Director, Children's Donor and Patient Relations

Duke Clinical Research Institute; Durham (NC); Hybrid; USD 62,766 - 97,798; Full time

Job summary

Duke Health Development & Alumni Affairs (DHDAA) seeks a dynamic Director of Donor and Patient Relations in Durham, NC. This full-time role powers philanthropic engagement through storytelling, content development, and cross-team collaboration with the Duke Children’s team.

Hybrid work with in-office requirements supports donor relations and program leadership. The position emphasizes HIPAA-compliant patient stories, multi-channel communications, and strategic partnerships to advance Duke

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 3 years progressive fundraising/customer relations/marketing or sales experience in a team environment.
• Occasional travel required.
• OR an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as liaison to the Duke Health Stewardship team to recognize donors and coordinate acknowledgments.
• Lead Duke Children's participation in Thank-a-thon and donor engagement initiatives.
• Oversee donor recognition strategies with gift officers, aligning messaging across channels.
• Direct annual Stories impact report and related digital assets.
• Develop social media strategy and multimedia content to support philanthropy.
• Lead Patient Ambassador Program recruitment and support.
• Drive Sponsorships and Public Relations for community initiatives.
• Support Duke Children's events and fundraising activities.

Skills

Non-profit experience

Project management

Storytelling

Cross-team collaboration

Written communication

Strategic thinking

Integrated communications

Content development

Social media strategy

Video/ multimedia storytelling

HIPAA compliance awareness

Event planning

Relationship building

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Canva

PowerPoint

Graphic design

Job description

Duke Health Development & Alumni Affairs (DHDAA) supports a flexible work environment by offering on-site (in office 5 days a week), hybrid (in office a minimum of 2 days a week or defined by manager), remote (work off-site 5 days a week), and flexible start and end time work arrangements. All team members must reside within a 50-mile radius of our downtown Durham office.

If working a hybrid or remote schedule, individuals must have access to and maintain a secure home office environment with high-speed internet service and work collaboratively with others using a variety of technologies and tools. With approval from their manager, staff members may work a flexible schedule in terms of start/end times, while working within DHDAA's core work hours between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (eastern standard). At the discretion of Managers and/or Senior Leadership, staff working a hybrid, remote or flex schedule may be required to be in the office on days and/or times outside of the agreed upon schedule.

Help bring inspiring patient stories to life while building meaningful connections that fuel philanthropic support.

The Director of Donor and Patient Relations is a dynamic and mission-driven leader who plays a critical role in advancing philanthropic support for Duke Children's. This position drives strategic engagement through best-in-class donor and patient relations, powerful patient storytelling, innovative content development, program management and impactful community partnerships. The role integrates stewardship, and public-facing initiatives to elevate awareness and inspire giving in support of Duke Children's mission.

This position reports to the Assistant Vice President of Duke Children's and Duke Cancer Institute Development and works collaboratively with colleagues throughout the Duke Children's team and Duke Health Development and Alumni Affairs (and Duke University) to maximize marketing and communication support of Duke Children's.

Work Arrangement

Hybrid; This position is a full-time located in Durham, NC. This is not a remote position.

Departmental Preferences / Skills

• Development or non-profit experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated success managing projects from concept through execution.
• Proven ability to create compelling content and storytelling that drives engagement, builds community, and supports philanthropic growth.
• Experience collaborating across teams and stakeholders, with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships.
• Demonstrated success in managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while maintaining a high level of quality and attention to detail.
• Passion for mission-driven work, with experience in nonprofit, healthcare, or higher education development strongly preferred.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a strong command of storytelling.
• Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, engaging content across multiple platforms.
• Experience developing and executing integrated communications strategies, including social media, digital marketing, media relations, and content development.
• Proficiency in content creation tools (e.g., Canva, PowerPoint) and familiarity with video production, and multimedia storytelling.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results on time.
• Experience planning and supporting events, sponsorships, or community engagement initiatives.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-oriented environment while also taking initiative and working independently.
• Positive, creative thinker who can work in fast-paced, deadline-driven, collaborative team environment.
• The ability to deliver effective timely results is key.
• Strong writing skills, detail-oriented and have an eagerness to generate new ideas.
• Solid relationship builder and communicator with the ability to work with a diversity of people.
• Experience with traditional forms of communication, media relations, e‑mail communication/marketing, social media, graphic design, and event management.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Training - Work requires the skills and knowledge normally acquired through completion of a Bachelor's degree.

Experience - 3 years progressive fundraising/customer relations/marketing or sales and promotions experience in team environment. Proven verbal and written communication skills and computer experience with Windows environment.

Occasional travel required.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Work Performed

Donor Relations (15%)

• Serve as a key liaison to the Duke Health Stewardship team to ensure Duke Children's donors and prospects are thoughtfully recognized, overseeing annual donor wall updates and coordinated acknowledgments.
• Lead Duke Children's participation in the annual Thank‑a‑thon, creating meaningful opportunities to engage and thank donors.
• Oversee highly customized stewardship projects and donor recognition strategies in partnership with gift officers.
• Partner closely with the Children’s Annual Giving team to align messaging, engagement, and donor experience across channels.

Content Creation (25%)

• Direct the development and distribution of the annual Stories impact report, showcasing the transformative impact of philanthropy.
• Create compelling presentations, digital assets, and collateral (Canva, PowerPoint) in support of development and leadership initiatives.
• Lead strategy and execution for social media across platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, etc.), growing engagement, community, and philanthropic support through both earned and paid media.
• Orchestrate the creation of engaging multimedia content, including video storytelling.
• Champion the thoughtful and compliant use of patient stories across all communications, while strictly adhering to HIPAA standards.

Patient Ambassador Program Oversight (30%)

• Lead and grow the Patient Ambassador Program, recruiting, cultivating, and supporting patient families to share their stories in ways that inspire philanthropy and deepen community connection.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for participating families, ensuring a seamless, respectful, and meaningful experience.
• Partner with clinical teams to identify compelling patient stories and secure appropriate HIPAA authorizations.
• Support signature initiatives including the Scheyer Family Kid Captain Program and the Charity Stripe Challenge.
• Collaborate with Department of Pediatrics Communications to amplify patient narratives across internal and external channels.

Sponsorships and Public Relations (20%)

Drive public relations efforts to elevate Duke Children's visibility and position it as a leading philanthropic priority within the community.

• Secure and steward event sponsorships for key initiatives such as Radiothon, Duke Rides, and signature events.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with local media and community partners (e.g., Durham Magazine, News & Observer, Capital Broadcasting).
• Lead promotional efforts for events, campaigns, and giving opportunities.
• Oversee auction procurement, securing high-quality items to support fundraising success.
• Manage branded merchandise strategy, including inventory, ordering, and distribution.
• Coordinate professional event photography and asset fulfillment.
• Oversee strategic partnerships, including Durham Bulls Star Wars Night.
• Cultivate relationships with regional sports teams (Durham Bulls, Carolina Hurricanes, North Carolina Courage) to expand visibility and engagement.

Event Support (10%)

• Assist with Duke Children's events as needed.

Perform other duties as assigned.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and reasonable accommodation(s) can be requested with Duke Access and Accommodations Services (email: [e-mail]; phone: [phone]).

Anticipated Pay Range

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $62,766.00 to USD $97,798.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Equal Opportunity Employer: Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy- related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.