Senior Director of Development - Medical Philanthropy & Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Welcome to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)... a world unlike any other. We combine learning, research, creativity, service and discovery with a commitment to inclusive excellence. Ranked by U.S. News as one of the 30 “most innovative” public universities in the country, VCU is a premier, urban, public research university home to multiple nationally ranked programs. Here, your success is supported, and your career can thrive. VCU offers a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay and mission-driven work. We advance a conscientious drive to support a climate where excellence and success for all people are valued and differences are celebrated. Together, we can be unstoppable.

The mission of VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) is to maximize philanthropic support by engaging stakeholders with our institution working in partnership with all VCU schools, programs and campuses as one development and alumni relations community and implementing the best practices and efficient strategies to achieve a comprehensive development program.

As part of DAR, the Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations (MPAR) team operates within a dynamic and collaborative environment that reflects the complexity of our institution. We are a highly matrixed organization, where success is driven by strategic partnerships, shared goals, mission-focus and the ability to navigate multiple reporting lines.

This is a pooled posting for the following opportunities:

• Senior Director of Development - Medical Philanthropy
• Senior Director of Development - Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

Interested applicants are required to submit a cover letter identifying the role or roles in which they are interested.

The Senior Director of Development for Medical Philanthropy will:

• Report to the Senior Associate Vice President for Medical Philanthropy and Alumni Relations (MPAR)
• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major and principal gift prospects in support of the VCU School of Medicine and the VCU Health System’s fundraising priorities.
• Build strong relationships with faculty and key institutional leaders to align philanthropic efforts with institutional priorities.
• Develop and manage a portfolio of approximately 80 high-capacity donors, maintaining a strategic focus on the Neurosciences and the Department of Internal Medicine.
• Partner with the strategic engagement team to cultivate and steward donors through various engagement opportunities.
• Develop compelling case materials to effectively communicate funding priorities and impact to prospective donors.
• Coordinate and oversee the preparation of stewardship reports, ensuring alignment between faculty and donor expectations.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in medical philanthropy, principal gifts, corporate and foundation relations, and broader Development and Alumni Relations teams to maximize donor engagement and fundraising outcomes.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of donor interactions and progress in CRM systems.

The Senior Director of Development for Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center will:

• Report to the Executive Director of Development for Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100 -125 major, principal, and planned giving prospects;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the educational, research, clinical, and financial needs and goals of the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center.;
• Partner with assigned faculty members to identify and qualify prospects, as well as to establish philanthropic funding opportunities for assigned research and clinical-focus areas;
• Work with prospect development staff to identify prospective donors;
• Successfully conduct a high number of quality engagement interactions through personal visits requiring travel, telephone and zoom solicitations, and coordinated personal written proposals in order to obtain and/or increase major gift contributions;
• Maintain prospect records and contact reports in order to facilitate repeated donations and establish gift histories;
• Solicit gifts at the major gifts level (at or above $50K) through personal appointments, calls and correspondence in order to obtain and/or increase donor contributions in support of the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center;
• Supervise one or more direct reports;
• Collaborate with DAR Corporate and Foundation Relations to further establish and lead the emerging corporate and foundation giving activities within the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center;
• Provide guidance and assist with stewardship events and correspondence in coordination with the Medical Philanthropy Strategic Engagement office and the Medical College of Virginia Foundation;
• Report regularly to the Executive Director of Development on all fundraising activity through active implementation of the major gifts tracking/reporting/moves management system;
• Work with the Executive Director of Planned Giving for the Medical Campus to market and secure planned gifts on behalf of cancer center priorities;
• Collaborate with the Executive Director of Development, SAVP for Medical Philanthropy, VCU’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations and School of Medicine leadership and faculty to meet or exceed fundraising goals;

Both positions will:

• Maintain and encourage open and honest professional relationships within the team and throughout DAR and VCU
• Establish, cultivate and maintain effective working relationships with internal partners
• Collaborate with peers and stakeholders to add to DAR’s collective innovative thinking
• Align their values with DAR’s core purpose and values