Director of Philanthropy - Annual Giving

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital • Grand Rapids, MI

1d

About The Position

The Director of Philanthropy for Annual Giving will lead the strategy and execution of all annual fundraising initiatives for the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation. This role is responsible for growing and scaling a comprehensive annual giving program that strengthens donor engagement, expands the Foundation’s regional reach, and advances Mary Free Bed’s mission and long-term goals. The Director will manage a portfolio of mid-level donors and oversees fundraising efforts for donors giving under $10,000 through integrated direct mail, digital, and multichannel campaigns. This role leads team development, strategic planning, annual campaigns, direct response, and moves management, bringing a collaborative and entrepreneurial approach to continuous improvement and fundraising success.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 7+ years of progressive fundraising experience, with a strong emphasis on annual giving and donor engagement.
• Proven success designing, executing, and scaling annual fundraising programs.
• Experience managing and soliciting a portfolio of annual and mid-level donors.
• Strong understanding of direct response fundraising, including direct mail and digital campaigns.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data, track performance, and drive results.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly collaborative, self-directed, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in healthcare, hospital, or complex nonprofit environments.
• Experience leading or mentoring staff and cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and fundraising analytics.
• Demonstrated success partnering with marketing and communications teams.

Responsibilities

• Annual Giving Strategy & Growth Leads the vision, strategy, and execution for all annual giving programs, including appeals, digital campaigns, recurring giving, and targeted initiatives.
• Designs and scales annual giving programs to increase donor acquisition, retention, and upgrade pathways, specifically around the grateful patient program.
• Translates organizational growth priorities into compelling annual fundraising strategies that support patient care, programs, and regional expansion.
• Uses data, benchmarking, and donor insights to test, refine, and grow campaigns year over year.
• Donor Portfolio & Moves Management Manages and solicits a portfolio of mid-level donors, building meaningful relationships and advancing donors along the giving continuum.
• Oversees moves management strategies for donors under $10,000, ensuring clear pathways to deeper engagement and larger gifts.
• Partners closely with major gift and leadership giving colleagues to ensure seamless donor transitions and coordinated strategies.
• Campaigns & Direct Response Leads the full lifecycle of direct and digital campaigns, including planning, segmentation, messaging, execution, and evaluation.
• Oversees direct mail, email, digital, and other direct response efforts, ensuring strong ROI and donor-centered messaging.
• Evaluates performance metrics and implement improvements to drive growth and efficiency.
• Marketing & Communications Partnership Collaborates closely with the communications and marketing team to develop compelling, consistent messaging across all annual giving channels.
• Ensures donor communications clearly articulate impact, gratitude, and alignment with Mary Free Bed’s mission and patient outcomes.
• Team Development & Leadership Leads, coaches, and develops staff and cross-functional partners involved in annual giving efforts.
• Builds scalable systems, processes, and playbooks that empower the team and support future growth.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrate excellent customer service and standards of behaviors as well as encourages, coaches, and monitors the same in team members.
• Consistently promote teamwork and direct communication with co-workers and deal discretely and sensitively with confidential information.
• Contribute by identifying problems and seeking solutions.
• Promote patient/family satisfaction where possible; participates in departmental efforts to monitor and report customer service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director