Program Manager, Donor Relations

1100 Endeavor Health Clinical Operations; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 48,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition Reimbursement

Free Parking

Wellness Program

Savings Plan

Health Savings Account Options

Retirement Options with Company Match

Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay

Community Involvement Opportunities

Job summary

Endeavor Health is seeking a Program Manager, Donor Relations to lead a system‑wide donor stewardship program across hospitals and foundations. You will design recognition and reporting cadences, collaborate with frontline fundraisers, and ensure donors feel connected to impact.

You will manage communications, maintain records, coordinate with Donor Services, and contribute to strategic planning with philanthropy operations. A Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in donor relations are preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in fundraising, communications, or related field.
• 5+ years in a development office or donor relations/stewardship.
• 3–5+ years with Salesforce or similar CRM.

Responsibilities

• Lead donor stewardship, write and manage donor communications, and coordinate recognition programs.
• Coordinate stewardship plans with foundations’ frontline fundraisers and track ownership.
• Maintain donor records, balance pledges, and ensure timely reporting and transparency.
• Collaborate with philanthropy operations and events to support fundraising campaigns.
• Develop SOPs and train teams on new procedures across foundation units.

Skills

Donor relations

Project management

Communication

Data analysis

Cross-functional

Storytelling

Vendor coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Fundraising, Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

CRM

MS Office

Job description

Hourly Pay Range: $35.16 - $54.50 - The hourly pay rate offered is determined by a candidate's expertise and years of experience, among other factors.

Program Manager, Donor Relations

The Program Manager, Donor Relations, oversees a system-wide, comprehensive donor relations program that encourages donor loyalty and repeat and upgraded giving by communicating and celebrating the impact of philanthropy across the health system. Reporting to the Director, Philanthropy Communications and Donor Relations, the Program Manager, Donor Relations, builds the framework and manages the start-to-end stewardship experience for donors across Endeavor Health’s hospital foundations to drive loyalty, retention and upgraded giving. Serving as the voice of the donor within the Philanthropy Communications team, this role uses data and industry best practices to design structured recognition and reporting cadences. They partner closely with frontline fundraisers to ensure donors feel connected to their impact and collaborate with Philanthropy Communications team to turn stewardship strategies into beautifully executed campaigns, written recognition, and personalized experiences.

Position Highlights

• Position: Program Manager, Donor Relations
• Location: Evanston, Elmhurst, Naperville, or Arlington Heights, IL
• Full Time/Part Time: Full Time (40 hours)
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5pm
• Required Travel: travel to other locations may be required for meetings and events

What you will do

• Working collaboratively with Philanthropy Communications to write and manage the production of stewardship vehicles that lend consistency and cohesiveness to the identity of the system brand, including acknowledgment templates, endowment reports, impact reports, annual reports, personal stewardship communications for C-suite leadership and top-tier donor engagement, and segmented donor cohort stewardship communications.
• Lead standing stewardship meetings with the foundations’ frontline fundraising teams to align on stewardship plans with clear owners and timelines.
• Ensure stewardship plans, actions and relationship notes are well documented in donor CRM records.
• Ensure pledge balances and reminders are coordinated with the Donor Services team and communicated to donors appropriately.
• Contribute new ideas to advance the strategic efforts and impact of the program on an ongoing basis.
• Manage the upkeep of donor recognition walls and plaques across the hospitals and system locations.
• Maintain accurate historical donor files; and update electronic and hardcopy files as applicable to ensure transparent, comprehensive records.
• With financial reporting leadership and Philanthropy Operations, ensure system leadership, foundations’ teams and fund managers have timely and accurate details regarding their philanthropic fund balances, fund impact and alignment of donor intent in fund purposes, including special purpose, research and endowment funds.
• In tandem with the events team and fundraising partners, inform and contribute to strategic planning and counsel for all stewardship and applicable cultivation events.
• In collaboration with Philanthropy Operations and foundation teams, lead updates to policies and procedures to harmonize gift and fiscal policies across the foundations.
• Create and update Standard Operating Procedures and train on new procedures across the foundation teams.

What you will need

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Fundraising, Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Certification: n/a
• Experience: 5+ years in a development office or with related donor relations and stewardship experience is required, along with an inherent joy of working with donors and colleagues to celebrate philanthropy to be successful.
• 3-5+ years with Salesforce or other CRM is preferred.
• Unique or Preferred Skills: Deep knowledge of best practices in donor relations and stewardship with demonstrated success in developing and executing impactful plans and initiatives that lead to meaningful donor engagement and repeated and increased donor giving.
• Proficiency with MS Office and proactively working with Salesforce or similar CRM is strongly preferred.
• Tech-savvy and avid learner with a keen interest in fundraising, nonprofit trends, data and donor relations.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to relate and interact warmly and professionally with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including system leadership, cross-departmental partners, vendors, prospects and discerning donors.
• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately and with discretion.
• Excels in project management: multi-tasking, goal setting, accountability, attention to detail and workload prioritization.
• Experience with project management tools and techniques is required.
• Experience coordinating budgets, projects and events with vendors is required.
• Experience or exposure to basic graphic design tools is a bonus.
• Must be flexible and adaptable to changing priorities and proactively address challenges in a fast-paced, emerging and dynamic environment with ongoing deadlines.
• Ability to constructively accept and process feedback and a collaborative working style.
• Continuously seek ways to improve processes, increase efficiencies and actively pursue professional development opportunities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Membership with Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP) or similar donor relations professional organization preferred.

Benefits (For full time or part time positions)

• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance
• Career Pathways to Promote Professional Growth and Development
• Various Medical, Dental, Pet and Vision options
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Free Parking
• Wellness Program
• Savings Plan
• Health Savings Account Options
• Retirement Options with Company Match
• Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay
• Community Involvement Opportunities

Endeavor Health is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system committed to providing access to quality, vibrant, community-connected care, serving an area of more than 4.2 million residents across six northeast Illinois counties. Our more than 25,000 team members and more than 6,000 physicians aim to deliver transformative patient experiences and expert care close to home across more than 300 ambulatory locations and eight acute care hospitals – Edward (Naperville), Elmhurst, Evanston, Glenbrook (Glenview), Highland Park, Northwest Community (Arlington Heights) Skokie and Swedish (Chicago) – all recognized as Magnet hospitals for nursing excellence.

For more information, visit www.endeavorhealth.org.

When you work for Endeavor Health, you will be part of an organization that encourages its employees to achieve career goals and maximize their professional potential. Please explore our website (www.endeavorhealth.org) to better understand how Endeavor Health delivers on its mission to “help everyone in our communities be their best”. Endeavor Health is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. Please refer to the main career page for more information. At Endeavor Health, we are united by a shared commitment to working together to create a culture of connection and belonging—each of us bringing different skills and experiences as we deliver safe, seamless, and personal care. Every person, every time. We are committed to fostering an environment where all team members can be their best, learn, and pursue excellence together.

EOE: Race/Color/Sex/Sexual Orientation/ Gender Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Vets, VEVRRA Federal Contractor.

Welcome to Endeavor Health Careers At Endeavor Health, we believe every role plays an important part in advancing our mission to help everyone in our communities be their best. Whether you’re just beginning your career journey or are a seasoned professional, you’ll find opportunities here to learn, grow, and thrive. Your Career is our Endeavor.