Director for Philanthropy

Overview

UW Medicine Advancement has an outstanding opportunity for a Director for Philanthropy to join their team. At UW Medicine, we work to improve health for all people through excellence in clinical, research, and education and training programs. As the only comprehensive clinical, research and learning health system in the five-state WWAMI region, UW Medicine provides up-to-date care, leads in medical research, and offers innovative learning programs for students, trainees, and practitioners.

The 86-person team at UW Medicine Advancement connects donors with meaningful opportunities to enhance patient care, expand educational opportunities and advance research. In the 2025 fiscal year, UW Medicine Advancement raised nearly $382 million in gifts and private grants from over 30,000 donors. You can learn more about UW Medicine Advancement’s priorities and culture on our career site.

Responsibilities

Director for Philanthropy focuses on securing major gifts ($100,000+) and cultivating donors with the capacity to give at that level. The Director will work with the Senior Director for Philanthropy, Assistant Vice President for Development and Major Gifts, Chief Advancement Officer, academic leaders, volunteers, and other Advancement staff to identify, cultivate, and solicit major gift prospective donors for gifts in support of UW Medicine. The Director reports to the Senior Director for Philanthropy.

The Director will be the lead staff member generating philanthropic support for UW Medicine, with a focus on the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM). The Director will develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to increase gift and grant support and will work with department and institute leaders to develop fundraising strategies for key programs in Rehabilitation Medicine, ISCRM, and other assigned areas.

Direct Fundraising Responsibilities - 85%

• Develop a strategic major gifts plan for initiatives within the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine within the UW Medicine Advancement plan.
• Develop a strategic major gifts plan for initiatives within ISCRM within the UW Medicine Advancement plan.
• Collaborate with departmental leaders and advancement colleagues to set fundraising priorities and implement programs to sustain major gift support.
• Manage a portfolio of 100 to 150 major gift prospective donors (100k+) and develop 10 to 15 major gift proposals per year with a target of $2.5 million+ in new commitments.
• Maintain an active pool of prospective donors to be solicited in the next 12–18 months.
• Identify new major gift prospects (emphasizing faculty referrals of grateful patients) and create cultivation and solicitation strategies for each donor.
• Record donor activity and prepare proposals, materials, endowment agreements, and other items needed to secure major gifts; develop stewardship plans.
• Identify, recruit, train, and develop volunteer leadership for major gift fundraising; staff volunteer partnerships and committees as assigned.
• Coordinate major gift fundraising activities with UW Medicine colleagues and UW colleagues in Gift Planning, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Principal Gifts, Regional Gifts, etc., as needed.

Activities in Support of Direct Fundraising - 15%

• Encourage department chairs and faculty to participate actively in the fundraising process.
• Collaborate with UW and UW Medicine colleagues to develop events, marketing materials, and donor relations activities to support major gift fundraising.
• Pursue training opportunities, including training for gift planning techniques.
• Prepare annual operating plan and progress reports as requested.
• Complete annual performance self-assessment as part of the Annual Review.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and six or more years of progressively responsible experience in institutional advancement, focusing on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major gifts ($100k+).
• Equivalent education/experience may substitute for all minimum qualifications except where there are legal requirements (license/certification/registration).

Additional Requirements

• Aligns with UW Medicine's Executive Order 31 Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action; values diversity and inclusion.
• UW Medicine employees are expected to conduct themselves professionally per the Policy on Professional Conduct; professionalism is a factor in performance reviews, salary adjustments, and promotion.
• Proven skill in developing a strategic vision and direction for complex advancement programs; ability to create, implement, and manage programs; experience recruiting and managing volunteers.
• Ability to establish, cultivate and steward strong donor relationships; align donor passions with the institution.
• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills; ability to communicate openly and professionally.
• Ability to make decisions in ambiguous, fast-paced environments with sound judgment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; willingness to learn UW donor CRM and other software.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for stated requirements; experience in higher education or medicine is preferred.

Desired Qualifications

• At least 6 years of major and planned gift fundraising.
• Experience with grateful patient fundraising.
• Advancement experience in health care, higher education, or research settings.

Other Conditions of Employment

• Frequent local and regional travel; some national travel; regular evening and weekend meetings.
• Regular transportation for local travel and willingness to travel as needed.

Application Process

A cover letter is required and must be attached to your application. In the cover letter, address experience engaging with diverse communities and efforts to foster competence and understanding.

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Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum: $115,008.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum: $130,008.00 annual

Other Compensation: -

Benefits: For benefits information, visit the UW

Shift: First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular? This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent): 100.00%

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington offers opportunities to change lives on campus, in the state, and around the world.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Disability accommodations are available in the application process.