Job Req ID: 114138
Executive Director of Principal Gifts
Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) supports Johns Hopkins’ focus on research, teaching and patient care, and its role as a national and global leader in higher education. We create and foster enduring relationships that result in advocacy and philanthropic support for Johns Hopkins University & Medicine; strengthening the institution through partnerships with donors, alumni, volunteer leaders, faculty, students, staff, and patients.
Johns Hopkins University supports a flexible work model which includes four different work modalities. This role has a hybrid work arrangement with an onsite presence of 3 to 4 days per week. The manager will confirm the team’s core onsite days where the majority/all team members will work in the office. Employees who travel on university business can count those days towards their onsite days.
The Executive Director of Principal Gifts at Johns Hopkins University plays a pivotal role in advancing the institution’s philanthropic efforts through leading the Office of Principal Gifts. The office focuses on all giving to Johns Hopkins University and Medicine at or above $5 million and is highly functioning with a strong reputation for being fast paced while combining accuracy and creativity. The team employs data and storytelling to inspire and steward principal level commitments in support of the mission of Johns Hopkins University and Medicine.
The Executive Director will work closely with leadership in Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), university leadership including at the presidential and provost level, and trustees and volunteers. As a driver of the institution’s highest-level donor strategies, they will embrace goal-oriented outcomes, be an entrepreneurial and creative thinker, and have passion about the impact of philanthropy on a research institution.
This leadership position combines strategic management responsibilities with the critical task of cultivating and stewarding principal gift prospects, particularly the discovery, cultivation, and solicitation of new and unaffiliated prospective donors. The successful candidate will collaborate with university leaders, faculty, donors, and alumni to drive transformative impact through major philanthropic contributions.
Specific Duties And ResponsibilitiesDirect Program and Team Management:

• Direct the program of, set the vision for, and build capacity within the Office of Principal Gifts.
• Execute a strategic plan for increasing the revenue generated from donors at the $5m level in order to elevate overall institutional and fundraising campaign goals.
• Responsibilities include tracking all principal level proposals, facilitating DAR engagement of the President and Provost, coordinating and prioritizing leadership travel with top donors and prospects, overseeing effective practices in the institution’s highest level donor briefings and correspondence, and aligning stewardship and reporting on individual gifts with donor preferences and intentions.
• Manage the Principal Gifts team, which includes professional and administrative staff. Perform all responsibilities of a supervisor and build a culture of high performance and belonging across the team.
• Work closely with the Senior Associate Vice President (SAVP), Philanthropic Partnerships and Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations to understand emerging institutional priorities and the interconnected relationships internally and externally to Johns Hopkins and its principal level donors and prospects.
• In partnership with SAVP and the Principal Gifts team, establish annual and campaign goals, and implementation plans to accomplish those goals.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the institution to enhance relationship-building efforts for institutional leadership.
• Drive accountability toward annual and campaign fundraising objectives with a particular emphasis on principal level proposals.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to fundraising colleagues and academic leaders alike in donor strategies and institutional navigation, maintaining confidentiality and securing accurate and timely information.

Prospect Cultivation, Engagement And Stewardship

• Develop and implement a high-level program for meaningful donor and prospect engagement through a series of on-site and regional opportunities to connect with thought leaders at Johns Hopkins University on institutional priorities coordinating where appropriate with DAR campaign events.
• Partner with institutional and DAR development leaders on presidential and leadership travel to ensure maximum impact.
• Leverage the campaign and leadership engagement opportunities to identify new principal level donors and prospects.

Leadership Of Transformational Gift Process

• Cultivate the strategic priorities of institutional leadership and translate those priorities into big ideas for transformational philanthropic gifts.
• Align and build effective process for matching active donor conversations with the highest institutional priorities and impact.
• Develop relationships with key partners among the faculty and administration who are critical to the development and implementation of big ideas supported by philanthropy.
• Lead the proposal development team in partnership with the Office of Principal Gifts Proposals Team and serve as a resource on big idea development.
• Direct the process for select transformational gift proposals.

Portfolio Management

• With DAR Leadership, create a select portfolio of institutional prospects, including the cultivation of new and unaffiliated prospective donors.
• Oversee this select portfolio of institutional prospects including prospect meetings, strategy, and relationship building.
• Create realistic goals for the portfolio, including both long term strategy and annual metrics of success.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• Ten years related professional experience, including three to five years supervising professional level staff in a fast-paced and complex environment.
• Experience and proven success in the solicitation of seven and eight figure gifts.
• Five years’ experience navigating new programs and initiatives at a complex institution.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Proven ability to lead and manage fundraising programs. Significant gift solicitation and negotiation experience at the seven- and eight-figure dollar level. Preferred experience with transformational giving ($50m ).
• Comfort working with high-net-worth individuals, business executives, and institutional and community leaders.
• Demonstrated understanding of the relevance of philanthropy and knowledge of the fundraising profession and its theories, practices, standards, and principles.
• Familiarity with large-scale fundraising campaigns.
• Commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Ability to interact, communicate, and work effectively with individuals, recognizing and respecting the many and varied identities of each person.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• Commitment to collaboration and consensus-building.

All applicants are expected to uphold the university’s core values which includes diversity and inclusion. All staff treat people with dignity and respect by being fair and consistent. We demonstrate an open-minded approach to understanding people regardless of their race, gender, age, national origin, religion, ethnicity, disability status or other characteristics. We show respect for the beliefs and traditions of others; encourage and promote practices that support cultural diversity; and discourage behaviors or practices that may be perceived as unfair, biased, or critical toward people with certain backgrounds.
Classified Title: Executive Director Principal Gifts
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Executive Director of Principal Gifts
Role/Level/Range: L/05/LI
Starting Salary Range: Minimum: $143,500 - Maximum: $251,200 (targeted salary: $200,00; commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Homewood Campus
Department name: 10001648-Principal and Leadership Gifts
Personnel area: University Administration
Total RewardsThe referenced salary range is based on Johns Hopkins University’s good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

• Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.
Equal Opportunity EmployerAll qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
EEO Is The Lawhttps://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf
Accommodation InformationIf you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.
Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.
The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.
Homewood Campus