Details Department: Philanthropy ServicesSchedule:  Full Time, DaysLocation: Remote with approximately 50% travel required
Benefits

Paid time off (PTO)
Various health insurance options & wellness plans
Retirement benefits including employer match plans
Long-term & short-term disability
Employee assistance programs (EAP)
Parental leave & adoption assistance
Tuition reimbursement
Ways to give back to your community

 

Benefit options and eligibility vary by position. Compensation varies based on factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, performance and salary range at the time of the offer.

Responsibilities

Summary: The Director of Development Operations, reporting to the Associate Vice President Strategic Operations and Grant Strategy, leads the operational strategy and infrastructure supporting fundraising development operations for Ascension Philanthropy Services. This role ensures effective management of donor, grantee, and events data while overseeing CRM optimization, reporting, prospect research, moves management, grateful patient and systems performance to support and equip frontline fundraisers. The Director evaluates technology solutions and resource requirements, oversees vendor relationships, and drives continuous process improvement to enhance operational efficiency. Additionally, the Director directs the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and strategies for fundraising activities, ensuring alignment with organizational goals. By providing fundraisers with actionable insights and strategic tools, this role maximizes fundraising outcomes and ensures the accurate, consistent, and strategic use of data. Ultimately, the Director plays a critical role in building a strong foundation that supports sustainable growth and expands the impact of the Ascension Foundation, Dispensary of Hope, Community Health Ministries and Ascension Living.

Core Responsibilities:

In close collaboration with the Associate Vice President Strategic Operations and Grant Strategy, leads the design and execution of a comprehensive development operations strategy that builds the infrastructure, systems, processes, and procedures needed to drive operational efficiency and support scalable, high-impact fundraising initiatives for Ascension Philanthropy Services organizations (Ascension Foundation, Ascension Living, Community Health Ministries, and Dispensary of Hope).Ensure that all gifts are properly accounted for and acknowledged by leading the Ascension Philanthropy Services development operations team to promptly invoice, receive, accept, record, scan, and acknowledge donations across multiple Ascension programs: Ascension Foundation, Ascension Living, Community Health Ministries, and Dispensary of Hope.Collaborates across multiple Ascension programs: Ascension Foundation, Ascension Living, Community Health Ministries, and Dispensary of Hope to develop fundraising goals, including operational plans for major fundraising initiatives.Lead the creation and implementation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for Ascension fundraising and Ascension Philanthropy Services. Establish standardized, efficient, and scalable operational practices that align with organizational goals and promote consistency and excellence across all fundraising activities.Advise senior leadership of current resources, trends, obstacles, in grantee and donor data management and operations, cultivating and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders.Direct and mentor key development operations staff, including the Prospect Researcher and Sr. Manager Data Operations, by coordinating strategic projects, managing timelines, setting clear expectations, and delivering targeted training. Ensure optimal team performance in data integrity, prospect development, and CRM utilization to support the full fundraising lifecycle.Design and implement a structured discovery pipeline to proactively identify and qualify new major donor prospects. Conduct initial research and collaborate with Ascension Philanthropy Services development leadership on cultivating principal-level donor relationships, ensuring a robust and continuously replenished prospect portfolio.Oversee all aspects of CRM usage and data management to ensure timely and accurate data entry, gift recording, moves management, activity tracking, and dashboard creation. Develop and enforce systems for regular data audits to maintain integrity and maximize the strategic value of information for fundraising.Equip Philanthropy Officers with actionable strategies, technology solutions, and automation tools that enhance moves management, streamline workflows, and expand outreach capacity—enabling greater engagement and fundraising effectiveness.Develop and maintain performance tracking reports and dashboards for both organizational and individual fundraiser metrics. Provide timely, insightful analytics to leadership and key stakeholders, including Foundation boards, to support strategic decision-making and demonstrate fundraising impact over time.Manage the Prospect Research and Moves Management functions by guiding the discovery process, conducting preliminary research, and supporting strategic cultivation efforts. Partner across the organization to coordinate on high-level donor strategy, ensuring alignment and collaboration on shared fundraising goals.Ensure smooth daily operations of the Ascension Foundation and Ascension Philanthropy Services by maintaining high-functioning support systems, proactively resolving issues, and implementing process improvements that enhance team efficiency and organizational readiness.Performs other duties as assigned to support the Foundation’s mission and strategic objectives.
Requirements

Education:

High School diploma equivalency with 5 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required with 2 of those years being in leadership/management OR Associate's degree/Bachelor's degree with 3 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required with 2 of those years being in leadership/management.
Additional Preferences

Key Attributes: Ability to design and execute comprehensive operational plans that align with organizational fundraising goals and growth objectives, strong focus on process development, systems optimization and continuous improvement, expertise in managing fundraising CRM systems, data accuracy, reporting and analytics, proven supervisory skills, excellent interpersonal skills and communication, strong organizational skills, detail oriented, ability to coordinate multiple initiatives and to anticipate operational challenges and needs. Comfort with technology evaluation, technology implementation, and flexibility to changing priorities and evolving organizational needs in a dynamic fundraising environment. Demonstrated experience and progressive responsibility in operations capacities, with a strong grasp of and commitment to best practices in all areas of non-profit operations, including working knowledge of donor data management, financial management and reconciliation, and donor communications and stewardship.

 

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Why Join Our Team

Ascension associates are key to our commitment of transforming healthcare and providing care to all, especially those most in need. Join us and help us drive impact through reimagining how we can deliver a people-centered healthcare experience and creating the solutions to do it. Explore career opportunities across our ministry locations and within our corporate headquarters.

 

Ascension is a leading non-profit, faith-based national health system made up of over 134,000 associates and 2,600 sites of care, including more than 140 hospitals and 40 senior living communities in 19 states.

 

Our Mission, Vision and Values encompass everything we do at Ascension. Every associate is empowered to give back, volunteer and make a positive impact in their community. Ascension careers are more than jobs; they are opportunities to enhance your life and the lives of the people around you.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

 

For further information, view the  EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.

 

As a military friendly organization, Ascension promotes career flexibility and offers many benefits to help support the well-being of our military families, spouses, veterans and reservists. Our associates are empowered to apply their military experience and unique perspective to their civilian career with Ascension.

 

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