Chief Development Officer

Your final base salary will be determined based on your education, experience, licensure, and internal equity considerations. Offers are typically made below the top of the range to support future salary growth.

JOB SUMMARY:

Merrimack Health is the regional health care provider of the Eastern Merrimack Valley, serving communities across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Our integrated system includes hospitals in Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen, as well as a network of community-based physician practices. We are a recognized leader in heart and stroke care, maternal and child health, orthopedics, surgical services, trauma and emergency care, and outpatient programs. Committed to delivering trusted, compassionate care close to home, Merrimack Health is advancing a unified and patient-centered approach to health care for the region.

The Chief Development Officer is a high-level fundraising position within the organization. Reporting to the President/CEO and is accountable for all fundraising efforts and philanthropic campaigns aimed at achieving goals for the entire organization and its programs. The Chief Development Officer partners with the Senior Leadership, Board of Directors, hospital staff, medical staff, and colleagues to build development capabilities and achieve specific fundraising goals.

The Chief Development Officer is an ambassador of the organization. The Chief Development Officer follows and enforces office-wide and hospital policies and works collaboratively with his or her peers to solve problems and challenges which may extend outside his or her defined area of responsibility. The Chief Development Officer manages multiple direct reports and is responsible for an assigned budget. The ideal candidate will be a collegial team player with a proven ability to motivate, engage, and work collaboratively at all levels with prospects, donors, volunteers, leadership, and senior members of medical staff, or similar constituencies.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide significant oversight and management of the fundraising activities for its programs. Implement development infrastructure to support significant philanthropic contributions. Oversee the fundraising progress toward organizational goals and work toward the successful attainment of those goals according to an approved development plan.
• Work with multiple high-level stakeholders to develop cross disciplinary, big ideas and close transformational gifts for the hospitals and related programs. Collaborate with colleagues across teams to achieve program and fundraising goals.
• Work with prospects to develop and enhance their relationship to and connection with the hospitals, ultimately leveraging that relationship to maximize philanthropic giving.
• Set and implement complex strategic activities/collateral for a fundraising program and assess their effectiveness. Create and maintain a menu of giving opportunities for research and write case statements and proposals as necessary.
• Create, maintain and strengthen relationships with the Hospitals leadership, volunteer leaders, chiefs/physicians, researchers and administrative directors.
• Serve as the primary Development Office liaison to the Executive Committee of the Board and maintain effective and collaborative working relationship with Board of Directors.
• Set management and recruitment strategy for volunteer groups, councils, and committees for the hospitals and manage their philanthropic activities.
• Provide strategy and oversight of Development events for the hospitals in collaboration with Marketing Special Events.
• Provide active management and leadership to direct reports.
• Participate in the program’s budget preparations, and work within the approved budget.
• Advise on matters of policy and ensure compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

GENERAL COMPETENCIES:

ENVIRONMENT OF CARE (SAFETY)

• All new employees are required to attend New Employee Orientation, to include the safety topic, and must complete the annual Safety Training.
• Uses all equipment in a safe manner.
• Identifies and reports all safety hazards throughout the Hospital.
• Reports injuries and accidents and/or errors to patients and visitors in a timely manner.
• Completes and forwards an Incident Report when indicated using the Hospital’s reporting system.
• Responds to fires and/or fire drills using the appropriate procedure.
• Follows the Tobacco Free Environment Policy.
• Manages waste and hazardous materials in the proper manner.
• Uses the Safety Data Sheets when needed.
• Performs appropriately in actual or simulated Internal Emergency Preparedness episodes.
• Performs appropriately in actual or simulated External Emergency Preparedness episodes.
• Uses proper body mechanics and lifting techniques.

QUALITY/PATIENT SAFETY/PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT

• Strives to exceed Quality and Safety benchmarks quarterly and annually, as established from the Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
• Abides by service, quality, safety and productivity standards.
• Supports the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Safety Culture Survey and the Implementation of Improvements, as indicated in the AOP. Develops action plans as required.
• Identifies problems/issues/risks and formulates effective solutions to mitigate them. Uses Hospital notification system for reporting such problems/issues/risks.
• Participates in Performance Improvement activities such as Root Cause Analysis or Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (HFMEA) when appropriate and required.
• Implements solutions borne out of a Root Cause Analysis or HFMEA when appropriate.
• Leverages the Lean methodology to document and continually improve processes when applicable.

SECURITY

• Assumes responsibility for a clean and safe work environment.
• Wears one’s Identification Badge at all times while at work.
• Adheres to policies relating to computer security.

PATIENTS RIGHTS, CONFIDENTIALITY & ETHICS

• Maintains patients’ rights, privacy and confidentiality in all aspects of the job, including those relating to diagnosis and patient records.
• Promotes and employs ethical actions at all times with patient’s families and others.
• Adheres to the policies and procedures of the Corporate Compliance Program.

SERVICE EXCELLENCE

• Performs as a team member utilizing the LGH values of quality, service, integrity and compassion.
• Demonstrates excellent customer service by conducting daily activities, communications and interactions in a cooperative, positive and professional manner as dictated by the Hospital’s Service Excellence 7 Standards of Behavior.

COMPETENCY & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Identifies and communicates learning, competency and personal development needs to the supervisor.
• Actively identifies and participates in educational activities that meet one’s educational needs, as approved by the supervisor.
• Uses newly found knowledge and skills in one’s role.

AGE RELATED COMMUNICATION & SAFETY

• Communicates in a manner appropriate and respectful to the comprehension level of the patient and/or family.
• Maintains a safe environment specific to the age group served.

INFECTION CONTROL

• Follows standard of universal precautions and use of appropriate personal protection equipment.
• Works to reduce the risk of health care acquired infections through compliance with current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) hand hygiene guidelines.
• Standard Precautions area utilized during patient contact and when handling contaminated materials, when necessary.
• Is knowledgeable of and demonstrates compliance with all National Patient Safety Goals in preventing healthcare acquired infections.
• Adheres to infection control and safety policies.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

• Maintains the responsibility for punctuality and attendance to ensure optimal operation of the department.
• Meets Hospital attendance policy as defined in the Hospital policy manual.
• When an unscheduled absence from work is necessary, the department is notified according to department policy.
• Submits requests for Paid Time Off, days off, etc. in accordance with department policy.

EDUCATION AND RELATED EXPERIENCE:

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree required, and advanced degree preferred. A minimum of 10 years of senior level experience in fundraising and management required.
• This position requires a comprehensive understanding of major gifts fundraising principles and practices; a comprehensive knowledge and experience of health care; and high levels of professionalism, collegiality, self-motivation, and organization.
• Experience devising and implementing sophisticated cultivation and solicitation strategies required.
• Experience working with major gift donors and volunteers required.
• Excellent communication and writing skills and experience writing fundraising materials required.
• High level volunteer engagement and management aptitude strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to motivate, engage, and work collaboratively and collegially at all levels with prospects, donors, volunteers, leadership, and senior members of the medical staff, or similar constituencies.
• Ability to think strategically and manage multiple projects effectively, resolve problems and display sound, ethical judgment.
• High degree of professionalism and the ability to listen carefully as well as to influence and persuade others.
• Experience with privacy-related rules and regulations and the ability and interest to operate in an environment with strict privacy and confidentiality rules. Familiarity with legal and regulatory requirements of development and fundraising in a complex non-profit, tax-exempt corporation.

About Merrimack Health

Merrimack Health is the region’s first health care system serving the Merrimack Valley, prioritizing care and services based on the needs of its patients. Serving communities across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, Merrimack Health includes hospitals in Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen, as well as a network of community-based physician practices. A recognized leader in heart care and stroke treatment, maternal and child health, orthopedics, surgical care, trauma and emergency services, behavioral health, and outpatient programs, Merrimack Health delivers trusted, compassionate care close to home.

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