Seattle, WA

Relationship Officer, Planned Giving, KUOW FM

The Organization

Our mission: To create and serve a more informed public.

Our vision: Broaden conversations. Deepen understanding.

A BETTER FUTURE BEGINS WITH AN INFORMED PUBLIC.

KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio is Seattle’s NPR news station. We are an independent, nonprofit news organization that produces award-winning journalism, innovative podcasts, engaging community events and more.

Our work is about truth. We were founded with the idea that everyone should have free access to honest, fact-checked information – as well as stories that broaden conversations and deepen understanding of the world around us. We work every day in service of our mission to create and serve a more informed public, because we believe an informed public is essential to a thriving community, a vibrant democracy, and a better future.

We are one of the nation’s founding NPR member stations, broadcasting from the Puget Sound region continually since 1952. KUOW acknowledges that we occupy the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands of the Coast Salish people.

OUR COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY

Racial equity work is critical to achieving our mission of creating and serving a more informed public. As a public institution, we must serve our entire community – not just a subset – and that requires challenging the way KUOW and public media have operated. Achieving racial equity in our programming and in our workplace is a comprehensive process that requires transformation in ways of thinking, ways of doing, and accountability to our colleagues and the public we serve. Learn more about diversity, equity and inclusion at KUOW > 

OUR FUNDING

KUOW is a community-funded public service. More than 90% of our funding comes from individual contributors and local business supporters who share our belief that an informed public makes our community stronger. The vast majority of KUOW’s revenue goes directly into our local, national and international programming. Learn more about our funding and the impact of community supporters in our latest Impact Report.

Position Overview

KUOW has a critically important opportunity for a caring and compassionate people-oriented leader with experience nurturing essential relationships. Serving in the role of Relationship Officer, Planned Giving, you will build and develop a marketing and communication strategy for KUOW’s Sound Legacy Circle. Members of our legacy program are treasured relationships which require attentive and careful cultivation. Skillful intuitive communication skills are paramount, and something you value. You will collaborate with colleagues at UW to facilitate closure on each estate gifts.

In this central role, you will collaborate with an exceedingly successful and ever-growing Philanthropy and Marketing team to secure commitments of support from KUOW listeners and donors. You will be looking for expressed interest in and confirmation of our inclusion in donors’ estate plans. You will also grow your portfolio over time, leveraging prior marketing experience you may have and KUOW’s on-air, digital, and print marketing tools and devices to promote the legacy program.

As you nurture these valued relationships, you will secure commitments of annual and legacy support from a portfolio of 150 +/- individuals, which will help to ensure that KUOW has the financial resources needed to deliver the important news, information, and facts that listeners depend on. Individuals in your portfolio intend to leave a legacy at KUOW. You will serve as their tour guide and foster a mutually rewarding and fulfilling relationship with each one, as is appropriate and desired by the donor.

The ideal candidate is eager to do great work, charismatic, mature, and self-motivated. There is boundless potential to succeed in this role, especially if you enjoy exploring the intersection of the people, technology, and fact-based journalism. KUOW staff enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND RACIAL EQUITY

KUOW and the University of Washington are equal opportunity employers. KUOW is dedicated to building a culturally diverse staff and creating a working environment that promotes racial equity and inclusiveness. We believe attracting and retaining diverse staff is crucial to serving our community and fulfilling our mission. Women, Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities and veterans are highly encouraged to apply.

BASIC FUNCTION

This position focuses efforts on increasing support for KUOW by developing prospective donor relationships and moving these relationships through the donor continuum, with an emphasis on securing annual and estate gifts. This role collaborates primarily with the Major Gift and Marketing teams at KUOW, as well as UW, to manage, cultivate, solicit and steward a portfolio of individual planned giving leads, prospects, and participants.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Frontline Fundraising (35%)

  • Identifies, manages, cultivates, solicits, and stewards a portfolio of 150+/- planned giving participants and prospects, with intentionality, and each donor’s continued commitment to KUOW as the primary objective.
  • Works with fundraising colleagues to develop and support qualification and solicitation of existing and prospective planned givers.
  • Routinely engages with planned giving participants through email, video chat, in-person meetings and at KUOW events, ensuring the most timely and appropriate communications lead to loyalty amongst these high value donors.
  • Records all in and outbound actions taken in donor database of each record.

Program Management (60%)

  • Develops and administers planned giving strategies and activities, in partnership with the Director of Philanthropy, which support KUOW’s overall health and growth.
  • Establishes annual plans for KUOW’s planned giving program, contributes to the larger annual Philanthropy plans, and develops personal annual plans which align with KUOW’s strategic impact framework.
  • Leverages stakeholders like Director of Philanthropy, KUOW’s Station Manager, C-Suite Officers, and Board Members to advance relationships with planned giving prospects, leads and participants.
  • Conceptualizes, reviews, edits, and facilitates production of materials needed to steward and secure planned gifts.
  • Collaborates with Digital, Membership, Marketing and Business Support teams to develop marketing and communication tools and schedules for planned giving prospects, leads and participants.
  • Represents KUOW at donor events and at UW, community, and professional functions, as appropriate.
  • Collaborates with UW Planned Giving unit to facilitate closure of planned gifts, with an emphasis on directing more complex gift management to that unit.
  • Establishes and continuously enhances methodologies and strategies for planned giving fundraising including qualification and disqualification, stewardship, cultivation, and solicitation policies. Revises and maintains policies to align with industry, UW and KUOW best-practices.
  • Supports major gift officers in securing planned gift commitments from within their portfolios.
  • Leads on the development and refinement of planned giving processes, with an emphasis on leveraging technology to enhance efficiency.
  • Codifies and maintains Standard Operating Procedures for the execution of a planned giving marketing program and the stewardship of planned giving donors.
  • Prepares routine reports, and analysis of major donor fundraising at KUOW.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Position reports to the Director of Philanthropy

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Occasional task-oriented work-study or part-time employees and volunteers.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • A bachelor’s degree and at least two years of progressively responsible experience in development, teaching, customer service or similar fields. Equivalent combination of comparable knowledge and skills may substitute for education and/or experience.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate successfully in writing, by phone or in person.
  • Proven ability to work professionally, collegially, and effectively with donors or other constituents, colleagues, and the public.
  • Ability to work independently, problem solve, take initiative, and handle multiple projects and deadlines in an organized and professional manner.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a team-oriented setting and commitment to aiding colleagues within and outside the bounds of Philanthropy.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working in a planned giving environment strongly preferred.
  • Familiarity with philanthropy programs.
  • Familiarity with marketing, prior experience in marketing a strong plus.
  • Familiarity with and appreciation of public radio programming.
  • Working knowledge of databases desirable, specifically Salesforce.
  • Multi-lingual.

How To Apply

The University of Washington and KUOW have retained Livingston Associates to assist in this search. For consideration, please submit a letter of introduction and a resume by following this link.

Inquiries are welcome with Livingston Associates at (410) 243-1974.

Applicants who are selected to proceed with this search will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

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