Washington, DC

Individual Giving Director, NPR

The Organization

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide. 

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success.

NPR seeks to hire a dynamic, experienced, and mission-driven Director of Individual Giving (South East) to join NPR’s development team at NPR headquarters in Washington, DC. Reporting to and partnering closely with the Executive Director of Individual Giving, the Director will manage a prospect portfolio of major donors, volunteers, and prospects in the South Eastern U.S. (capable of high  5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts), utilize fundraising best practices, develop donor strategy, execute moves management (cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship) to help NPR achieve short and long-term fundraising goals, build relationships with Member stations to collaborate in achieving our goals, and work with all of NPR Development to continue building a strong culture of philanthropy for public radio.

NPR has an impressive group of loyal, generous donors and volunteers. In addition to long-term relationships with significant funders like Gates Foundation, The Ford Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, NPR has been successful in attracting and retaining donors to support an organizational annual fundraising goal of $30M+. There is room to grow NPR’s individual giving program and NPR is well-positioned to execute this in the current fundraising environment.

NPR listeners are passionate about public radio and are committed to seeing NPR elevate its important work. The NPR brand is stronger and more relevant than ever. Journalists face an increasingly challenging media landscape but it is the power of the public radio network – local stations working in partnership with a national network – that makes NPR and its reporting unique. As NPR looks to the future, more resources are required.

A comprehensive fundraising campaign for NPR’s 50th Anniversary is in the early stages of development.  Plans for increasing collaborative fundraising with NPR’s more than 250 Member stations through a major giving pilot and expanding the work of the Foundation Trustees through Task Forces are currently underway to build momentum for the 50th Anniversary and beyond. Additional funds will help to ensure NPR can continue its mission-based work to strengthen and deepen local, regional, national and international news coverage and offer the highest quality of music and cultural programming now and for future generations of listeners.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation of best practice fundraising knowledge, with a track record of fostering successful, long-term relationships with individual donors that lead to increased philanthropic support.

The ideal candidate will be a hard-worker who is motivated by NPR’s mission to achieve significant fundraising goals and thrive in a fast-paced, creative, results-oriented culture.

Essential Duties Include:

  • Manage a donor and prospect portfolio of 50-100 prospects with the ability to make high 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts or pledges in the South Eastern U.S. Outline donor strategies for the prospect portfolio and create a pipeline to track activity and progress
  • Cultivate, solicit, and steward this portfolio, using moves management tools and fundraising best practices to ensure prospects and donors are moving through the appropriate prospect cycle
  • Support the Development Division’s Executive Team through the activities and functions of the NPR Foundation Trustees and other key volunteers in the South Eastern U.S. as needed
  • Assist in the creation or preparation of donor materials for NPR senior leadership as needed (i.e. CEO, CDO, VP of Programming, etc.)
  • Work to build a more robust pipeline of NPR annual and major gift donors, prospects, champions, and volunteers
  • Communicate frequently with the Executive Director, sharing activity and progress regularly
  • Collaborate with Member stations in the South Eastern U.S. on strategies for and solicitations of prospects who support both local and national public radio
  • Partner with Member stations to host targeted events or receptions to engage donors, prospects, NPR Foundation Trustees, or Member station Board members
  • Provide a sounding board for Member stations on all fundraising matters; assist Member stations (to the extent possible or appropriate) with their fundraising aspirations, encouraging partnership at all levels
  • Work in partnership with the Development Division’s Executive Team on strategy and implementation of a comprehensive, national campaign for NPR’s 50th Anniversary
  • Partner with the Donor Communications team to create donor proposals, stewardship touches, and other donor materials as required
  • Maintain and update donor information promptly in the donor database to ensure accuracy
  • Exemplify fundraising best practices and a high level of ethics in all activities

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION:

Bachelor’s Degree

REQUIRED SKILLS

  • 5-7 years of frontline fundraising experience required
  • Proven track record cultivating and closing 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts and pledges
  • Strong ability to create and execute donor strategy, apply moves management, and implement fundraising best practices
  • Proven skills in managing relationships with high-net-worth individuals or funders
  • Experienced in fundraising in, significant and/or successful campaigns
  • Advanced interpersonal and communication skills with proven ability to work closely and professionally with a wide range of constituents, including staff, board members, Member stations, external partners and donors/prospects
  • An entrepreneurial spirit and strong appetite to work in a developing philanthropic environment with lots of potential
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and excellent attention to detail
  • Proven ability to manage multiple projects, to set and adjust priorities, and work under pressure while maintaining composure and a sense of humor
  • Ability to navigate and negotiate the political and institutional landscape around nonprofit journalism
  • Ability to understand and speak to federal legislation that influences public broadcasting, specifically public radio
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet concurrent deadlines, organize time and priorities, and to do so in collaboration with diverse stakeholders
  • Strong commitment to NPR’s code of ethics, standards, and reputation as a nonpartisan public news organization
  • An understanding of complex fundraising organizations or federated nonprofit models is preferred
  • DC or region-based with a candidate’s willingness to travel regularly to NPR Headquarters in Washington, DC
  • Comfort with extensive travel (40-50%)

Does this sound like you? If so, we want to hear from you. All applications must include a resume and cover letter to be considered.

NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer. NPR is committed to being an inclusive place to work that welcomes diverse and unique perspectives, all working toward the same goal – to create a more informed public.  Qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

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How To Apply

Apply at: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/NAT1011NATPR/JobBoard/af823b19-a43b-4cda-b6c2-c06508d84cf6/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=8275d0cd-2e4e-4602-aba4-fa05551c1d34

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