FUNDRAISER 5

UCSF•San Francisco, CA

1d•$173,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is seeking an extraordinary, collaborative, and strategic Director of Development, Hematology - Oncology. Operating within the Office of University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) as a key frontline fundraiser on the Cancer Plus team, you will drive major and principal gift strategy ($250K - $1M+) for the Division of Hematology -Oncology within the prestigious UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. In this role, you will build deep, trusted partnerships with world-renowned clinical faculty, pioneering scientists, and executive leadership to translate cutting-edge scientific discovery and grateful patient experiences into transformative philanthropic support. Serving as an expert development professional, you will independently navigate complex donor relationships, elevate strategic funding priorities - including seed funding, endowed chairs, capital initiatives, and novel research funds - and accelerate breakthroughs that directly impact patient outcomes.

Requirements

A proven track record in major gift fundraising ($100K+), donor relationship management, and successful cultivation and solicitation strategies.
Expert working knowledge of all aspects of major gift fundraising, donor cultivation, moves management principles, solicitation, and stewardship concepts.
Demonstrated ability to independently develop, execute, and adapt strategic fundraising plans that align institutional priorities with donor interests.
Expert written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including high political acumen and the ability to build authentic relationships with donors, high-net-worth individuals, clinical faculty, and leadership.
Proven ability to analyze, synthesize, and translate complex medical, clinical, and scientific research concepts into clear, compelling philanthropic cases for support.
Strong organizational, analytical, and critical thinking skills with demonstrated initiative and intellectual curiosity.
Expert level skills in exercising discretion, maintaining absolute confidentiality, and handling sensitive medical/patient and financial information.
Bachelor's degree in related area and 10 years of related experience / or equivalent experience / training.

Nice To Haves

Grateful Patient Fundraising Experience: Proven track record of developing referral pipelines and navigating complex medical enterprise environments within academic healthcare or higher education.
Familiarity with oncology, hematology, or related areas of medical research, along with an understanding of current trends in healthcare fundraising.
Advanced degree in a related field (e.g., Master's, JD).

Responsibilities

Serves as an expert or lead development professional in a specialized area such as major / principal gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation relations, or a specific academic discipline that includes, or potentially includes, donors capable of making very significant contributions to the campus and / or medical center.
Directly manage and steward a dynamic portfolio of major and principal gift prospects (with capacity of $250K - $1M+), cultivating strategic donor relationships to advance transformative institutional priorities, academic programs, research, and clinical initiatives across assigned units.
Lead face-to-face and virtual solicitations for major and principal commitments, matching donor vision with high-impact institutional priorities - including strategic seed funding, endowed faculty chairs, capital projects, student scholarships, and specialized research or program funds.
Design and execute multi-stage cultivation and solicitation plans for high-net-worth individuals, corporate leaders, philanthropic advisors, and institutional partners, strategically moving prospects from initial engagement to multi-year investments in core institutional goals.
Deliver customized stewardship - including private briefings with faculty experts and executive leaders, custom impact updates, facility tours, and exclusive symposia - demonstrating how donor investments accelerate institutional impact.
Continuously evaluate portfolio performance based on contact quality, proposal conversion, and progress toward major gift revenue targets, actively prioritizing high-capacity prospects while maintaining strong pipeline momentum.
Develops, creates, writes, implements, and / or evaluates individualized marketing plans and / or strategies for cultivation and solicitation of major gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation prospects (strategies typically require a high degree of innovation).
Systematically identify, research, and qualify prospective major and principal gift donors by building strong, collaborative partnerships with deans, department chairs, institute directors, faculty partners, and professional advisors.
Proactively cultivate trusted, long-term relationships with faculty, researchers, and clinical leaders. Educate faculty on development processes, build alignment around institutional funding priorities, and establish routine touchpoints to uncover donor leads and referrals.
Partner closely with deans, department heads, center directors, and campus leaders to articulate key funding needs and translate emerging projects into viable philanthropic opportunities.
Identify and cultivate high-capacity prospects across executive, entrepreneurial, grateful beneficiaries, and philanthropic networks, actively engaging family offices, wealth managers, and philanthropic advisors who represent ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
Collaborate with volunteer leaders, advisory boards, philanthropic advisors, and institutional advocates to leverage their personal and professional networks for warm, high-level introductions to prospective major donors.
Partner with the prospect research team to analyze wealth indicators, philanthropic trends, corporate transactions, and foundation giving patterns, maintaining meticulous CRM strategy tracking for all assigned prospects.
Analyzes needs and creates strategic and long-range plans for fundraising and other advancement programs and may have the authority to make commitments and precedent-setting decisions regarding program design, development, and procedures.
Develop bespoke cultivation strategies and author sophisticated, highly tailored major gift proposals that translate complex academic, clinical, and research initiatives into inspiring philanthropic opportunities.
Work directly with faculty, researchers, and academic leadership to translate technical, complex work and vision into accessible, visionary, and actionable donor proposals.
Author compelling, impact-driven major gift proposals, white papers, letters of intent, and pledge agreements that clearly articulate the transformative potential of strategic academic programs, multidisciplinary projects, and faculty or student support.
Collaborate with planned giving specialists, legal/financial advisors, philanthropic advisors, and family office representatives to structure complex gifts, including endowed chairs, capital naming opportunities, blended commitments, and deferred gifts.
Formulate multi-year engagement strategies for top-tier individual prospects and their philanthropic advisors, aligning donor passions with institutional strengths and campus-wide strategic goals.
Ensures that predetermined fundraising goals are met and designs and implements highly specialized program activities to achieve these goals.
Engage executive leadership, department heads, and faculty partners to elevate high-stakes major gift opportunities, manage faculty advancement capacity, and foster a collaborative advancement culture.
Prepare and coach faculty partners prior to donor interactions, providing concise briefing materials, clear messaging frameworks, and explicit roles for joint solicitations while respecting and optimizing faculty time constraints.
Orient new and existing faculty to advancement strategies, teaching them how to recognize potential supporters (such as grateful patients or community advocates) and seamlessly partner with development officers.
Partner seamlessly with central advancement, donor relations, and communications colleagues to ensure unified donor messaging and compliant gift execution.
Serve as a strategic liaison for interdisciplinary initiatives bridging multiple schools, departments, research centers, and campus-wide programs.
Conceptualize and host intimate donor gatherings, salon dinners, and executive briefings featuring key faculty, institutional leaders, and philanthropic advisors to build community and advance principal gift relationships.
Other Duties as Assigned
Support comprehensive capital campaigns, institutional milestones, or emergency funding initiatives as directed by advancement leadership.
Participate in team planning, staff mentoring, and cross-departmental working groups to enhance advancement processes, templates, and collaborative workflows.