Overview

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

adele@pearlstreetcollective.com

Reporting to the Vice President, Principal Gifts, and collaborating closely with the Senior Vice President and Chief Philanthropy Officer as well as other leaders across the Division of Philanthropy, the Senior Director is responsible for the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of a portfolio of prospective donors with a giving capacity of $1M to $10M or higher. 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 partner closely with a new Faculty Engagement team and Institute leaders to articulate Institute objectives to gift audiences to reach ambitious revenue targets established based on Institute priorities.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned and dynamic fundraising professional with deep expertise in cultivating and stewarding relationships with high-net-worth individuals, trustees, and organizational leaders, and demonstrates a strong ability to connect donor passions with institutional priorities. An exceptional communicator, they will offer a talent for engaging diverse stakeholders and navigating complex organizational structures. The Senior Director will bring expertise in big picture strategy development and strong cross-team collaboration to foster ideas and proposals that inspire philanthropic partnerships in support of the mission. They will bring outstanding organizational skills, excelling at balancing multiple priorities and driving results in a fast-paced environment. 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.

Responsibilities

Cultivate, solicit, and otherwise manage a portfolio of 60-100 prospective donors to meet quarterly and annual goals for fundraising and donor activities.
Cultivate, solicit, and otherwise manage a select and strategic portfolio of Trustees to include understanding and supporting trustee giving expectations and opportunities.
Lead strategic discussions with prospective donors to align their philanthropic goals with Dana-Farber needs and opportunities.
Develop and recommend new strategies to enhance Principal Gifts fundraising and for gift solicitations.
Bring strategic engagement mindset and experience in working to cultivate research identified, under-engaged prospects as well as grateful patients.
Develop a deep understanding of different giving vehicles and work collaboratively on Planned Giving opportunities.
Partner with Donor Experience & Engagement and Faculty Engagement teams to determine funding opportunities and create gift proposals aligned with Institute priorities.
Partner with the Donor Experience & Engagement team on planning, executing, and attending donor stewardship and recognition events.
Support and foster a culture of learning, improvement and collaboration among the Principal Gifts team and Division of Philanthropy.
Travel as appropriate to meet with prospects and donors and/or hold a portfolio of a number of prospects in a dedicated region.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, improvement and results-oriented team culture.
Act as a mentor to other gift officers across the Division.
Complete other projects as assigned by the Vice President, Principal Gifts.
Responsible for assisting the entire Division in reaching financial goals.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

N/A

Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalency required; Bachelor’s degree preferred. 8+ years’ relevant work experience preferably in principal gifts fundraising.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

Successful track record of major gift solicitations in $1M-$10M donor category. Prior experience working with Board of Trustees, partnering with internal and external stakeholders, and collaborating with organizational leadership. Superior written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational and managerial capabilities, ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.

Effective public speaking and the ability to communicate and work with people at all levels.

A natural inclination towards integrating efforts to achieve goals. Must exercise significant judgment and confidentiality in working with prospects, volunteers, and Institute faculty and staff.

Mastery of virtual meeting platforms (e.g. Zoom) and Microsoft Office, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.

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. The 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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