Renown Health (Reno, Nevada) is seeking an experienced, energetic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Chief Development Officer (CDO). Renown is the only not-for-profit health system providing essential and advanced care for more than one million residents across Northern Nevada and Northeastern California. The CDO will lead enterprise philanthropy for Renown—building the strategy, systems, and relationships that grow major, planned, and annual giving. The CDO will set a donor-centered…
vision, oversee gift administration and recognition, and strengthen community engagement to translate Renown's strategic plans into bold, investable priorities.
With over 8,000 employees, Renown encompasses three acute care hospitals—Renown Regional Medical Center, an adult and pediatric Level II Trauma Center; Renown South Meadows Medical Center; and a rehabilitation hospital—a medical group, primary and specialty care clinics, and an urgent care network. It also includes a first-of-its-kind joint venture insurance company with Kaiser Permanente. Renown is affiliated with the University of Nevada-Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), offering Nevada's first academic health system to advance innovation, research, medical education, and clinical trials.
Renown is nationally recognized for quality and safety, with accolades including Healthgrades Top 250 Hospital, U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital, and the Beacon Award for Excellence.
In this role, the CDO serves as an integral member of the health system's leadership team, working closely and collaboratively with the President and Chief Executive Officer of Renown Health, Dr. Brian Erling, the Foundation Board of Directors, the health system Board of Directors, Foundation and health system leadership and staff, and patients and families of Renown to ensure the fundraising strategy is aligned with the health system's mission, goals, and priorities. Renown seeks candidates who bring track records of accomplishments in creating an organizational culture of philanthropy, aligning philanthropy with organizational strategy, and donor base growth.
The CDO's overarching responsibility is to promote philanthropic investment to fulfill and advance Renown's mission. This encompasses working across the health system to foster a culture that understands, appreciates, supports, and advances gratitude, giving, stewardship, and engagement beyond transactional fundraising to build lasting, deep relationships with donors. The CDO will be an inspiring and visible leader who will engage the collective talents and energies of the development leadership team and staff and, in collaboration with Renown leadership and the Foundation Board, steer development strategies forward in an innovative manner.
The CDO will lead the recently launched capital campaign to advance two major institutional expansion plans: a $200+ million expansion to the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute—expanding capacity, enhancing care models, and strengthening its research portfolio in partnership with UNR Med—and plans to build a free-standing, state-of-the-art children's hospital that will significantly expand the pediatric care and services offered to the children and families served by Renown. The CDO will manage budgets and lead fundraising initiatives across major giving, capital campaigns, corporate and foundation grants, and events to secure sustainable philanthropic support. Success in this role requires close collaboration with community partners, including aligned fundraising activities with UNR Med.
The Chief Development Officer will lead Renown's enterprise efforts to secure philanthropic investment in priority initiatives, including major expansion and growth projects currently underway. The campaign will emphasize donor-centered engagement, clear case messaging, disciplined pipeline development, and strong partnership with governance and clinical leadership. The CDO will help ensure that fundraising priorities, stewardship practices, and community engagement efforts are coordinated across the health system and aligned with Renown's mission and strategic plan.
The incumbent will develop tax strategies for donors, oversee gift recording, accounting, and recognition, and will lead staff to develop relationships within the community that lend themselves to furthering philanthropic support.
All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited and may be directed to the WittKieffer search team – Mercedes Chacon Vance, Michelle Johnson, and Jessica Cummings - via email at: Jcummings@wittkieffer.com. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV/resume and a letter of interest. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.
