Vice President, Principal Gifts

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute seeks an extraordinary leader to serve as Vice President, Principal Gifts (VP). This newly created role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of philanthropy at one of the world’s foremost cancer research and care organizations. Charged with driving investment at the $1 million to $10 million+ level, the VP will inspire giving that fuels innovation and accelerates progress in cancer treatment, research, and prevention. As the leader of a highly skilled and passionate team, the VP will design and execute a visionary principal gifts strategy aligned with Dana-Farber’s mission and strategic priorities. This includes advancing pioneering initiatives such as the creation of a fully integrated oncology campus. At a pivotal moment for the Institute, the VP will play a critical role in transforming lives through philanthropy and shaping the future of cancer care for generations.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Division of Philanthropy at Dana-Farber consistently raises over $400 million annually in service to patients and families, driven by the passion of 300+ dedicated staff and thousands of generous donors. In September 2024, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the Institute’s history, The Dana-Farber Campaign, was completed and raised a record breaking $2.5 billion. This multi-billion-dollar campaign was one of the largest ever in the U.S. focused solely on cancer, and it accelerated the Institute’s strategic priorities by supporting revolutionary science, extraordinary care, exceptional expertise, and essential opportunities.

Building on this unprecedented success, Dana-Farber is advancing an ambitious growth agenda that will elevate philanthropy’s role in achieving the Institute’s vision of a world without cancer. The Vice President, Principal Gifts will bring bold leadership, innovative strategies, and a spirit of collaboration to amplify principal giving efforts, raise awareness for blended gifts and pan-Institute initiatives, and inspire donors to engage more deeply in the mission.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Philanthropy Officer, Jeff Jablow, and collaborating closely with Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Melany Duval, the new VP leads the team responsible for the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of prospective donors with a giving capacity of $1M to $10M. They will oversee a team of eight/nine, including seven experienced gift officers, within a hybrid work environment.

The VP partners with Prospect Research and a new Faculty Engagement function to set priorities and determine portfolios, articulate Institute objectives to gift audiences, and establish individual and team goals based on actions and behaviors (KPIs) needed to reach ambitious revenue targets established based on Institute priorities. They will lead and manage their budget and strategically organize and plan their team’s work aligned with Division goals. The VP participates as a member of the Division of Philanthropy leadership team and is responsible for advancing Division-wide goals and initiatives through collaborative problem solving and decision making.

The ideal candidate embodies a growth mindset, leveraging a keen ability to assess and enhance existing philanthropic programs while identifying opportunities for meaningful innovation and collaboration. Motivated by mission and energized by the opportunity to achieve ambitious goals, the VP will bring a proven track record of fostering a culture that values creativity, inclusivity, and high performance, and will lead with purpose in embedding this culture into a hybrid work environment. With integrity, sound judgment, and an unwavering commitment to Dana-Farber’s mission, they will play a critical role in advancing the Institute’s vision of a world without cancer, ensuring philanthropy continues to drive transformational progress.

This position is considered remote and will be expected onsite each week at 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA for leadership team meetings and to engage with staff. Employees must reside in New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont. Travel and evening and weekend work may be required. This role will have appropriate opportunities to engage with patients.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage a team of 3 Senior Directors, 4 Directors, and 1-2 Assistants.
• Lead, mentor, and coach team of 7 senior gift officers to manage and oversee the implementation, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities for up to Principal Gifts prospects.
• Set quarterly and annual goals for fundraising and donor activities, and monitor team progress against goals.
• Develop and recommend new strategies to enhance Principal Gifts fundraising and for gift solicitations.
• Cultivate, solicit, and otherwise manage a portfolio of prospects.
• Develop creative strategies to raise significant funds for Institute priorities including the Presidential and Strategic Plan initiatives, disease centers, capital projects, and unrestricted funds.

QUALIFICATIONS & CHARACTERISTICS

• Bachelor’s degree preferred with minimum of 15 years of major gifts fundraising or relevant experience and strong managerial experience.
• Successful track record of major gift solicitations in $1,000,000+ donor category.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational and managerial capabilities, ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks also required.
• Effective public speaking and the ability to communicate and work with people at all levels.
• Must exercise significant judgment and confidentiality in working with prospects, volunteers, and Institute faculty and staff. Skilled as an outstanding coach, mentor, and motivator of professionals with a dedication to hiring, retaining, and developing diverse teams.

ABOUT DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE

In 1947, Sidney Farber, MD, founded the Children's Cancer Research Foundation, dedicated to providing compassionate, state-of-the-art treatment to children with cancer while developing the cancer preventatives, treatments, and cures of the future.

The foundation officially expanded its programs to include patients of all ages in 1969, and in 1974 became known as the Sidney Farber Cancer Center in honor of its founder. The long-term support of the Charles A. Dana Foundation was acknowledged by incorporating the Institute under its present name in 1983.

Today, the Institute employs more than 5,000 staff, faculty, and clinicians supporting more than 640,000 annual outpatient visits, more than 1,000 hospital discharges per year, and has over 1,100 open clinical trials.

Dana-Farber is internationally renowned for its equal commitment to cutting edge research and provision of excellent patient care. The deep expertise in these two areas uniquely positions Dana-Farber to develop, test, and gain FDA approval for new cancer therapies in its laboratories and clinical settings. Dana-Farber researchers have contributed to the development of 35 of 75 cancer drugs recently approved by the FDA for use in cancer patients.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, a federally designated Center for AIDS Research, and a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, a federally designated comprehensive cancer center. Dana-Farber also maintains affiliations with several schools of nursing in the Boston area.

Providing advanced training in cancer treatment and research for an international faculty, the Institute conducts community-based programs in cancer prevention, detection, and control throughout New England, and maintains joint programs with other Boston institutions affiliated with Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham, including Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dana-Farber is supported by the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the generous support of numerous foundations and individuals who contribute to the Institute's individual research and clinic programs or to the Jimmy Fund, the principal charity of the Institute, named for one of its child patients.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

To express interest in the position, visit https://www.pearlstreetcollective.com/positions/dfci-vppg