Foundation Director Senior Donor Recognition & Stewardship : Administration

Hoag Health System; Newport Beach (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Hoag Health System in Newport Beach is looking for a Senior Director, Donor Recognition & Stewardship to manage donor recognition activities. This role involves overseeing programs, collaborating on engagement strategies, and maintaining donor relations.

Candidates should have over 10 years in fundraising, strong communication skills, and a Bachelor's degree. The position emphasizes teamwork and strategic oversight for donor commitments and recognition systems.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in fundraising or donor relations.
• Ability to manage complex donor relationships.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage donor recognition initiatives.
• Collaborate with leadership on donor engagement strategies.
• Oversee donor recognition programs and ensure compliance.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor relations/recognition

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Communication

Team management

Campaign structure

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Job Description

The Senior Director, Donor Recognition & Stewardship is responsible for leading and managing all donor recognition activities for Hoag Hospital Foundation (HHF). The role ensures donor commitments are fulfilled accurately, consistently, and in accordance with gift agreements and partners closely on stewardship efforts to support donor engagement and long‑term relationships.

This position reports to the Vice President of Donor Relations and works in close collaboration with the Director of Donor Stewardship, Foundation colleagues, and Hoag Health System stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide enterprise‑wide leadership for donor recognition initiatives, ensuring alignment with HHF fundraising priorities, campaigns, and organizational values.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align donor recognition activities with stewardship strategies and donor engagement goals.
• Serve as the primary Foundation liaison for donor recognition matters with Hoag Health System partners, ensuring clear communication and shared accountability for donor commitments.
• Oversee all donor recognition programs, including planning, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of donor signage throughout the Hoag enterprise.
• Ensure donor recognition is accurate, timely, visually appropriate, and consistent with brand and organizational standards.
• Establish and maintain processes to monitor signage accuracy and recognition fulfillment.
• Define strategy and requirements for recognition systems and tools, including naming opportunity tracking systems, recognition inventory databases, workflow and approval processes, and operationalize systems with the Director, Recognition.
• Maintain accountability for the fulfillment of all donor recognition and naming commitments in accordance with executed gift agreements.
• Guide development of donor proposals and recognition materials, including naming language, renderings, gift level requirements, and installation timelines.
• Partner with the Director of Donor Stewardship to ensure donor recognition supports broader stewardship plans and enhances the overall donor experience.
• Benchmark donor recognition and stewardship practices against peer institutions and industry standards and recommend enhancements to maintain effective programs.
• Ensure donor recognition activities comply with applicable regulations, ethical standards, and industry best practices.
• Provide strategic guidance for donor recognition and stewardship‑related events, ensuring alignment with Foundation priorities.
• Work collaboratively with the Vice President of Donor Relations, Director of Donor Stewardship, and Foundation colleagues to ensure consistent donor messaging, coordinated outreach, and alignment across donor relations activities.
• Directly manage the Director, Donor Recognition, setting priorities, performance expectations, and strategic direction for recognition execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations/recognition, or a related field.
• Professionalism and diplomacy to work effectively with internal and external constituents.
• Experience managing teams and leading cross‑functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of campaign structure and naming opportunity strategy.
• Proven ability to design scalable systems and operational frameworks.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage complex, sensitive donor relationships.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Hoag is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. Hoag is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.