Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Philanthropy Associate reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare (NMHC), adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Philanthropy Associate performs a critical role on Northwestern Memorial Foundation’s (NMF) fundraising team. They are responsible for working with NMF managers, directors, vice presidents and other NMF team members to administer and coordinate activities and initiatives, completing projects as assigned.

NMF raises funds to support the health system’s strategic goals to deliver exceptional care and experience, advance and extend medical science and knowledge and enhance people, culture and resources through: (1) raising planned, principal and major gifts, (2) cultivating and stewarding donors, and (3) fostering a culture of philanthropy at NMHC.

The Philanthropy Associate, Individual Giving position is part of an internal program to help early career gift officers hone their skills as major gifts officers. Qualified candidates will be a part of the Individual Giving team’s mid-level fundraising program with a dotted-line to a service-line anchored major gifts officer. Successful fundraisers may have the opportunity to progress over-time onto the major gifts team, contingent on performance, readiness, and organizational need. This position’s portfolio will have a primary focus on transplant services and support other system-wide initiatives as needed.

Philanthropy Associate, Individual Giving, NMF Responsibilities:

• Grow a major gifts portfolio through moves management: identification, qualification, strategy development, cultivation, solicitation, closing and stewardship of mid-level and major gifts with the aim of $50,000 and greater (including outright gifts, multi-year pledges and planned gifts) from current and prospective benefactors with the goal of connecting the donor pipeline between mid-level and major giving.
• Build a portfolio that leads to a size of 75 to 100 qualified major gift prospects, comprised of current, lapsed and prospective donors.
  • Manage all prospects in portfolio to bring them closer to the organization and to encourage continued and increased giving.
  • Develop tailored prospect and donor-specific strategies and tactics to advance the philanthropic relationship and giving potential.

• Partner with leadership to build relationships with physicians and other internal stakeholders with the expectation that over time the Philanthropy Associate builds/maintains physician relationships to identify areas of funding need that are aligned with the interests of donors and institutional priorities.
• Become a content expert in the transplant service line and correlated areas of care to support other gift officers in cultivating donor relationships as they connect to staffed physicians.
• Work with Donor Relations & Communications team to create proposals for the solicitation of contributions as needed.
• Arrange the development and implementation of stewardship plans.
• Track and manage information and strategies pertaining to prospects, including timely and accurate documentation of conversations and contacts with donors, prospects, physicians and staff in the organization’s donor database.
• Support the Foundation’s pipeline in partnership with the Annual Giving and Mid-Level Giving programs through weekly new donor and renewed donor stewardship outreach and solicitation calls as they align with annual giving appeals.
• Engage in regular coaching, portfolio reviews, and performance feedback to support development toward major gifts readiness.
• Exhibit a passion for healthcare and the role philanthropy can play in advancing Northwestern Medicine’s mission.
• Work within a metrics-based environment to assess successful goal achievement.
• Exemplify Northwestern Medicine values of patients first, integrity, excellence and teamwork.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal skills, the ability to positively interact with a wide array of individuals and be comfortable developing personal relationships with donors.
• Comfortable working with data and developing analysis to support portfolio development.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of major gift giving best practices
• Prior healthcare or higher education fundraising experience
• Public speaking and presentation skills

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of three years of experience in a fundraising, community outreach, healthcare or development position, preferably in a non-profit organization.
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to organize and think independently with orientation to deadline and detail.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills, demonstrated analysis and problem solving skills, excellent oral and communication skills, demonstrated ability to effectively establish and maintain working relationships with peers and constituents at all levels of the organization.
• A high degree of professionalism, sensitivity and integrity.
• The pace and diversity of this position requires an individual with strong intellectual curiosity, initiative, and highly effective listening and communication skills.
• A proven ability to meet deadlines, communicate effectively, track details and demonstrate a high level of flexibility in a team environment.
• Must be comfortable handling multiple projects, accurately setting priorities on a regular basis, thinking creatively and working as a collaborative team member.

Preferred:

• Healthcare industry experience. 
• SalesForce experience

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.  Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. 

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.