Senior Director, Philanthropy Communications & Donor Relations

City of Hope

$120K — $150K *
US-AnywhereRemote in United States
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; relevant experience may substitute education.
  • 5+ years in philanthropy, donor relations, or nonprofit communications.
  • Preferred experience in complex healthcare, academic, or large nonprofit settings.
  • Strong portfolio of writing, editing, and storytelling.
  • Proven project management skills with multiple priorities and deadlines.
  • Prior supervisory experience is a plus.
  • Exceptional communication skills for engaging senior stakeholders.
  • Ability to simplify complex medical or technical concepts for donors.

Responsibilities

  • Develop impactful proposals for major and transformative gifts.
  • Craft donor-focused communications including reports and letters.
  • Interview key stakeholders to gather content for storytelling.
  • Partner with fundraising teams to enhance engagement strategies.
  • Lead messaging development for philanthropy initiatives.
  • Collaborate to ensure consistent messaging across teams.
  • Create tools and templates to facilitate philanthropic discussions.
  • Manage donor-facing projects, ensuring timelines and quality standards.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package available.
  • Opportunities for professional development.
  • Supportive work culture focused on philanthropy and impact.
Full Job Description
City of Hope's Office of Philanthropy plays a critical role in advancing groundbreaking research, compassionate patient care, and biomedical education through philanthropic support. Reporting to the Senior Executive Director, Donor Experience, the Senior Director, Philanthropy Communications & Donor Relations serves as a strategic communications leader responsible for creating compelling, donor-centered content that inspires transformational giving. This role partners closely with philanthropy leaders, physicians, scientists, and executive stakeholders to develop high-impact proposals, cases for support, stewardship materials, and strategic communications initiatives that help fuel City of Hope's mission and future growth.

As a successful candidate, you will:
  • Develop compelling proposals, cases for support, and solicitation materials that support major, principal, and transformative gift opportunities.
  • Create donor-focused communications including impact reports, presentations, stewardship materials, letters, and cultivation collateral.
  • Conduct interviews with physicians, scientists, researchers, philanthropy leaders, donors, and other stakeholders to gather content and shape meaningful storytelling.
  • Serve as a strategic communications partner to fundraising teams by developing effective donor engagement and communication strategies.
  • Lead the development of key messaging, white papers, and communications supporting major philanthropy initiatives and priorities.
  • Collaborate across philanthropy, marketing, digital communications, donor experience, and enterprise leadership teams to ensure message consistency and effectiveness.
  • Develop fundraising toolkits, templates, and communication resources that help advance philanthropic conversations and secure significant gifts.
  • Oversee and manage multiple donor-facing projects, ensuring timelines, stakeholder engagement, review cycles, and deliverables remain on track.
  • Edit and refine content developed by colleagues, freelance writers, and other contributors to ensure excellence in quality, tone, and messaging.
  • Partner with internal and external creative teams on video, digital communications, branding, and special communications initiatives.


Your qualifications should include:
  • Bachelor's degree required; relevant experience may be considered in lieu of educational requirements.
  • 5+ years of experience in philanthropy communications, donor relations, institutional communications, nonprofit communications, or related fields.
  • Experience working within complex healthcare, academic medicine, higher education, or large nonprofit organizations strongly preferred.
  • Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling abilities.
  • Proven project management experience with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
  • Prior supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.
  • Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage senior leaders, physicians, faculty, and volunteers.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate complex medical, scientific, or technical concepts into compelling donor-friendly communications.
  • Strong strategic thinking, political acumen, judgment, and collaboration skills.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; familiarity with PowerPoint and Adobe Creative Suite is preferred.


City of Hope employees' pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.

To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE

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