Director of Development, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

About the Role

The Director of Development will direct the overall strategy and fundraising operation for the Johns Hopkins University Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (DOFF). This role involves serving as a member of the department’s senior administrative team, providing substantial input into philanthropic priorities and stewardship, including major gift cultivation, solicitation, annual giving, and constituent engagement. The department currently raises $1M-$2M annually but is poised for significant growth. The Director will build a proactive fundraising program to secure support from major donors, grateful patients, foundations, alumni, and other partners.

Working closely with Dr. Maie St. John, faculty leaders, and institutional partners, the Director will develop and execute strategies to support research, education, patient care, and strategic initiatives. The department, founded in 1914, is a global leader in clinical excellence and research innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of professional and support staff, including hiring, performance appraisals, promotions, and conflict resolution.
• Implement and evaluate fundraising strategies to meet long- and short-range goals, ensuring successful completion of solicitation and fundraising targets.
• Oversee stewardship efforts, pipeline building through data analytics, and donor engagement strategies.
• Cultivate and maintain an active portfolio of major and principal gift-level donors and prospects, with individual fundraising goals of $1M or greater.
• Develop personalized cultivation strategies to engage and build relationships with prospects, foundations, and corporations.
• Build strong relationships with faculty, administrative leaders, and university divisions to align fundraising with departmental vision.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the department’s mission, programs, and priorities to effectively communicate funding opportunities.
• Lead the recruitment and management of volunteers and advisory board members to advance philanthropic goals.
• Ensure compliance with regulations, ethical standards, and donor intent in funds distribution and utilization.
• Represent the department at public events and speaking engagements.
• Manage personnel and operating budgets, either directly or under the direction of a senior leader.
• Collaborate with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) leadership on high-priority tasks.
• Partner with the Chief Administrator and Chief Financial Officer to advance department-wide strategic priorities, including budget planning and philanthropic forecasting.
• Oversee gift processing, donor acknowledgments, and stewardship to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Collaborate with development colleagues across Johns Hopkins Medicine, particularly in the National Capital Region, to align fundraising with shared priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Seven years of professional fundraising experience, including one year of supervisory/management experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for education, per JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Master’s or JD).
• Higher education and/or academic medical center fundraising experience.
• Proven success in soliciting major gifts ($100k+), with a strong preference for seven-figure gifts.
• Supervisory experience of frontline fundraisers, including mentorship of early-career staff.
• Experience setting vision and multi-lateral goals for a team.
• Leadership in large-scale or cross-functional initiatives.
• Leadership characteristics: building effective networks, collaboration, accountability, adaptability, empathy, authenticity, and transparency.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook).
• Familiarity with CRM systems.

Pay

Starting salary range: $99,799 – $174,999 (targeted salary: $150,000; commensurate with experience). This position may be eligible for a discretionary bonus.

Schedule

Full-time, Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:00 PM.