System Director, Enterprise Stewardship & Philanthropic Engagement

Job Profile Summary

This role focuses on raising critical philanthropic funds for Tufts Medicine from individuals, corporations, and foundations. This includes critical functions such as development operations (reporting, gift and fund management, database administration, prospect development), corporate & foundation engagement, development communications, engagement with clinicians, patients, and individual donors, case development, and activities that support these functions. In addition, this role focuses on performing one or more of the following Development Leadership duties: Identifies donors and motivates donors to make gifts to the organization. Cultivates relationships with donors, maintains donor database, develops donor communication, participates in special events, and acknowledges gifts. May be responsible for developing and managing planned giving programs. A management role that supervises employees focusing on tactical, operational activities within a specified area, with the majority of time spent overseeing area of responsibility, planning, prioritizing and/or directing the responsibilities of employees. Goal achievement is typically accomplished through performance of direct and/or indirect reports. A role that directs a department or small unit that includes multiple teams led by managers and/or team Leaders. Responsibilities typically include: ownership of short to mid-term (1-3 years) execution of functional strategy and the operational direction of the Department, problems faced are often complex and require extensive investigation and analysis, and requires ability to influence others to accept practices and approaches, and ability to communicate and influence executive leadership.

Job Overview

This position provides strategic leadership for institution-wide stewardship and donor experience initiatives, with a primary focus on principal gift fulfillment for complex, service line–specific philanthropic campaigns. This position ensures transformational gifts are stewarded with clarity, accountability, and measurable impact aligned to donor intent and enterprise priorities.

In addition, this position oversees the Annual Fund, Community Fundraising, and Special Occasion Giving programs, ensuring a cohesive, data-informed donor journey from entry-level giving through principal gift engagement. This position collaborates closely with frontline development officers, clinical and academic leaders, marketing and communications, and advancement operations to deliver best-in-class stewardship and sustained philanthropic growth.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, business administration, or a related field.

2. Eight (8) years of progressive experience in development, donor relations, stewardship, and community fundraising. Experience should include the following:                    

- Supporting principal and seven-figure gifts, including fulfillment, reporting, and donor engagement.

- Proven success leading enterprise-wide stewardship or donor engagement programs.

- Working with CRM systems and data-driven fundraising strategies.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree in nonprofit management, public administration, business administration, or a related field.

2. Ten (10) years of progressive experience in development, donor relations, stewardship, and community fundraising.

3. Experience in academic medicine, healthcare, higher education, or complex nonprofit organizations.

Duties and Responsibilities: The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list.  Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

1. Leads enterprise-wide strategy for principal gift stewardship and fulfillment, ensuring complex and multi-year gifts are executed in alignment with donor intent and campaign commitments.

2. Develops and oversees service line–specific stewardship frameworks for high-impact philanthropic priorities.

3. Partners with clinical, academic, and operational leaders to translate philanthropic investments into clear outcomes, milestones, and donor-facing impact reporting.

4. Establishes and tracks measurable benchmarks for principal gift fulfillment, including timelines, reporting cadence, engagement touchpoints, and impact deliverables.

5. Serves as a strategic advisor to gift officers on stewardship strategy for top-tier donors and prospects.

6. Designs and implements a comprehensive enterprise stewardship strategy integrating donor recognition, reporting, engagement, and communications across all giving l