Director of Programs, Donor Relations & Stewardship

Texas Children's Hospital•Houston, TX

About The Position

This role is responsible for leading the donor relations and stewardship strategy to build a best-in-class program. The Director will develop and execute a comprehensive strategy focused on strengthening donor trust, retention, and future giving to support overall fundraising performance and pipeline sustainability. This position serves as a clear voice of the donor in shaping stewardship priorities, communications, and experiences, ensuring programs are proactive, consistent, and tailored to donor intent and level of engagement. The role involves leading the design and execution of a comprehensive donor stewardship communications program, establishing a structured annual cadence of donor touchpoints, and engaging volunteers, physicians, and hospital leaders in delivering meaningful, relationship-driven donor experiences. Additionally, the Director will establish clear standards, policies, and protocols for donor reporting, oversee donor recognition programs, and track and evaluate program performance through dashboards and key metrics. The role also includes leading and developing a high-performing team by setting clear expectations, fostering a culture of transparent performance management, and empowering team members. Collaboration across Finance, clinical leadership, and Philanthropy teams is essential to ensure accurate and timely delivery of donor reports and to integrate stewardship into broader communication and fundraising strategies. The Director will also leverage data and systems to drive stewardship performance and accountability, maintaining accurate donor data and identifying trends and best practices to continuously strengthen the program.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, work effectively with diverse stakeholders and personalities, establish goals, execute strategies, and drive results.
Strong and positive communicator with a creative, relationship-focused approach and demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across teams.
Strategic thinker who can translate organizational and fundraising priorities into actionable donor relations and stewardship strategies.
Thorough understanding of donor relations and stewardship programs, practices, and emerging best practices.
Strong interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to develop high-level plans and strategies in collaboration with leadership and key stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships and work effectively with donors, organizational leaders, physicians, volunteers, and fundraising professionals.
Poised and professional presence with sound judgment and discretion when working with donors and senior-level stakeholders.
Seven (7) years of fundraising, donor relations, project management, grants, reporting, and/or related experience.
One (1) year of formal supervisory experience.
Associate's Degree

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive donor relations and stewardship strategy focused on strengthening donor trust, retention, and future giving to support overall fundraising performance and pipeline sustainability.
Serve as a clear voice of the donor in shaping stewardship priorities, communications, and experiences.
Ensure stewardship programs are proactive, consistent, and tailored to donor intent and level of engagement to deepen relationships and drive sustained philanthropic investment.
Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive donor stewardship communications program, establishing a structured annual cadence of donor touchpoints.
Engage volunteers, physicians, and hospital leaders in delivering meaningful, relationship-driven donor experiences that deepen connections and support retention and future giving.
Establish clear standards, policies, and protocols that reinforce excellence, compliance, and timeliness in donor reporting.
Oversee donor recognition programs, including walls, plaques, and signage, ensuring alignment with donor intent and an exceptional donor experience.
Track and evaluate program performance through dashboards and key metrics to continuously improve donor engagement and retention, including ensuring every $1M+ donor receives a high-quality written report.
Set clear expectations, goals, and accountability measures aligned with team performance and donor engagement outcomes.
Model and reinforce HEART values—Humility, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Trust—through leadership expectations and team performance.
Foster a culture of transparent performance management and accountability, using metrics and a regular cadence to assess progress.
Empower team members to take ownership, execute with precision, and continuously improve.
Ensure the team balances high-quality execution with strong relationship management to deliver a consistent and meaningful donor experience.
Collaborate across Finance, clinical leadership, and Philanthropy teams to ensure accurate and timely delivery of donor reports that reinforce trust and transparency.
Integrate stewardship into broader communication and fundraising strategies to strengthen donor connection to impact and outcomes.
Partner closely with gift officers to align stewardship strategies with donor goals, expectations, and future giving potential.
Contribute to donor strategy discussions by identifying opportunities to deepen engagement and increase philanthropic investment.
Maintain accurate donor data and ensure stewardship activity is appropriately documented to support strong relationship management and continuity.
Identify trends and evolving best practices to continuously strengthen the stewardship program and improve donor retention and satisfaction.
Lead the development of unified systems and processes that provide visibility into stewardship activity, progress, and donor engagement outcomes.
Implement tools and workflows that enhance operational efficiency and elevate the overall donor experience.
Complete timely performance appraisals for direct reports.
Conduct appropriate investigations and follow-up on individual and patient complaints.
Develop and modify job descriptions as necessary.
Ensure new staff attend hospital and department orientation within 30 days of employment.
Prepare and submit annual capital and operating budgets.
Report performance and outcomes on a monthly basis.
Submit performance planning documents, ongoing planning materials, action plans, and department goals.