Director Philanthropic Strategy and Major Gifts
About The Position
This role provides strategic leadership for Barrow Neurological Foundation's (BNF) major gifts program, driving significant philanthropic revenue to support the clinical, research, and educational priorities of Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI). The Director will manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, oversee major-gift strategy and pipeline development, and partner with the Chief Philanthropy Officer of BNF to secure substantial philanthropic support. This position also manages a team of front-line individual major gift officers and other fundraising team members. Success in this role requires cultivating and stewarding deep relationships with grateful patients and families, community leaders, philanthropists, physicians, and volunteers to secure significant philanthropic investment. The role provides guidance to staff and colleagues involved in major-gift activity, ensuring alignment, accountability, and excellence. Collaboration across the Foundation and Institute is key to strengthening a strong culture of philanthropy and advancing Barrow's mission through sustained major-gift growth.
Requirements
- Bachelors Degree
- Minimum of Seven (7)–Ten (10) years of successful fundraising experience, preferably in healthcare, academic medicine, or research settings.
- Experience partnering with senior executives, physicians, researchers, and volunteer leadership.
- Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and closing major gifts; experience with seven-figure gifts and securing significant grant funding
- Experience contributing to or supporting capital campaign initiatives.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced Degree
Responsibilities
- Develops and executes comprehensive major-gift strategies that support BNF and BNI priorities, aligning with institutional fundraising objectives, assessing regularly and adjust targets and strategy with individual fundraisers and entire team.
- Manages a dynamic portfolio of major donors and prospects, with a focus on securing six-, seven-, and eight-figure gifts.
- Partners with the Chief Philanthropy Officer/BNI/President of BNF to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward top donors and institutional benefactors.
- Leads strategy for major-gift pipeline growth, including prospect identification, qualification, engagement, and solicitation.
- Builds strong relationships with grateful patients, families, and community philanthropists to advance giving opportunities.
- Works closely with physicians, researchers, and institutional leaders to translate clinical and research priorities into compelling philanthropic cases for support.
- Serves as a strategic partner to the Barrow Women’s Board on major-gift opportunities emerging from the Barrow Grand Ball and related initiatives.
- Ensures high-quality stewardship for major donors, including personalized impact reporting and engagement opportunities that strengthen long-term commitment.
- Collaborates with internal teams to ensure accurate, timely processing and acknowledgment of major gifts.
- Works in close partnership with Foundation leadership to foster a strong philanthropic culture across BNI.
- Provides mentorship, guidance, and strategic support to major-gift officers and other development staff as needed.
- Contributes to planning for capital campaigns and other institution-wide fundraising initiatives.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
