Development & Communications Director

Sisters of Charity Health System•Cleveland, OH

About The Position

The Director of Development and Communications is a mid-career, hands-on fundraising and storytelling leader who works in partnership with the Executive Director (ED) and the larger SCHS Fund Development team. The position manages the institutional giving pipeline, develops and fulfills grant proposals and reports, leads digital communications, executes annual appeals, and supports donor stewardship and prospect research. The Director collaborates with JMH program and finance teams and external design partners to translate JMH’s mission and outcomes into accurate, compelling communications and funding opportunities. Success in the role includes maintaining a strong institutional funding pipeline; submitting high-quality proposals and reports on time; sustaining a consistent, mission-aligned presence across three social accounts; completing the annual impact report; executing two annual appeals; following through with donors; and maintaining reliable Raiser’s Edge data that help the ED advance relationships.

Requirements

At least eight years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit development, grants management, and/or communications, with demonstrated ownership of projects and deadlines.
Hands-on working experience with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge or Raiser’s Edge NXT, including constituent records, queries or lists, and fundraising reporting; this experience is required.
Strong record of writing grant proposals and funder reports, managing multiple deadlines, and communicating program outcomes accurately.
Excellent writing, editing, project management, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to develop content for digital, print, and donor audiences.
Comfort working collaboratively with senior leadership, program staff, funders, creative partners, and a larger health-system network.

Nice To Haves

Experience serving or working alongside people who are unsheltered, navigating recovery, or living with complex health or behavioral health needs; direct client-care experience is especially valued.
Experience with government grant applications and compliance, annual giving campaigns, social media scheduling tools, and annual report production.
A bachelor’s degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

Responsibilities

Own a year-round pipeline of government, private foundation, and family foundation opportunities, and maintain a grants calendar with deadlines, decision dates, and stewardship requirements.
Research funder fit; prepare letters of inquiry and grant proposals; develop narratives and supporting materials; and coordinate budgets with the ED and finance staff.
Manage grant awards and reporting, including gathering program and outcome data, monitoring restricted-funding requirements, and submitting complete, accurate reports on schedule.
Provide the ED with regular pipeline updates, renewal forecasts, and funder briefing materials.
Plan, create, schedule, and monitor a consistent content calendar across three social media accounts; coordinate approvals and respond to or route inquiries appropriately.
Develop mission-centered posts, donor stewardship updates, funding acknowledgments, and gift-in-kind solicitations while maintaining a consistent organizational voice.
Lead production of the annual impact report, including stories, program data, donor recognition, editing, and coordination with the graphic designer and SCHS communications partners.
Collect resident and staff stories responsibly, observing informed consent, privacy, dignity, and trauma-informed communications practices.
Lead content development and execution for two annual giving appeals, including cases for support, donor emails, letters, and coordinated digital messages.
Pull and segment donor lists in Raiser’s Edge, coordinate layout and production with a graphic designer, and align timing and brand standards with SCHS.
Track campaign responses and provide timely performance summaries and recommendations to the ED.
Welcome and coordinate donor tours with the ED and program team, and prepare individualized follow-up and stewardship communications.
Receive, document, and coordinate distribution of in-kind gifts such as clothing and toiletries in partnership with operations and resident-facing staff.
Identify and qualify prospective institutional, corporate, community, and individual supporters aligned with JMH’s mission.
Prepare concise prospect profiles and cultivation recommendations for the ED, and maintain research notes, contacts, and next steps in Raiser’s Edge.
Maintain accurate constituent records, gift and pledge information, contact reports, acknowledgment tracking, and useful development reports in Raiser’s Edge.
Support reliable list segmentation, basic analysis, and database practices that strengthen donor stewardship and fundraising decisions.