Director of Principal & Major Gifts, New York Metro Region

For over 150 years, Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) has been propelled to strive for excellence in its four mission areas: patient care, research, community outreach, and training and education. BCH has been ranked the #1 pediatric hospital in the nation for nine years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Fixing medical health is not enough to heal a child – Boston Children’s provides everything from temporary housing and emergency funds to Clown Care visits, music, and art therapy.

Boston Children’s is the world’s largest research enterprise at a pediatric hospital, receiving more NIH awards than any other U.S. children’s hospital – and ranked 4th among all hospitals that receive NIH funding. BCH’s world-renowned researchers are developing a better understanding – and ultimately new treatments – for autism, cancer, and many other diseases.

BCH is the first line of defense for vulnerable children and families in local urban neighborhoods. Boston Children’s treats HALF of all kids hospitalized in Boston. BCH runs community-based programs that address asthma, obesity, mental health, and other challenges facing urban youth. BCH promotes global community health through medical missions, field research, and telehealth education.

It is Boston Children’s critical responsibility to train the next generation of pediatric leaders, researchers, and subspecialists. BCH trains more pediatric residents than any institution in the country. BCH is also the most competitive (2.5% acceptance rate). BCH spreads the most highly trained practitioners to communities throughout the nation and the world.

Context for Recruitment and Role Summary

Lower reimbursements, increased competition, and shrinking federal research dollars are making philanthropy more important than ever to accelerate powerful research that will make a significant difference in the lives of children and families. As Boston Children’s continues to push the boundaries of care for children and families into the future, it has become increasingly important to raise awareness about its groundbreaking innovations with philanthropists nationally and internationally. Boston Children’s Hospital Trust and colleagues in the Marketing Department recently embarked on regionally focused philanthropy programs for the key markets of New York and Florida.

With more than 250 physicians across dozens of practices, BCH cares for New York area patients in more than half a million clinical visits per year. BCH is also training pediatric specialists from New York through its residency and fellowship programs, experts who will go on to change and save lives in New York and beyond. Plus, thousands of patient-families from New York come to Boston Children’s each year for specialized care. As Boston Children’s highlights its preeminence in serving the rare and complex medical needs of New York communities, board members and other senior stakeholders are helping the Trust’s Principal & Major Gifts team to nurture new networks of philanthropic support therein.

The Director of Principal & Major Gifts, New York Metro Region (New York City; Westchester; Long Island; Fairfield County, Connecticut) works as part of the Principal & Major Gifts team to identify/expand the network of major gift prospects in New York, develop cultivation and solicitation strategies, and solicit and close gifts at the $100,000+ level. This newly created role will create momentum for Boston Children’s in New York, develop and execute complex strategies to secure gifts and assure appropriate and timely cultivation and stewardship. The Director serves as the primary departmental liaison to multiple hospital departments and divisions and provides a leadership role in their fundraising activities. The incumbent collaborates closely with volunteers, senior administration, board members, leading benefactors, chiefs of service, physicians, and researchers, and supervises staff as appropriate.

While Boston Children’s will consider a broad range of backgrounds, the ideal candidate will have the following qualifications/experience:

- Commitment to Boston Children’s Hospital’s mission across the areas of patient care, research, community outreach, and training and education.

- Culturally competent with respect to issues such as racial, cultural, religious, sexual, and gender identity and committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

- Demonstrated track record of building networks and closing major gifts outside of New England; strong fundraising experience in New York is preferable.

- Demonstrated ability to cultivate, solicit and close six and seven-figure gifts in a complex environment. Academic hospital, university, and/or graduate school fundraising experience preferred.

- Work requires the knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts typically acquired through completion of a bachelor’s degree and related experience in business administration. Requires 8-10 years of related experience.

- Work requires the ability to persuade and negotiate with peer level department heads and/or with external agencies/facilities on issues and programs that impact the assigned department as well as several other large departments/divisions.

- Experience in developing the case for support and strategic fundraising plans, and then executing plans to achieve goals and objectives. Demonstrated experience cultivating, training, and working collaboratively with senior-level colleagues, board members, and other high-level volunteer leaders on successful development-related activities.

- Strength in prospect discovery and building effective strategies to compel new major donor investment.

- The ability to extract and analyze data to make effective, efficient decisions about donor strategy and process. Competence in leveraging data to instill confidence in donors, board members, and senior colleagues.

- Significant knowledge of the players, strategies, and trends in giving within the New York Metro region’s philanthropic community; significant, demonstrated fundraising success and strong existing connections therein. The successful candidate must possess the gravitas, style, and pace that defines the region and its philanthropic circles. Ability to access these philanthropic networks with aplomb.

- A forward thinker with a track record of utilizing new methods of constituent engagement and connectivity, who will be driven by innovation in developing advancement best practices in the current and post-COVID-19 world.

Physical Requirements:

- Work requires regular travel to Boston, Massachusetts, approximately once monthly.

- Work requires regularly proofreading and checking documents for accuracy and inputting and retrieving words or data into or from and automated computer system.

Boston Children’s Hospital requires all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and Flu, (unless you are eligible for a medical or religious exemption).

Boston Children’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status or disability.

Boston Children's Hospital has retained the Diversified Search Group for this engagement. Managing Director Gerard F. Cattie, Jr. is leading the search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications (current resumes and cover letters) should be directed via email to [email protected].