Director of Major Gifts, Department of Medicine

Director Of Major Gifts, Department Of Medicine

Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) supports Johns Hopkins' focus on research, teaching and patient care, and its role as a national and global leader in higher education. We create and foster enduring relationships that result in advocacy and philanthropic support for Johns Hopkins University & Medicinestrengthening the institution through partnerships with donors, alumni, volunteer leaders, faculty, students, staff, and patients.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital is ranked #1 in the nation for Rheumatology, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2024-2025 Best Hospitals list. It boasts seven disease-specific Centers of Excellence (Arthritis, Lupus, Lyme Disease, Myositis, Scleroderma, Sjgren's syndrome, and Vasculitis) and a large clinic that concentrates on rheumatologic disorders. Additionally, this position plays a critical role in staffing a highly-engaged development board in the Lyme Disease Research Center, with the intention of creating a new board for Rheumatology during FY26. Travel is associated with this role.

All fundraising activity will be coordinated within the Department of Medicine, the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the central development office of the Johns Hopkins University.

The Director of Major Gifts will utilize highly specialized and/or advanced institutional knowledge to implement cultivation and solicitation strategies for a select group of prospects and donors. The Director of Major Gifts will focus on securing significant financial contributions to support organizational, divisional, or departmental strategic priorities as well as aligning other giving conversations towards a given philanthropic priority or initiative. This role will work closely with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), as well as University and/or Medicine leadership to ensure long-term financial sustainability and growth.

Key responsibilities:

• Identify, research, and track a portfolio of complex prospects, with a primary focus on major and leadership gifts at the $1M to $5M level. Periodically work to secure gifts at the principal giving level ($5m+).
• Determine annual work plan goals in consultation with departmental/divisional development leadership.
• Plan and execute solicitation strategies leading to major and leadership gifts.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward high-capacity prospects and donors; act as an advisor to donors and their stakeholders on specific avenues for giving.
• Prepare and present compelling proposals to secure six and seven figure gifts, lead negotiation and process workflows to close and secure successfully solicited gifts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, resulting in subsequent future solicitations and increased giving.
• Collaborate with DAR and University leadership on solicitation efforts.
• Collaborate with DAR leadership on high-priority, high-visibility projects and tasks.
• Participate in strategic planning sessions and contribute to the development of fundraising initiatives.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive understanding of divisional/departmental mission, history, teaching, research, and/or clinical programs to effectively communicate funding opportunities. Stay abreast of divisional/departmental collaborative partnerships, priorities, and shared goals.
• To maximize the appeal and giving potential for donors, partner with faculty and leadership to shape and refine the philanthropic agenda for a given unit.
• Collaborate with fundraising professionals and specialists across DAR to help create and drive a strategy beyond one's immediate portfolio (e.g.: inclusive of alignment with foundation, corporate and planned giving). Foster the creation of new institutional relationships, leveraging multi-lateral interest towards blended, shared, and complex gifts.
• Act as a coach and mentor to junior and early career fundraising staff. Implement strategies for pipeline building through data analytics and outreach.
• Create reports on gift activities and progress toward goals to unit leadership.
• Other duties as assigned.

In addition to the duties described above:

• Serve as the primary development liaison to faculty members of the division of Rheumatology. Meet regularly with faculty to encourage participation and engagement in development activities, identify the giving potential of prospects, and coordinate faculty participation in solicitations.
• Manage a portfolio of approximately 100-115 prospects, focusing on soliciting gifts in the $100,000 to over $3 million range. Complete 90 or more meaningful prospect donor substantive interactions per fiscal year.
• Provide Board oversight and staff with a single development board for the Lyme Disease Research Center, with a goal to establish a new board for Rheumatology.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of all procedures of the Fund for Johns Medicine and the central development office of the Johns Hopkins University.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• Seven years of professional level related experience, with two years fundraising experience at the major gift level.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (Master's or JD).
• Higher education and/or academic medical fundraising experience.
• Proven success closing 7-figure+ gifts.
• Proven success closing complex gifts, including both outright, pledged and deferred giving.