The Executive Director of Development is the Chief Development Officer for the WVU Cancer Institute (WVUCI) and a key fundraiser for the WVU Foundation in the Medical and Health Sciences Office of Philanthropy.
As the Chief Development Officer, this position exerts strategic leadership in engaging high-potential prospects and volunteers to support the Cancer Institute’s priority funding objectives. WVUCI is the region's most comprehensive cancer treatment, research, and education facility. Priority objectives include offering a multidisciplinary approach and state-of-the-art treatment options, access to current clinical trials, a variety of education and prevention outreach programs, and some of the top medical researchers in the country. The WVUCI is striving to become an NCI-Designated Cancer Center.
Reporting directly to the Vice President of Medical and Health Sciences Development, the Executive Director will lead a comprehensive, integrated development program to an unparalleled level of accomplishment in support of the WVU Cancer Institute’s mission. The Executive Director will lead a team of three dedicated professionals and represent the WVU Cancer Institute in various venues and activities. This position will have a strong working partnership with the Director and leadership of the Cancer Institute and other members of the Hospital leadership team.
The Medical and Health Sciences Office of Philanthropy and the West Virginia University Foundation's central office provide key support in prospect management, communications, donor engagement, corporation and foundation relations, annual giving, planned giving, and regional major gifts.
Duties and Responsibilities
Essential Functions and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
- Philanthropic Leadership and Outreach Coordination: The Executive Director will lead and direct private philanthropic support for the WVU Cancer Institute, including leadership, major, annual, and planned giving. The Executive Director will utilize and coordinate several outreach activities to identify and engage prospective donors, including personal contact, electronic and social media, direct mail campaigns, and special events.
- Prospect Management and Personal Engagement: Personally identify, select, and manage a portfolio of 50 high-potential prospects to expand the WVU Cancer Institute’s base of philanthropic support from a regional, local, and selected national prospect pool. Coordinate and manage work to focus on leadership and major gift prospects with evaluated gift potential identified by the WVU Foundation prospect research program. Emphasis on face-to-face contact with prospects and donors, including travel as needed, meeting quantifiable (personal and team) work objectives for each fiscal year.
- Program Development and Representation: Actively participate in the ongoing creation of the WVU Foundation's Grateful Patient, Families, and Friends Program, representing the interests of the Cancer Institute.
- Leadership Council Collaboration: Work with and support the WVUCI Leadership Council to focus on major gift prospect identification, engagement, and fundraising.
- Strategic Partnership and Reporting: Work closely with (and report to) the Vice President of Medical and Health Sciences Development on prospect strategy, needs coordination, necessary support functions, work implementation, and progress reporting.
- Team Leadership and Relationship Building: Directly supervise team members, including (at present) two gift officers. Engage WVU Cancer Institute and Hospital leadership as appropriate in raising private support. Develop and maintain collegial relationships with Cancer Institute physicians, researchers, and staff.
- Fundraising Resource Optimization: Capitalize on all fundraising resources available through the WVU Foundation for advancing and supporting the Cancer Institute’s funding priorities and development program.
- Collaborative Fundraising and Donor Development: Coordinate fundraising activities and prospect management with colleagues throughout Medicine and Health Sciences and the University to further collaborate and develop multiple interest donors. Develop engagement and solicitation strategies with leadership and partners to increase productivity.
- Volunteer Engagement and Leadership Support: Identify, enlist, motivate, guide, and encourage volunteers to further drive support for the program, especially in leadership and major gift cultivation and solicitation. Align with and support the WVU Cancer Institute Leadership Council and lead current and future campaign committees.
- Interdependent Partnerships: Partner with colleagues in the Medicine and Health Sciences Office of Philanthropy and the central office of the WVU Foundation in prospect management, communications, donor relations, corporate and foundation relations, annual giving, planned giving, and regional major gifts.
- Cultivate and Implement a Culture of Philanthropy: The Executive Director will play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of philanthropy within the WVU/WVUH landscape. This involves working closely with clinicians and leaders to nurture a culture that supports grateful patient fundraising. The role requires building robust, collaborative relationships with physicians, staff, and colleagues from the West Virginia University Foundation and WVU Health. The aim is to identify and engage with major gift prospects effectively. Cultivating long-term relationships with individual and institutional funders is crucial, as is demonstrating expertise in closing major gifts and engaging a diverse range of philanthropists. Engaging prospects and stakeholders around fundraising and Center priorities is key. Collaborative work with the Prospect Research team to refine prospecting procedures and identify potential donors is also a significant aspect of this role.
- Strategy and Growth: The Executive Director will provide leadership in the development program of the WVU Cancer Institute. This includes a strong focus on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors for financial support across various sectors like research, clinical work, teaching, and more. This role involves envisioning and implementing impactful programs that align with the mission of the WVU Cancer Institute. A key responsibility is developing and executing a comprehensive philanthropy program, complemented by effective planning processes in collaboration with the AVP for Development and the Director. Building and supervising a dedicated team of fundraisers who will work towards achieving the set priorities of the WVU Cancer Institute is essential. This also involves providing mentorship and strategic planning advice to ensure a high-performing fundraising team.
- Enhance Fundraising Efforts: The Executive Director will ensure a comprehensive annual giving program. This program should attract new donors while expanding the existing donor base. There is a significant focus on expanding planned giving and major gifts. The role positions the Executive Director as a key leadership team member, tasked with building strong, trusting relationships with senior leadership, the WVU Foundation, and current leadership gift donors and prospects. The role is more than just functional - it is about inspiring the fundraising staff and leading by example. This position represents an excellent opportunity to contribute to a diverse and dynamic senior development team, enhancing the division's strategic direction. The new Executive Director is expected to be a team player with the passion, experience, and commitment to focus strategically on building philanthropic capacity. Providing vision, leadership, and management of the cancer fundraising team is integral to the role.
- Team Leadership: The Executive Director will serve as a dynamic and values-based team leader. They will foster a dynamic and evolving team environment focused on achieving higher fundraising success and professional growth. This involves strategically expanding the team, notably by recruiting a new Director of Development, while ensuring each team member receives effective coaching and mentoring. Central to this objective is cultivating an atmosphere grounded in trust, respect, and professionalism, where the leader's executive presence serves as a guiding force. The overarching aim is to align the team's efforts with the mission, vision, and values of both the Cancer Institute and the greater WVU organization, thereby creating a cohesive and motivated group that is not only committed to the institute's goals but also embodies its core principles in every aspect of their work.
Education, Experience and Competencies:
- Education/Experience – Bachelor’s degree and 7-10 years of direct fundraising experience with a preference for previous work in an academic medical center or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Must have a proven track record as a successful individual fundraiser, having closed a significant volume of major gifts, ideally at the six and seven-figure level.
- Experience in leading a staff is preferred
- Proficient computer skills, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel), and instructional software
- Ability to work with staff from all services and at all levels
- Ability to analyze issues and identify possible solutions
- Ability to plan and prioritize own workload
- Excellent organization and time management
- Excellent interpersonal skills and sound experience of client contact
- Ability to be flexible and prepared to exercise initiative.
Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:
N/A
Physical Requirements:
While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to sit and use his/her hands and fingers, to handle or feel. The employee is required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, and possibly at times, climb or balance, stoop or kneel. Vision abilities required to perform this job include close vision. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
- Manage and supervise two development professionals.
Other Duties:
Work Environment: The position is expected to be in-person primarily, but over time, hybrid may be acceptable in alignment with the WVUF work/telecommuting policy. Travel is required at times for this position.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.
