Donor Relations Program Lead

nshs; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 100,748,000 - 156,165,000; Full time

Job summary

nshs is seeking a Program Manager, Donor Relations to coordinate stewardship across hospitals and foundations in Illinois. You will lead donor communications, reports, and recognition efforts, while aligning plans with fund managers and leadership.

The role requires 5+ years in donor relations, strong project management, and CRM proficiency, with travel to different locations for meetings and events. A bachelor’s degree is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fundraising, Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years in a development office or donor relations/stewardship experience required.
• 3–5+ years with Salesforce or other CRM preferred.
• Experience coordinating budgets, projects and events with vendors is required.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Philanthropy Communications to produce stewardship materials (acknowledgments, reports, donor communications) with a cohesive system brand identity.
• Lead stewardship meetings with frontline fundraising teams to define owners and timelines.
• Document stewardship actions and donor notes in CRM; coordinate pledge reminders with Donor Services.
• Contribute ideas to advance program impact and donor engagement across the foundations.
• Maintain donor recognition walls/plaques and ensure accurate donor records across locations.
• Ensure timely fund balance details with finance and philanthropy leadership; align donor intent with fund purposes.
• Support strategic planning for stewardship and cultivation events with events and fundraising teams.
• Develop and update policies and SOPs related to gift and fiscal procedures across foundations.

Skills

Donor relations

Stewardship planning

Project management

CRM (Salesforce)

Communication skills

Budget coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

nshs is seeking a Program Manager, Donor Relations to coordinate stewardship across hospitals and foundations in Illinois. You will lead donor communications, reports, and recognition efforts, while aligning plans with fund managers and leadership.

The role requires 5+ years in donor relations, strong project management, and CRM proficiency, with travel to different locations for meetings and events. A bachelor’s degree is preferred.