Overview

The Director of Philanthropy plays a central role in advancing Village Health Works’ fundraising strategy by cultivating, stewarding, and expanding relationships with individual donors and philanthropic partners.

This role focuses on individual donor cultivation, fundraising campaigns, donor engagement, and volunteer activation, helping to grow Village Health Works’ global community of supporters. The Director of Philanthropy will develop strategies to expand the small and mid-level donor pipeline while cultivating relationships with major donors contributing $5,000–$100,000 annually and beyond.

Working closely with the Chief Strategy and Development Officer and Director of Partnerships, the Director of Philanthropy will help translate Village Health Works’ mission and impact into meaningful philanthropic partnerships. This role will also collaborate with the Director of Partnerships, Partnership Leads, and the Communications team to ensure donor communications are compelling, timely, and aligned with organizational priorities.

This position is ideal for a relationship-driven development professional who enjoys connecting people to mission-driven work and building long-term partnerships that support transformational change.

This is a hybrid position based in New York City with flexibility for remote work. The role requires travel to meet donors, attend events, and cultivate philanthropic relationships in key donor communities across North America and Europe. Periodic travel to Burundi may also occur.

Key Responsibilities

Individual Donor Cultivation and Stewardship

• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors and prospects.
• Build and steward relationships with donors through personalized engagement, including meetings, coffees, and donor briefings.
• Develop individualized cultivation and stewardship strategies for prospective and existing donors.
• Travel to meet donors where appropriate to strengthen relationships and expand VHW’s donor community.
• Track donor engagement and giving patterns to inform strategy and forecasting.
• Ensure donors receive thoughtful stewardship and regular updates on the impact of their support.

Campaigns and Fundraising Growth

• Lead and support fundraising campaigns aligned with Village Health Works’ strategic priorities.
• Expand the small and mid-level donor pipeline through targeted outreach and engagement.
• Work with leadership to translate programmatic priorities into compelling fundraising initiatives.
• Develop time-bound fundraising strategies with clear benchmarks and annual goals.
• Identify opportunities for peer-to-peer fundraising and donor referrals.

Events and Donor Engagement

• Plan and organize donor events, cultivation gatherings, and engagement opportunities.
• Coordinate donor briefings, presentations, and visits with organizational leadership.
• Support events that deepen donor understanding of VHW’s mission and programs.
• Develop opportunities for donors to connect with VHW’s work and community impact.

Volunteer and Network Engagement

• Coordinate volunteers supporting fundraising and donor engagement activities.
• Activate supporter networks and peer-to-peer outreach.
• Oversee skilled volunteer contributions and potential secondments that support development efforts.
• Support engagement of donors and volunteers who can help expand VHW’s philanthropic community.

Collaboration and Communications

• Work closely with Partnership Leads to ensure donor communications reflect current programmatic priorities and impact.
• Collaborate with the Communications team to develop compelling donor content including updates, reports, and personalized outreach.
• Collaborate with the team to ensure timely acknowledgement and recognition of gifts.
• Gather programmatic insights and data to support narrative and impact reporting for donors.

Strategic Fundraising Input

• Contribute to the development of VHW’s overall fundraising strategy.
• Provide input on revenue targets, donor pipeline development, and engagement strategies.
• Stay informed on philanthropic trends and best practices related to major donor engagement and global health fundraising.
• Work with leadership to explore opportunities for multi-year gifts, legacy giving, and expanded donor engagement.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or development, preferably within an international development, global health, or higher education context.
• Proven experience cultivating and stewarding individual donors contributing $5,000–$100,000+ annually.
• Excellent relationship-building and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong writing skills and ability to translate complex programmatic information into compelling donor communications.
• Experience organizing donor events or engagement opportunities.
• Proficiency with donor CRMs such as Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or Bloomerang (VHW’s platform)
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Willingness to travel 50% for frequent donor meetings and events.

 Key Competencies

• Relationship-driven with a donor-first mindset.
• Strategic thinker with strong attention to detail.
• Culturally sensitive and adaptable across international contexts.
• High level of integrity and discretion when handling confidential donor information.
• Results-oriented with a commitment to achieving fundraising goals.

Benefits include paid time off, 401(k) plan, medical, dental, vision and life insurance.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit a CV and cover letter outlining:

●       Why this position is of interest

●       How your experience matches the qualifications stated

●       What differentiates you from other candidates

Submissions should be sent to: jobs_a@villagehealthworks.org and crussell@villagehealthworks.org.

Please include the title of the role in the subject line of your email.