Main focus: Lead and grow LPFCH’s major gifts vertical and inspire $100,000–$5M philanthropic investments by building meaningful relationships with visionary donors and partnering with leading voices across pediatric health, research, and philanthropy to advance lasting impact for children and families.
Location: Palo Alto, CA (hybrid); the successful candidate for this role will live in the Bay Area.
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, in partnership with Stanford Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, unlocks philanthropy to transform health for children and families in Northern California - and around the world. Through fundraising and grantmaking, the Foundation drives scientific research, innovation, and policy change that will improve care, advance cures, and reform healthcare systems for this and future generations.
WHAT YOU'LL DO...
LPFCH seeks an experienced and collaborative Associate Vice President, Major Gifts to lead the Major Gifts vertical and fundraising efforts for donors capable of making gifts between $100,000 and $5 million, while building and strengthening the future pipeline for major gift philanthropy. Reporting to the Vice President, Major Gifts, this role combines frontline fundraising leadership with team management responsibilities and will play a critical role in advancing the Foundation’s major gifts program.
The Associate Vice President will manage a portfolio of high-capacity donors and prospects, oversee complex donor engagement strategies, and provide leadership for a team that includes gift officers, a program manager and administrative support team members. The successful candidate will bring strong fundraising acumen, strategic leadership skills, and a collaborative approach to building meaningful donor partnerships that advance institutional priorities.
The compensation range for this role is $250,000-$270,000 annually.
YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR...
Major Gifts Revenue Leadership
- Build, manage, and strategically advance a personal portfolio of donors and prospects with the capacity to make gifts between $100,000 and $5 million.
- Develop and execute sophisticated cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that result in lifelong donor relationships.
- Grow the overall revenue efforts of the Major Gifts program year over year to meet or beat industry standards.
- Lead and coordinate donor strategies that maximize philanthropy to institutional priorities.
- Engage President and CEO, Foundation Board members, hospital leadership, and volunteers in cultivation and stewardship activities as appropriate for select donors.
- Initiate and lead events for grateful patient populations as well as other donors to generate pipeline for major gifts.
- Serve as a leader for the major gifts vertical and contribute meaningfully toward annual and long-term fundraising goals.
Team Leadership and Management
- Mentor and coach a team that includes gift officers, a program manager and administrative support team members.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, strategic thinking, and donor-centered fundraising.
- Provide guidance to team members related to donor strategy, portfolio management, proposal development, and stakeholder engagement.
- Help establish and refine operating standards, business planning processes, and systems that support effective fundraising execution and donor management.
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, professional development, and retention of team members.
Content Expertise & Program Building
- Maintain a current body of knowledge about the Foundation’s development priorities and key initiatives in order to support donor interest.
- Collaborate with Gift Strategy and Operations team as needed to secure approval for gift opportunities and budgets related to funding priorities.
Pipeline Building
- Develop and lead a strategy to identify and cultivate emerging major gift prospects, by leveraging grateful patient data, volunteer networks, and broader communities.
- Develop long-term engagement strategies designed to move donors toward increasingly significant and strategic philanthropy.
- Evaluate and strengthen portfolio composition and prospect strategy across the vertical to maximize long-term revenue growth.
Operational Excellence
- Lead strategic planning efforts related to major gifts revenue forecasting and growth.
- Maintain strong portfolio management practices, including contact reports, proposals, and stewardship planning.
- Monitor progress toward fundraising and activity goals and implement adjustments to maximize effectiveness.
- Ensure fundraising activities reflect the Foundation’s values, standards of excellence, and commitment to donor partnership.
