportunity for a Senior Director for Philanthropy.

At UW Medicine, we work to improve health for all people through excellence in clinical, research, and education and training programs. As the only comprehensive clinical, research and learning health system in the five-state WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) region, UW Medicine provides the most up-to-date care for each individual patient, leads one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive medical research programs, and provides innovative learning programs for students, trainees, and practitioners in the health professions.

The passionate, 70-person team at UW Medicine Advancement works collaboratively to connect donors with meaningful opportunities to enhance patient care, expand educational opportunities and advance research at UW Medicine. This inspiring, challenging and rewarding work provides team members an opportunity to grow their careers, while making a difference in people’s lives, in our community and around the world. In the 2022 fiscal year, UW Medicine Advancement raised $284 million in gifts and private grants (46 percent of the University of Washington’s total) from nearly 14,000 donors to support the mission of UW Medicine. You can find out more about UW Medicine Advancement’s priorities and office culture on our career website: https://give.uwmedicine.org/careers/

The Senior Director for Philanthropy (“Senior Director”) is a primary staff member in UW Medicine Advancement responsible for raising philanthropic support for the Institute for Protein Design (IPD). In this capacity, the Senior Director will have leadership responsibility for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy to increase gift and grant support for UW Medicine. In this role, the Senior Director will work with institute leaders, department chairs, administrators and other academic leaders to develop fundraising strategies that support the IPD. The Senior Director will develop annual fundraising plans and manage a comprehensive campaign strategy for IPD.

The Senior Director will secure major gifts for IPD initiatives in partnership with the Senior Director for Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Associate Vice President for Development. The Senior Director will also be responsible for managing a team of major gift officers focused on securing major gifts for priority campaign initiatives, focused on the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISRCM), Rehabilitation Medicine, the Division of Healthcare and Simulation Science, Departments of Pain Medicine & Anesthesiology, Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and The Sports Institute. The Senior Director will be expected to work closely with senior UW Medicine administrative leadership, department chairs, academic leaders, faculty, and volunteers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning, Leadership, and Management Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

Create and implement the long-term strategic plan for the Institute for Protein Design, including developing an annual plan, including goals, objectives, and strategies. Work strategically to succeed in meeting goals and objectives. Provide regular progress reports to the Assistant Vice President of Development and Major Gifts, Associate Vice President of Development, and other senior leadership at UW Medicine Advancement.

Leadership

Provide leadership to faculty, administrators, and department chairs in designing and implementing strategies to sustain and increase organizational support. Coordinate the participation of academic leaders, faculty members, administrators, volunteers, and advancement staff in engagement, solicitation, and stewardship activities.

Work with the Assistant Vice President for Development and Major Gifts and others to assist in the development of broad themes for UW Medicine. Help to identify interdisciplinary efforts that would attract major funding.

Provide responsive and well-informed advice regarding solicitation strategies to faculty, colleagues, and volunteers.

Provide leadership to academic leaders, faculty, and staff in site visits from donors. Organize and staff site visits.

Management

The Senior Director will supervise two direct reports: Director for Philanthropy for the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, and Rehabilitation Medicine and the Director for Philanthropy for the Departments of Pain Medicine & Anesthesiology, Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and The Sports Institute. The Senior Director will recruit, train, mentor, develop, lead, and retain staff as necessary. Advocate for team members and share credit generously towards a staff member’s success. The Senior Director will manage the work of volunteers and direct the collaborative efforts of faculty and staff colleagues to develop special events, marketing materials, and donor relations activities to support major gift fundraising.

Train faculty and volunteers on best practices in grateful patient fundraising, ensuring that all state and federal (HIPAA) privacy regulations are followed.

Assume management of special projects assigned by the Assistant Vice President for Development and Major Gifts.

Direct Fundraising Responsibilities:

Develop a strategic major gifts plan for campaign priorities and assigned departments, divisions, and focus areas within the Institute for Protein Design. Work with department chairs, academic leaders, and faculty to develop funding priorities and implement advancement programs needed to sustain major gift levels of philanthropic support. Develop a pool of primarily individual, with some joint responsibility for corporate and foundation, major gift prospective donors for each assigned area. Coordinate the participation of department chairs, academic leaders, faculty in major gift fundraising activities.

Manage a portfolio of 50 to 75 major and principal gift prospective donors with capacity to make gifts of $100,000 or more, with an emphasis on securing gifts of $1 million or more. Work with faculty, administrators, and volunteers to identify and qualify new major gift prospective donors, with emphasis on securing faculty referrals. Develop and implement a cultivation and solicitation strategy for each assigned major gift prospective donor. Record and track all activity and engagement strategies using the University’s prospect management and tracking system. Prepare written proposals, informational materials, endowment agreements, gift illustrations, and other materials needed to secure major gifts. For each major gift donor managed, develop appropriate stewardship activities within the context of the overall stewardship plan with a strong donor-centered philosophy.

In alignment with University of Washington and UW Medicine Advancement accountability metrics, strive toward the following goals:
o Make approximately 75 substantive contacts annually with donors and prospective donors that advance the relationship toward philanthropic commitment.
o Maintain a “Top 25” pool of prospective major gift donors who will be solicited in the next 12-18 month period.
o Develop written engagement strategies for 75% of prospects/donors in core portfolio.
o Develop and present 10+ major gift proposals each year.

As appropriate, identify, recruit, train, and develop leadership roles for volunteers who assist with major gift fundraising activities. Staff volunteer fundraising partnerships and committees as assigned.

As needed, coordinate major gift fundraising activities with UW Medicine colleagues, and UW colleagues in Gift Planning, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Principal Giving, Regional Giving, etc. We place a premium on intra-team collegiality, and assignment and donor portfolios frequently overlap. The Senior Director for Philanthropy will demonstrate exceptional communication and collaboration skills.

Other duties as assigned.

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

This individual will attend meetings, visit donors, and be responsible for events outside the regular business day on a regular basis. Some evening and weekend work is required.

The successful candidate will be expected to have regular, reliable transportation for local travel and be willing to travel when necessary.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Senior Director will provide direct supervision of two professional staff: the Director for Philanthropy for the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, and Rehabilitation Medicine and Director for Philanthropy for the Departments of Pain Medicine & Anesthesiology, Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, and The Sports Institute. In this capacity, this position is responsible for hiring, performance appraisals, promotions/reclassifications, salary adjustments, disciplinary actions and/or handling complaints/grievances.


QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field. An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for stated requirements.

Seven or more years of experience in institutional advancement — preferably in a college or university setting. Superior writing and editing ability and strong interpersonal skills.

Additional requirements:

Values the UW’s commitment to inclusiveness and UW Medicine’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization. Demonstrates respect and commitment to diversity.

Demonstrated ability to solicit and close seven-figure philanthropic gifts; the ability to manage and lead a team of frontline fundraisers.

Proven skill in developing and implementing a strategic plan and overall direction for complex advancement programs.

Demonstrated ability to establish, cultivate and steward strong relationships with donors and friends to build lifelong partnerships and trust while aligning the donor’s passions and goals with the institution.

Strong interpersonal skills and customer service orientation. Poised, professional manner with the ability to express oneself clearly and empathetically in interactions with others in all forms of communications.

Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive relationships and actively contributes collegially and effectively as a member of working teams to achieve results. Advances team and organizational goals above individual goals.

Ability to work independently, problem solve, take initiative, set priorities and handle multiple projects efficiently and effectively. Takes responsibility and initiative to set and meet the goals, objectives and obligations while representing the mission, visions and values of the organization.

Demonstrated creativity, organizational ability, and strong attention to detail. Ability to make decisions in ambiguous situations, exercise good judgment based on information and analysis in a fast-paced, dynamic, deadline-driven environment in an organized and professional manner.

Demonstrated ability to maintain confidences and protect confidential information; acts in a selfless manner and models ethical values of the UW.

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum requirements.

ATTITUDES, BEHAVIORS AND SKILLS WE VALUE AT UW MEDICINE ADVANCEMENT

Placing team goals before individual goals

Assuming the best of intentions from faculty and colleagues

Embracing a spirit of continuous improvement

Focus on the highest priorities and manage time accordingly
o Manage and improve programs independently and build ownership over time
o Anticipate needed next steps; think through problems
o Approach work strategically, keeping the big picture in mind
o Address problems proactively and present potential solutions for resolution

Learning from each other
o Demonstrate the desire to learn new things while also meeting current position responsibilities
o Take the time to build fluency in ALL fundraising operations
o Be a proactive problem-solver; show resourcefulness in anticipating and addressing issues and concerns

Demonstrating professionalism
o Transparency: Be honest and straightforward with colleagues and donors
o Attitude: Work with a positive and collaborative approach
o Humility: Share credit generously; take ownership of challenges (“be generous with credit and selfish with blame”)
o Dedication: Consistently follow through; keep your word

Maintaining high emotional intelligence
o Build, maintain and recover relationships with internal and external constituents
o Partner and communicate well with supervisor and peers
o Hone self-awareness, including the ability to admit mistakes and knowing when to correct course

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

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