Director, Philanthropic Initiatives

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

About The Position

The Director, Philanthropic Initiatives provides strategic leadership for donor-engagement, mission alignment, donor fund governance and revenue enablement across Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation. This position oversees the development and execution of stewardship plans, donor relations and recognition to enhance donor engagement. The Director ensures comprehensive donor recognition through donor walls, digital recognition, and system-wide recognition initiatives and annual donor lists. Acting as the primary liaison with Marketing, Facilities, PD&C, FinOps, and Accounting, the Director ensures alignment across departments and the execution of donor reporting and engagement strategies. Additionally, this role leads donor fund management, overseeing financial tracking, restricted gift oversight, and process improvements related to gift processing and reporting. The Director manages the Case for Support process, coordinating prioritization, updates, and donor communications. This role requires a strategic, collaborative leader with expertise in donor relations, project management, and cross-functional coordination to enhance donor engagement and advance the Foundation’s philanthropic goals.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive experience in philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, or a related field
Demonstrated success serving as a trusted advisor to senior or executive leadership
Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in matrixed organizations
Experience influencing outcomes without direct authority
Experience with donor stewardship, donor fund management, philanthropic governance and proposal development
Prior people management experience, including coaching and developing teams
Experience operating in ambiguous environments, requiring judgment, prioritization and decision framing
Bachelor’s degree required
Passion for child health and well-being and commitment to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta mission
Strong strategic judgment with the ability to prioritize, sequence and frame complex work
Ability to translate ambiguity into clear options, recommendations and next steps
Advanced written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level writing and presentations
Deep understanding of donor intent, stewardship principles and philanthropic best practices
Ability to balance ideal outcomes with practical, achievable implementation
Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills across internal and external partners
Comfort navigating organizational complexity, competing priorities and stakeholder dynamics
Demonstrated ability to lead, coach and develop high-performing teams
High level of professionalism and accountability