Job Description:

Foundation Director

St. James's Hospital Foundation

St James Hospital Foundation exists to ensure that every patient receives exceptional care, supported by world‑class facilities, innovative research, and compassionate services. Through philanthropy, community engagement, and strategic partnerships, we empower the hospital to go beyond what public funding alone can provide. We are now seeking a visionary Foundation Director to lead our fundraising strategy and drive transformational growth for the Foundation.

This role ensures the long-term financial sustainability of the SJHF by developing diverse income streams, building strong donor relationships, and enhancing the SJHF public profile across the hospital and the local community. This role strengthens the hospital's ability to respond to evolving patient needs by driving the philanthropic partnerships that make innovation possible. As the leader of the Foundation, the Foundation Director cultivates and connects donors with high‑impact opportunities across the hospital, ensuring philanthropy delivers measurable and lasting benefits for patients, clinicians, and the wider community.

The role of the Foundation Director of St. James's Hospital Foundation (SJHF) will have four main elements:

1.     Leading the Foundation and developing the fundraising strategy for SJHF and the hospital.

2.     Working to target in the Major Gift and Philanthropic space; Securing philanthropic support for the hospital's strategic priorities.

3.     Working with senior members of the hospital to ensure strategy alignment and engagement of hospital community.

4.     Managing the SJHF Team.

Working closely with the Foundation Board, the Hospital CEO and leadership, the Foundation Director will play a key role in contributing to the future of St James Hospital through:

• Developing and delivering a strategic plan in conjunction with the Board that incorporates fund-raising targets, strategic priorities, and ensures that the plan is deployed effectively.
• Acting as project manager for several high priority philanthropic projects and developing a strategy to match donors to projects. This involves working with SJHF colleagues, Board, senior hospital executives and hospital staff, and other volunteers.
• Devising major and lead cultivation strategies.
• Acting as the key external ambassador for the organisation.

In addition, they will have oversight of the appeals, events and community fundraising activities of SJHF, ensuring that they run effectively and each of these pillars contributes to the success of the others.

Leadership:

The Foundation Director will:

• Develop and execute a multi – year fundraising strategy aligned with the Foundation's mission and the Hospital priorities.
• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with prospective and existing donors and solicit major gifts from a portfolio of corporate, trust, foundation, and individual donors in support of the hospital.
• Play a leadership role in developing the process and practices required at each stage of the fundraising process including identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
• Set, manage and monitor the KPI's in conjunction with the SJHF Board, the staff of the SJHF, and key executives and clinicians within the hospital.
• Participate in the implementation of SJHF fundraising events pertaining to development activities of the hospital.
• Oversee the development teamwork, events, appeals, and community fundraising activities to ensure the supporter engagement activities are fully aligned with the advancement goals of the hospital.

Operational:

The Foundation Director will:

·      Work in collaboration with the SJHF Board, and the hospital regarding development of priority projects.

·      Provide regular reports to the Board on performance and pipeline.

·      Play a key role in the ongoing implementation and development of a prospect management system, including working with the team to develop and maintain effective formal processes for the recording and reporting of cultivation steps and gift pledges, and for formal gift acknowledgement.

• Lead, manage, and grow the Foundation's multi – disciplinary fundraising team.
• Set clear objectives, KPIs, and performance management processes.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance, and values-driven culture.
• Train and induct new colleagues as fundraisers to a high standard.
• Make individual asks and work with other members of the development team as part of team projects.
• Work closely with the Foundation's Head of Finance & Operations in the financial management of the Foundation including financial projections, budgeting, and the management of research and educational funds.
• Record all contacts, actions, and donations into the central CRM database.
• Ensure all fundraising activities comply with Irish regulations and best practices (e.g. Charities Regulator guidance, GDPR).

Candidate Specification: Foundation Director

Essential Experience

• Strong leadership and team management experience.
• Significant senior-level experience in fundraising within the nonprofit / charity sector preferably within a healthcare / social setting.
• Proven track record of securing major gifts and corporate donations and developing ongoing partnerships.
• Experience developing and delivering successful fundraising strategies.
• CRM proficiency and experience

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent relationship-building and influencing skills including strategic thinking with strong commercial awareness.
• Outstanding communication and presentation abilities.
• Financial acumen and experience managing budgets and targets.
• Strong understanding of the Irish charity landscape.
• Experience working with a Board of Trustees.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for the Foundation's mission and values.
• High level of integrity and accountability.
• Exceptional interpersonal judgement and the ability to build trust quickly with diverse stakeholders.
• Be a self-starter and perform their duties in such a manner.
• Results-driven with a proactive mindset.
• Adaptable and resilient in a changing environment.

Terms:

• Competitive salary (commensurate with experience).
• Benefits package (e.g. pension contribution, annual leave, flexible working).
• Contract: Full-time, permanent.

Reports to: Board of Trustees of the SJH Foundation.

Submitting an application 

Please send a Curriculum Vitae and cover letter by email to keith@tvhrob.ie. The closing date for applications is 5 pm on Friday 17th of April. 

Please include “Foundation Director” in the subject line of the email. 

We will inform candidates who have been successfully shortlisted. We regret that it is not possible to provide individualised feedback to applicants who have not been shortlisted for interview and we kindly request that you do not call or email seeking feedback. Feedback is available for candidates called to interview.