Director of Philanthropy and Strategic Marketing

Fahreneheit Advisors has been retained by our client, MedRVA, for the search for their Director, Philanthropy and Strategic Marketing in Richmond, VA. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with experience building out a development function. You'll be reporting to a dynamic and visionary CEO and working with a great team for an important mission.

Job Summary:

The Director of Philanthropy & Strategic Marketing serves as a key strategic partner in advancing the mission, visibility, and long-term sustainability of the MedRVA Foundation. This position is responsible for leading and executing a comprehensive fundraising and donor engagement strategy encompassing annual giving, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grants, planned giving, capital campaigns, and special events.

Working in partnership with the MedRVA Healthcare Chief Executive Officer and the Foundation Board Chair, the Director helps establish the Foundation's philanthropic vision, fundraising priorities, revenue growth strategies, and community engagement initiatives. The Director cultivates meaningful relationships with donors, corporate partners, community leaders, foundations, and volunteers while developing innovative strategies to expand philanthropic support and strengthen community impact. Through data-driven analysis and strategic planning, the Director provides recommendations to ensure Foundation resources align with mission priorities and long-term organizational goals.

In addition, the Director provides strategic leadership and oversight for the organization's marketing and communications functions. This includes developing and executing marketing strategies that enhance brand awareness, support growth, promote community engagement initiatives, and align messaging across MedRVA Healthcare and the Foundation. The Director supervises the Marketing Coordinator, providing direction, prioritization, and performance management while ensuring the effective execution of day-to-day marketing, advertising, digital communications, and public relations activities.

This role serves as the lead development professional for the Foundation and acts as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Foundation Board Chair, and Board of Trustees regarding philanthropic growth opportunities, fundraising performance, donor engagement strategies, and community investment initiatives.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Oversees one Marketing Associate

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

• Partner with the CEO and Foundation Board Chair to develop, implement, and continuously refine a multi-year fundraising strategy aligned with the Foundation's mission and strategic goals.
• Develop annual fundraising plans, campaign strategies, donor engagement initiatives, and revenue targets.
• Establish measurable fundraising goals and track organizational performance against those goals.
• Identify emerging trends in philanthropy, healthcare giving, community engagement, and nonprofit development to strengthen fundraising effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive fundraising program including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, grants, corporate sponsorships, and special events.
• Present fundraising performance, pipeline development, campaign outcomes, and strategic recommendations to Foundation leadership and the Board of Trustees.
• Lead major donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Develop donor recognition and engagement programs that strengthen donor retention and long-term giving relationships.
• Serve as a visible ambassador for the Foundation within the community.

Strategic Portfolio Assessment & Development

• Conduct ongoing assessment of the Foundation's fundraising portfolio, including annual giving, grants, donor programs, corporate partnerships, planned giving initiatives, and special events.
• Analyze fundraising return on investment, donor acquisition and retention metrics, campaign performance, and event outcomes.
• Evaluate prospective philanthropic initiatives, sponsorship opportunities, community partnerships, and funding opportunities to determine strategic value and mission alignment.
• Assess donor cultivation pipelines and identify opportunities to increase major gift giving and long-term donor engagement.
• Develop business cases and strategic recommendations for new fundraising initiatives and philanthropic investments.
• Provide regular strategic portfolio reviews to the CEO, Foundation Board Chair, and Board of Trustees.
• Identify opportunities to diversify revenue streams and expand philanthropic support.
  

Development & Donor Relations

• Research corporations, foundations, and philanthropic organizations to identify funding opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Write foundation grants and increase amounts funded year over year.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with current and prospective donors.
• Equip Trustees to participate in helping identify opportunities for introductions, preparing Trustees for donor conversations and following up with donors.
• Research, identify, cultivate, and solicit planned giving and estate giving prospects.
• Maintain an active donor pipeline and stewardship process that supports long-term donor engagement and growth.
• Ensure all donor interactions reflect the mission and values of the Foundation.

Marketing, Communications & Community Engagement

• Partner with the CEO, Foundation Board Chair, and marketing resources to develop comprehensive donor engagement and community awareness strategies.
• Develop compelling fundraising messaging and donor communications.
• Assist with the preparation of annual reports, case statements, donor impact reports, newsletters, and campaign communications.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the organization's marketing and communications function, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, growth initiatives, and brand standards.
• Direct and supervise the Marketing Coordinator responsible for day-to-day marketing operations, content development, digital communications, social media management, advertising, and promotional activities.
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the organization's marketing and communications function, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, growth initiatives, and brand standards.
• Direct and supervise the Marketing Coordinator responsible for day-to-day marketing operations, content development, digital communications, social media management, advertising, and promotional activities.

Board Relations & Governance

• Serve as a liaison between Foundation leadership, Board members, donors, and community stakeholders.
• Support Foundation Board committees by providing fundraising analyses, strategic recommendations, and performance reports.
• Assist the Foundation Board Chair and CEO in strategic planning discussions related to philanthropic growth and community impact.
• Prepare weekly and monthly development updates for leadership and Board review.
• Provide fundraising dashboards and key performance indicators to monitor progress toward organizational goals.

Event Management

• Develop and maintain an annual fundraising and event calendar aligned with Foundation strategic goals.
• Establish the strategic purpose, audience, revenue objectives and measures of success for Foundation events, overseeing execution through staff, vendors and volunteers as appropriate.
• Ensure events achieve both revenue and donor relationship objectives.
• Evaluate event performance and recommend improvements based on fundraising outcomes and community engagement metrics.

Operations & Donor Database Management

• Utilize donor management software to maintain accurate donor records, reporting capabilities, giving histories, and stewardship activities.
• Generate fundraising reports and analyses to support leadership decision-making.
• Ensure data integrity and compliance with fundraising best practices.
• Coordinate annual donor communications and acknowledgment programs.
• Stay informed of nonprofit, healthcare, compliance, legislative, and philanthropic trends that may impact funding opportunities.

First-Year Foundation-Building Priorities

• Conduct a development and donor-database assessment
• Clarify the Foundation’s case for support
• Create a multi-year development plan
• Build a qualified donor pipeline
• Establish baseline measures for donor retention, acquisition and engagement

   

Required Skills and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrated success developing and implementing strategic fundraising initiatives and comprehensive development plans.
• Proven success securing major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and community partnerships.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership and governing boards to establish fundraising priorities and growth strategies.
• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to evaluate fundraising portfolios, campaign performance, and investment opportunities.
• Ability to present strategic recommendations and performance results to Board members and executive leadership.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proven ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of ethical fundraising principles and donor stewardship practices.
• Ability to balance strategic planning with operational execution in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong business acumen, professional judgment, and leadership presence.
• Proficiency with donor management systems, CRM software, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Nonprofit Management, Business Administration, Communications, Marketing, Public Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive fundraising, philanthropy, business development, nonprofit leadership, or related experience.
• Experience working with nonprofit governing boards and executive leadership teams preferred.
• Experience in healthcare philanthropy strongly preferred.

ADA Job Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical Demands: Intermittent lifting and supporting of patients required; must intermittently lift and support up to 100 pounds or more while assisting patients. Walking, standing, lifting, reaching with hands and arms, carrying, stooping, kneeling, crawling, bending, squatting, handling, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, prolonged sitting, vision, eye-hand coordination, tasting or smelling. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance, vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.
• Communication Skills: Writing, speaking, hearing, reading, interpersonal relationships, receiving instructions, giving instructions.
• Intellectual Skills: Short and long term memory, abstract reasoning, decision making, directing others, mathematical calculations.
• Work Situations: Work Situations: Working as part of a group, working with the public, performing a variety of duties.

Disclaimer:

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, but not all-inclusive, listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required. See ADA checklist for specific related criteria.