Director of Development, Cancer Programs

Director of Development, Cancer Programs 

Are you inspired by the opportunity to connect high-capacity philanthropy with world-class cancer research and compassionate patient care?

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) - a premier leader in global health and medical innovation - is seeking an extraordinary, collaborative, and strategic Director of Development, Cancer Programs . Operating within the Office of University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) as a key frontline fundraiser on the Cancer Plus team, you will drive major and principal gift strategy ($250K - $1M+) for the Division of Hematology -Oncology within the prestigious UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In this role, you will build deep, trusted partnerships with world-renowned clinical faculty, pioneering scientists, and executive leadership to translate cutting-edge scientific discovery and grateful patient experiences into transformative philanthropic support. Serving as an expert development professional, you will independently navigate complex donor relationships, elevate strategic funding priorities - including seed funding, endowed chairs, capital initiatives, and novel research funds - and accelerate breakthroughs that directly impact patient outcomes.

Why This Role Is Unique

• High-Impact Ecosystem: Drive major gift fundraising for one of the nation's premier cancer centers, advancing game-changing oncology - hematology research and life-saving patient care.
• Grateful Patient Focus: Partner closely with elite clinicians and researchers to cultivate high-capacity grateful patient pipelines, turning clinical excellence into visionary donor partnerships.
• Direct Access to Academic Leaders: Work side-by-side with department heads, institute directors, and leading faculty as a trusted advisor, converting technical scientific visions into compelling cases for support.
• High Autonomy & Strategic Influence: Function as a lead expert within the Cancer Plus team, driving bespoke proposal strategies, complex moves management, and high-touch stewardship for high-net-worth individuals and family offices.
• Hybrid Work Flexibility & Premier Culture: Benefit from a flexible hybrid arrangement based out of UCSF's 2001 The Embarcadero location, embedded within a collaborative, growth-oriented development organization

Desired Mindset & Competencies

• Intellectual Curiosity & Scientific Acumen: An innate passion for cancer research, clinical care, and medical innovation, with the proven ability to translate complex scientific concepts into inspiring donor cases. 
• Navigating Complex Environments: Expertise navigating complex settings, developing referral pipelines, and engaging high-net-worth grateful prospects with utmost empathy and discretion. 
• Authentic Relationship Builder: Outstanding emotional intelligence, political acumen, and sophistication required to build lasting trust with world-class 

*note: Salary commensurate with internal equity based on education, scope, and experience

40%

Serves as an expert or lead development professional in a specialized area such as major / principal gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation relations, or a specific academic discipline that includes, or potentially includes, donors capable of making very significant contributions to the campus and / or medical center.

Portfolio Management 

Core Objective: Directly manage and steward a dynamic portfolio of major and principal gift prospects (with capacity of $250K - $1M+), cultivating strategic donor relationships to advance transformative institutional priorities, academic programs, research, and clinical initiatives across assigned units.

• Major & Principal Gift Solicitations: Lead face-to-face and virtual solicitations for major and principal commitments, matching donor vision with high-impact institutional priorities - including strategic seed funding, endowed faculty chairs, capital projects, student scholarships, and specialized research or program funds.
• Complex Moves Management: Design and execute multi-stage cultivation and solicitation plans for high-net-worth individuals, corporate leaders, philanthropic advisors, and institutional partners, strategically moving prospects from initial engagement to multi-year investments in core institutional goals.
• High-Touch Donor & Faculty Stewardship: Deliver customized stewardship - including private briefings with faculty experts and executive leaders, custom impact updates, facility tours, and exclusive symposia - demonstrating how donor investments accelerate institutional impact.
• Portfolio Health & Velocity: Continuously evaluate portfolio performance based on contact quality, proposal conversion, and progress toward major gift revenue targets, actively prioritizing high-capacity prospects while maintaining strong pipeline momentum.

      25%

Develops, creates, writes, implements, and / or evaluates individualized marketing plans and / or strategies for cultivation and solicitation of major gifts, gift planning or corporate / foundation prospects (strategies typically require a high degree of innovation).

Pipeline Development 

Core Objective: Systematically identify, research, and qualify prospective major and principal gift donors by building strong, collaborative partnerships with deans, department chairs, institute directors, faculty partners, and professional advisors.

• Faculty Relationship Management & Trust Building: Proactively cultivate trusted, long-term relationships with faculty, researchers, and clinical leaders. Educate faculty on development processes, build alignment around institutional funding priorities, and establish routine touchpoints to uncover donor leads and referrals.
• Academic & Institutional Leadership Alignment: Partner closely with deans, department heads, center directors, and campus leaders to articulate key funding needs and translate emerging projects into viable philanthropic opportunities.
• Proactive Prospecting & Network Expansion: Identify and cultivate high-capacity prospects across executive, entrepreneurial, grateful beneficiaries, and philanthropic networks, actively engaging family offices, wealth managers, and philanthropic advisors who represent ultra-high-net-worth individuals.
• Advisory & Volunteer Board Engagement: Collaborate with volunteer leaders, advisory boards, philanthropic advisors, and institutional advocates to leverage their personal and professional networks for warm, high-level introductions to prospective major donors.
• Intelligence & CRM Discipline: Partner with the prospect research team to analyze wealth indicators, philanthropic trends, corporate transactions, and foundation giving patterns, maintaining meticulous CRM strategy tracking for all assigned prospects.

15%

Analyzes needs and creates strategic and long-range plans for fundraising and other advancement programs and may have the authority to make commitments and precedent-setting decisions regarding program design, development, and procedures.

Prospect Strategy & Proposal Writing 

Core Objective: Develop bespoke cultivation strategies and author sophisticated, highly tailored major gift proposals that translate complex academic, clinical, and research initiatives into inspiring philanthropic opportunities.

• Faculty Priority Translation: Work directly with faculty, researchers, and academic leadership to translate technical, complex work and vision into accessible, visionary, and actionable donor proposals.
• Strategic Proposal & Case Writing: Author compelling, impact-driven major gift proposals, white papers, letters of intent, and pledge agreements that clearly articulate the transformative potential of strategic academic programs, multidisciplinary projects, and faculty or student support.
• Complex & Structured Giving: Collaborate with planned giving specialists, legal/financial advisors, philanthropic advisors, and family office representatives to structure complex gifts, including endowed chairs, capital naming opportunities, blended commitments, and deferred gifts.
• Individualized Strategy Roadmaps: Formulate multi-year engagement strategies for top-tier individual prospects and their philanthropic advisors, aligning donor passions with institutional strengths and campus-wide strategic goals.

15%

Ensures that predetermined fundraising goals are met and designs and implements highly specialized program activities to achieve these goals.

Leadership & Stakeholder Alignment 

Core Objective: Engage executive leadership, department heads, and faculty partners to elevate high-stakes major gift opportunities, manage faculty advancement capacity, and foster a collaborative advancement culture.

• Faculty Coaching, Briefing & Time Management: Prepare and coach faculty partners prior to donor interactions, providing concise briefing materials, clear messaging frameworks, and explicit roles for joint solicitations while respecting and optimizing faculty time constraints.
• Faculty Onboarding & Advancement Education: Orient new and existing faculty to advancement strategies, teaching them how to recognize potential supporters (such as grateful patients or community advocates) and seamlessly partner with development officers.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner seamlessly with central advancement, donor relations, and communications colleagues to ensure unified donor messaging and compliant gift execution.
• Cross-Unit & Multi-Disciplinary Alignment: Serve as a strategic liaison for interdisciplinary initiatives bridging multiple schools, departments, research centers, and campus-wide programs.
• Exclusive Donor & Faculty Engagements: Conceptualize and host intimate donor gatherings, salon dinners, and executive briefings featuring key faculty, institutional leaders, and philanthropic advisors to build community and advance principal gift relationships.

5%

Other Duties as Assigned

Core Objective: Maintain flexibility to support broader institutional advancement priorities, special projects, and team-wide campaigns.

• Special Campaigns & Institutional Initiatives: Support comprehensive capital campaigns, institutional milestones, or emergency funding initiatives as directed by advancement leadership.
• Departmental & Team Support: Participate in team planning, staff mentoring, and cross-departmental working groups to enhance advancement processes, templates, and collaborative workflows.

A proven track record in major gift fundraising ($100K+), donor relationship management, and successful cultivation and solicitation strategies. 

Required

Expert working knowledge of all aspects of major gift fundraising, donor cultivation, moves management principles, solicitation, and stewardship concepts. 

Required

Demonstrated ability to independently develop, execute, and adapt strategic fundraising plans that align institutional priorities with donor interests. 

Required

Expert written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including high political acumen and the ability to build authentic relationships with donors, high-net-worth individuals, clinical faculty, and leadership. 

Required

Proven ability to analyze, synthesize, and translate complex medical, clinical, and scientific research concepts into clear, compelling philanthropic cases for support. 

Required

Strong organizational, analytical, and critical thinking skills with demonstrated initiative and intellectual curiosity. 

Required

Expert level skills in exercising discretion, maintaining absolute confidentiality, and handling sensitive medical/patient and financial information. 

Required

Grateful Patient Fundraising Experience: Proven track record of developing referral pipelines and navigating complex medical enterprise environments within academic healthcare or higher education. 

Preferred

Familiarity with oncology, hematology, or related areas of medical research, along with an understanding of current trends in healthcare fundraising.

Preferred