Description

Senior Director, Transformational Giving

Main focus: Advance the Foundation's most ambitious philanthropic priorities by cultivating and securing transformational investments of $25M+ that accelerate breakthroughs in child and maternal health.

Location: Palo Alto, CA (hybrid); the successful candidate for this role will be based in the Bay Area.

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, in partnership with Stanford Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, unlocks philanthropy to transform health for children and families in Northern California – and around the world.  Through fundraising and grantmaking, the Foundation drives scientific research, innovation, and policy change that will improve care, advance cures, and reform healthcare systems for this and future generations.

 WHAT YOU’LL DO

LPFCH seeks a strategic, entrepreneurial, and highly collaborative Senior Director, Transformational Giving to lead strategy and fundraising for a portfolio of the Foundation’s highest-capacity donors and prospects. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Transformational Giving, this role will focus on securing transformational philanthropic investments of $25 million and above, while building and strengthening the long-term pipeline of principal and transformational gift opportunities across Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.

The Senior Director will serve as a senior fundraising strategist and relationship builder, partnering closely with Foundation leadership, researchers, hospital and university leaders, volunteers, and donors to develop and execute sophisticated engagement strategies that inspire visionary philanthropy. This position is both externally facing and deeply strategic, requiring exceptional donor engagement skills, institutional fluency, and the ability to align donor interests with the organization’s highest priorities.

The compensation range for this role is between $225,000-$280,000 annually.

YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR…

Transformational Giving Strategy and Fundraising

• Build, manage, and strategically advance a portfolio of high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and family foundations with the capacity to make gifts of $25 million or more.
• Develop and execute sophisticated cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies that result in transformational philanthropy and long-term donor engagement.
• Partner with physicians, faculty, researchers, and senior institutional leaders to develop and shape compelling philanthropic opportunities aligned with organizational priorities that resonate with ultra-high-net-worth donors and families.
• Participate in and lead select donor events and volunteer engagement opportunities.
• Engage President and CEO, Foundation Board members, hospital leadership, and volunteers in cultivation and stewardship activities that strengthen donor relationships and advance fundraising goals.
• Serve as a consistent revenue producer and contribute significantly toward ambitious annual and multi-year fundraising goals.

Content Development and Program Building

• Lead content expertise and program building efforts for philanthropic priorities in order to support donor interest.
• Develop compelling gift opportunities and complex proposals in partnership with faculty and senior leaders and ensure each proposal is appropriately scoped, vetted, well-crafted, and meets the priorities of both the donor and the organization.
• Shape board meeting content and strategic discussions that advance fundraising priorities and institutional goals.
• In collaboration with Gift Strategy and Operations team, create business plans and budgets for funding priorities.
• Maintain a current body of knowledge about the Foundation’s development priorities and key content areas.

Pipeline Development and Growth

• Identify, qualify, and cultivate future transformational giving prospects from grateful patient relationships, volunteer networks, and external communities.
• Develop and implement proactive strategies to deepen donor engagement and move prospects toward larger and more strategic philanthropic investments.
• Advance new referrals and introductions from board members and institutional leaders.
• Develop creative and nontraditional funding strategies, including consortium philanthropy, family office engagement, and nationally or internationally focused initiatives.
• Lead strategic alignment meetings with institutional and volunteer leadership to strengthen donor strategy and pipeline development.
• Partner closely with Prospect Development and Foundation leadership to evaluate pipeline strength, portfolio composition, and growth opportunities.

Operational Excellence

• In partnership with operations and administrative staff, maintain robust donor strategy documentation and portfolio management practices, including contact reports, proposals, stewardship plans, and forecasting.
• Contribute to strategic planning efforts related to transformational philanthropy, planning, and revenue growth.
• Monitor progress toward fundraising and activity goals and adjust strategies as needed to maximize results.
• Ensure a donor-centered approach that reflects the Foundation’s values and commitment to excellence.

Requirements

YOU MUST HAVE…

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of 12–15 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, including significant experience securing principal and transformational gifts from high-net-worth individuals and families.
• Demonstrated success closing complex gifts at the $10 million+ level, with experience leading or contributing to $25 million+ philanthropic opportunities strongly preferred.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, relationship management, and donor engagement skills.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with organizational leaders, physicians, researchers, senior executives, volunteers, and colleagues across a complex academic medical environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing donor strategies, proposals, and executive briefings.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple sophisticated fundraising strategies simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and execution.
• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to handle highly confidential information.
• Passion for the mission of improving child and maternal health through philanthropy.

 YOU’LL BE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU EXHIBIT THE FOLLOWING COMPETENCIES…

• Transformational Fundraising Leadership
  Proven success shaping and advancing complex philanthropic opportunities of $25 million and above, connecting donor vision with breakthrough initiatives in research, clinical care, and innovation.
• Strategic Relationship Management
  Exceptional skill building trusted relationships with ultra-high-net-worth donors, family foundations, volunteers, and institutional leaders, resulting in meaningful engagement and long-term philanthropic partnerships.
• Executive-Level Communication & Influence
  A talent for crafting compelling narratives, proposals, and engagement strategies that inspire visionary philanthropy and influence diverse stakeholders, including donors, board members, physicians, researchers, and senior executives.
• Academic Medicine & Philanthropic Strategy Expertise
  Sophisticated understanding of academic medicine, research, and healthcare philanthropy, with the ability to translate complex institutional priorities into compelling donor opportunities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration
  A collaborative leadership style that fosters alignment across Foundation teams, faculty, physicians, researchers, executives, and volunteers to advance shared fundraising goals and donor strategies.
• Pipeline Development & Opportunity Management
  Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, and advancing transformational giving prospects through disciplined portfolio strategy, thoughtful relationship building, and proactive opportunity development.
• Strategic Thinking & Innovation
  A forward-looking approach to philanthropy that identifies emerging opportunities, embraces creative funding models, and develops innovative strategies to deepen donor engagement and accelerate impact.
• Sound Judgment, Agility & Execution Excellence
  Sound judgment, adaptability, and a results-oriented mindset, with the capacity to navigate complexity, manage competing priorities, and execute at a high level in a fast-paced environment.

 Working at the Foundation 

WE OFFER EXCELLENT BENEFITS & PERKS, INCLUDING…

• Generous leave, including PTO, holidays, Summer Fridays, and a sabbatical (after 7 years of employment)
• Annual bonus opportunity
• Retirement plan + employer match
• Premium Medical and Dental coverage
• FSA + dependent care FSA
• Employer-paid life insurance
• Legal services plan
• Commuter Benefits, including CalTrain “Go Pass” Program
• 4-week paid maternity and paternity leave for new parents
• Stipend for home office and mobile phone

 WE’RE DYNAMIC…

The Foundation is a dynamic organization in a rapidly changing industry. Therefore, the responsibilities associated with this position will evolve and grow in accordance with LPFCH's business needs and growth plans. More specifically, the incumbent may be required to perform additional and/or different responsibilities based on the future growth plans for the Foundation.

WE STRIVE TO EMBODY OUR CULTURAL TOUCHSTONES

• Mission-first - We can never lose sight of why we exist and exercise profound commitment to advancing child and maternal health.
• Good of the whole - We share responsibility for overall results, think of what’s best for the team and organization, and act as responsible stewards of resources.
• Bold and bendy - We’re unapologetically ambitious for our mission, creative, and take risks by trying new things.   
• Sweat the big stuff - We’re clear on our priorities, calibrating effort and resources to audience and impact; the higher the return, the greater the investment.
• Make it happen - We’re focused on outcomes and prepared with ideas and solutions for every challenge.
• Community matters - We prioritize listening to and supporting each other, not just as colleagues, but as people with varied experiences and perspectives. 

 EVERYONE BELONGS HERE 

Our Foundation values the unique qualities each of us brings to our team and community. We take pride in cultivating a workplace where every voice is heard and each of us has the opportunity to achieve our fullest potential—so that together, we can make meaningful impact on the health outcomes for children and their families.  

We are guided by the following principles:

• Uphold integrity and professionalism in all our actions.
• Foster a welcoming and supportive culture.
• Embrace unique perspectives and contributions.
• Interact with compassion, openness, and an eagerness to learn.

Apply online by submitting your resume and cover letter.