Program Manager, Grateful Giving

The Grateful Giving Program Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, development, and execution of Texas Children's grateful giving program. Serving as a key liaison between patient families, clinical teams, hospital leadership, and the Philanthropy Department, this role cultivates a culture of philanthropy by creating meaningful opportunities for grateful patients and families to engage in charitable giving.

The Program Manager oversees all aspects of the grateful giving program, including donor pipeline development, relationship management, staff education, program operations, and performance measurement. This leader partners across the organization to strengthen philanthropic engagement while ensuring compliance with HIPAA, ethical fundraising practices, and organizational policies. Success in this role requires exceptional relationship-building skills, strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and a commitment to advancing Texas Children's mission and HEART values.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Program Leadership
  • Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive, HIPAA-compliant grateful giving program that supports organizational fundraising goals.
  • Serve as an ambassador for Texas Children's mission, values, and culture of philanthropy.
  • Build strong partnerships with physicians, nurses, and clinical leaders to identify and engage grateful patients and families.
  • Develop and deliver education and training that increases awareness and participation in grateful giving initiatives across the organization.
  • Collaborate with Annual Giving to develop integrated direct mail, digital, and multichannel grateful giving campaigns.
  • Manage program goals, budget, and performance metrics while identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
  • Partner with volunteer leadership and fundraising volunteers to expand donor engagement opportunities.
• Donor Engagement & Stewardship
  • Manage a portfolio of grateful patient and family prospects through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.
  • Build trusted relationships with patients and families while navigating sensitive and emotional situations with professionalism and compassion.
  • Partner with major gift officers to transition qualified prospects into major gift portfolios.
  • Participate in fundraising strategy discussions to support priority service lines and institutional initiatives.
  • Develop strategies that strengthen donor pipeline growth, engagement, and long-term stewardship.
• Collaboration & Education
  • Serve as the primary resource for grateful giving education across Texas Children's.
  • Foster strong relationships with clinical, operational, and administrative leaders to support grateful patient identification and referrals.
  • Collaborate with Marketing, Public Relations, and Philanthropy teams to ensure consistent messaging, branding, and donor communications.
  • Provide guidance on the development, design, production, and distribution of grateful giving collateral and communication materials.
  • Promote best practices and organization-wide understanding of grateful giving processes and policies.
• Data, Reporting & Compliance
  • Maintain accurate donor records and activity within the organization's CRM system.
  • Analyze donor data and program performance to identify trends and recommend strategic improvements.
  • Prepare reports and dashboards that communicate program outcomes and donor engagement metrics to leadership.
  • Ensure compliance with HIPAA, Stark Law, organizational policies, and all applicable ethical fundraising standards.
     

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit fundraising, healthcare philanthropy, or a related field required.
• Experience developing or managing grateful patient or donor engagement programs preferred.
• Experience partnering with physicians, clinical leaders, and executive stakeholders preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
 

• Strong relationship-building, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Knowledge of grateful patient fundraising, donor engagement strategies, and healthcare philanthropy best practices.
• Understanding of HIPAA regulations, patient privacy, and ethical fundraising guidelines.
• Experience using donor CRM systems and Microsoft Office Suite; ability to analyze data and translate insights into strategic action.
• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving abilities with attention to detail.
• Demonstrated emotional intelligence, discretion, and professionalism when working with patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
• Commitment to the Texas Children's HEART values of Humility, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Trust.