Development Officer - Development New London Hospital

The Development Officer (DO) is a frontline fundraising professional responsible for building and sustaining relationships with patients, families, and community members in support of New London Hospital (NLH) and Newport Health Center (NHC). Reporting to the Director of Development, this full-time position will work with donors and prospects across the hospital’s 15-town service area.

The DO recognizes there is an innate interdependency between the critical access hospital (NLH) and Dartmouth Health (DH), New Hampshire’s only academic health system. The DO will advance the fundraising priorities of NLH while thoughtfully partnering with DH fundraising colleagues to engage donors whose philanthropic interests may align with both organizations.

In partnership with the Director of Development and NLH Senior Leadership, the DO will also design and implement a Philanthropy Champions program at NLH, to advance donor engagement strategies, clinical partnerships, and philanthropic initiatives.

Fundraising 85%

• Serves as a major gift and planned giving officer for NLH and NHC, managing a portfolio of approximately 100-150 prospects and donors while regularly meeting with individuals to create and foster relationships.
• Identifies, qualifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards a portfolio of patients, families, and community members with the capacity to make multi-year gift commitments to NLH and NHC.
• Grows the pipeline of major gift donors through heavy prospect identification and qualification activity to expand philanthropic support for the organization.
• Clearly articulates the mission of NLH and NHC and effectively communicates fundraising priorities to donor audiences.
• Devises and implements donor-centric fundraising strategies to meet revenue metrics through portfolio planning and moves management.
• Partners effectively with DH fundraising staff to coordinate strategy and solicitations for donors and prospects interested in supporting both NLH and DH.
• Prepare compelling and strategic major gift donor communications including tailored proposals, correspondence, presentations, and briefing materials.
• Develops and executes a comprehensive cultivation and solicitation strategy for each qualified donor and prospect in the portfolio, aligned with individual philanthropic interests as well as NLH priorities.
• Develop working relationships with NLH’s Community Relations and Development team, DH fundraising colleagues, and leadership across the system.
  
  
  

Planning & Program Management 15%

• Develops and leads strategic programs and initiatives as identified, ensuring each is thoughtfully structured, aligned with philanthropic priorities, and effectively implemented to support engagement, partnership building, and long-term impact.
• Designs and implements the foundational structure for the Philanthropy Champions Program, including program goals, participant selection, engagement pathways, and success metrics to ensure a strong launch and alignment with philanthropic priorities.
• Leads the planning, launch, and ongoing management of the Philanthropy Champions Program, engaging key clinical leaders and nurses in advancing NLH’s philanthropic partnerships.
• Serves as a strategic development partner to participating clinical leaders and nurses, fostering relationship building skills through trainings, one-on-one meetings, and ongoing engagement.
• Monitors, evaluates, and continuously refines the Philanthropy Champions Program using feedback to strengthen clinical engagement, deepen understanding, and sustain long-term participation.
  
  
  

Required Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive fundraising experience, including major gift identification, cultivation, solicitation, and closing gifts from individual donors.
• Experience in capital campaign support strongly preferred.
• Prior experience at the major gift level preferred.
  
  
  

Skills & Competencies

• Proven success securing major gifts ($25K-$100K ; higher preferred).
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to engage and build rapport across diverse audiences.
• Intellectual depth, sound judgment, maturity, and professionalism to earn the trust and confidence of hospital leadership and external stakeholders, with a demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across a complex organization.
• Ability to thrive in evolving roles and dynamic environments, with flexibility and comfort managing change and ambiguity.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and competing demands in a fast-paced, results-drive environment.
• Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective, collaborative relationships across internal teams, leadership, and external stakeholders.
• Commitment to the highest standards of ethical conduct, discretion, and professionalism.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office and Raiser’s Edge.
• This position is in-person, candidates should expect to be onsite at New London Hospital 5 days a week.
• Ability to travel locally and regionally.