Location: Chicago, Illinois
Business Unit: Rush Medical Center
Hospital: Rush University Medical Center
Department: Philanthropy
Work Type: Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)
Pay Range: $290,000 - $375,000
Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush's anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.
Summary:
Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, the Vice President, Philanthropic Giving provides enterprise-wide strategic leadership for philanthropic giving across RUSH. The Vice President will translate Rush priorities and the philanthropy growth strategy into disciplined plans that expand the donor prospect pool, strengthen gift officer performance and outcomes, and accelerate sustainable revenue growth. This leader will leverage internal data teams to use data, market insight, and portfolio analytics to identify untapped opportunities, make resource decisions, and ensure progress toward growth strategy milestones. The role requires an entrepreneurial, highly collaborative, and emotionally intelligent executive who can build programs, develop talent, remove barriers, and lead through growth and change.
Crucial to this position is maintaining an aligned and efficient partnership with the SVP & Chief Development Officer and Vice President, Strategy and Engagement, to set and execute enterprise philanthropic growth strategy, leveraging data to expand Rush's position in the philanthropic market and mobilizing campaign priorities, donor engagement, investments, and cross-functional resources to accelerate performance and long-term growth. Together, these three leaders will assess the structure, capabilities, and performance of the Philanthropy team and make strategic decisions that optimize resources, strengthen effectiveness, and generate greater philanthropic returns for Rush.
As a senior partner to Rush executives, clinical and academic leaders, trustees, and volunteer leaders, the Vice President, Philanthropic Giving converts complex priorities into coordinated action. The role combines long-range strategy with disciplined execution, using data, financial stewardship, stakeholder insight, change leadership, and cross-functional governance to advance sustainable philanthropic growth and organizational effectiveness.
Responsibilities:
• Extend the effectiveness of the SVP & Chief Development Officer through enterprise coordination, executive preparation, and disciplined follow-through.
• In partnership with the Chief Development Officer and the Vice President, Strategy & Engagement, create and execute a refreshed enterprise philanthropic giving strategy aligned with organizational strategic priorities, the existing comprehensive campaign and long-range revenue growth model.
• Translate strategy into multi-year operating plans with clear priorities, accountability, milestones, resource requirements, performance indicators, and measurable outcomes.
• Contribute to department-wide policy, staffing, budget, organizational design, and change-management decisions; allocate resources toward the opportunities with the greatest mission and revenue potential.
Fundraising Program Growth and Donor Strategy
• Partner with the SVP & Chief Development Officer on establishing a dedicated and sustained approach to transformational giving, including a forward-looking prospect pool of principal, transformational, and future mega-gift opportunities grounded in compelling institutional priorities and donor-centered investment opportunities.
• Unlock the potential of qualified, unassigned, and portfolio-ready prospects by maximizing disciplined qualification, assignment, portfolio management, moves management, and pipeline development practices.
• Expand the prospect pool by setting strategies to identify and cultivate new and underrepresented donor markets through inclusive, data-informed approaches.
• Partner with administrative leadership to refocus and scale major gifts across clinical and non-clinical priorities, inclusive of fundraising efforts focused on Rush Oak Park Hospital, Rush Copley Medical Center and all other areas of emerging opportunity.
• Expand corporate and foundation fundraising, establishing innovative corporate giving strategies that leverage the full set of resources across the system and further strengthen partnerships that advance broader system priorities.
• Maintain a selective portfolio of top prospects and donors and serve as an executive-level strategist and partner on the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of the organization's most significant relationships.
Enterprise Partnership and Influence
• Partner with executives, clinical leaders, faculty, researchers, and program leaders to shape fundable ideas, develop strong cases for investment, and build productive relationships with donors and prospects.
• Represent Philanthropy in senior leadership forums and build strong relationships across Rush to integrate philanthropy into institutional planning and execution.
Data-Driven Performance and Operational Excellence
• Use prospect, portfolio, prospect pool, conversion, and revenue data to diagnose performance, prioritize investments, guide revenue forecasting, and ensure timely course corrections.
• Provide consistent standards, training, coaching, and performance management for frontline fundraisers; ensure goals and metrics reinforce donor-centered behavior, prospect pool growth, and revenue results.
• Partner closely with the Vice President of Strategy & Engagement to align data, systems, donor relations, communications, events, campaign management, and business operations with revenue growth priorities.
People Leadership and Collegial Culture
• Lead, coach, and integrate the direct-report functions of Transformative and Trustee Giving, Prospect Management and Research, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and Major Gifts teams.
• Build and sustain an environment of cultural competency, trust, collaboration, accountability, and mutual respect that encourages innovation, cross-functional partnership, learning, and shared ownership of results.
• Model and reinforce leadership behaviors that create an inclusive, welcoming, supportive, and high-performing environment where team members feel valued, heard, developed, and connected to the mission.
Other information:
• At least 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in major, principal and transformative frontline fundraising preferably in an academic medical center, health system, university, or complex mission-driven institution.
• Experience leading complex, cross-functional transformation and change in a matrixed environment.
• Substantial knowledge of comprehensive campaigns, frontline fundraising, campaign management, prospect management, corporate and foundation relations and fundraising strategy.
• Ability to advise senior executives and engage trustees, faculty, clinicians, volunteers, and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing teams and senior leaders.
• Exceptional judgment, communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree in business, healthcare administration, public administration, higher education, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred.
Leadership Competencies and Personal Attributes
• Enterprise-minded strategist who connects mission, stakeholder needs, resources, and execution.
• Trusted, low-ego leader who builds credibility through listening, candor, judgment, and follow-through.
• Equally comfortable shaping long-range direction and managing implementation details.
• Collaborative and diplomatic, with the confidence to challenge assumptions, surface risk, and make timely recommendations.
• Skilled at leading through ambiguity, complexity, and change.
• Clear, persuasive communicator who aligns varied constituencies around common purpose.
• Deep commitment to Rush's mission, values, culture, and goal of improving health for all.
Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits learn more at our Rush benefits page (https://www.rush.edu/rush-careers/employee-benefits).
