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The Opportunity
NPR seeks to hire a dynamic, experienced, and mission-driven Director of Planned Giving 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 portfolio of planned giving donors and prospects, develop and execute planned giving strategy for NPR, collaborate with Member stations on planned giving prospects and system-wide planned giving strategy, utilize fundraising giving best practices, help NPR achieve short and long-term fundraising 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 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+. NPR averages between 5 and 10 calls a week from listeners and supporters who are interested in including NPR in their estate plans. With the impending transfer of wealth from the Baby Boom generation, there is enormous potential and a unique opportunity to grow NPR’s planned giving and enhance planned giving across the public radio network.
NPR listeners are passionate about public radio and are committed to seeing NPR elevate its important work. The NPR brand is stronger than ever 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 is in the (very) early stages of planning in addition to plans for increased annual fundraising goals and an expansion of the NPR Development team. 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.
Position Summary
The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in fundraising best practices, with a track record of fostering successful long-term relationships with individual donors and development colleagues.
They will be a hard-worker who is motivated by the NPR mission to achieve significant fundraising goals and thrive in a fast-paced, creative, results-oriented culture.
Essential Duties
- Manage a planned giving donor and prospect portfolio
- Collaborate with Giving Officers, Member stations, and other constituents to identify planned giving prospects and maximize all gift requests
- Outline strategies for the planned giving 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
- Determine strategies for elevating NPR’s planned giving program including branding, marketing and communications
- Create and manage new initiatives to increase planned giving for NPR and across the public radio system
- Assist in the creation or preparation of planned giving materials and briefing documents for NPR senior leadership as needed (i.e. CEO, CDO, VP of Programming, etc.)
- Work to build a more robust pipeline of NPR planned giving donors, prospects, champions, and volunteers
- Communicate frequently with the Executive Director to share activity and progress
- Partner with the NPR Foundation Board, specifically the Planned Giving Committee and Planned Giving Committee Chair, to broadly educate volunteers and NPR’s closest advocates about planned giving
- Provide planned giving counsel, advice, and guidance to Member station development teams (to the extent possible or appropriate) and to NPR Giving Officers to ensure proper identification, solicitation and stewardship of planned giving prospects and/or donors
- Partner with the Development Writing Hub as necessary to create planned giving materials and coordinate planned giving communications
- 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
Required Skills and Experience
- 5-7 years of nonprofit experience required, 3-5 years of planned giving experience preferred
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Proven track record identifying, cultivating, closing and stewarding planned and non-cash gifts
- Thorough knowledge of planned giving vehicles, non-cash gifts, and tax codes related to gift and estate planning
- Proven skills in managing relationships with high-net worth individuals or funders
- Experience in significant and/or successful fundraising 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 based or willingness to relocate to the DC metro area
- Some travel will be required (15 - 25%)
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 offers a competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package including health and wellness benefits, retirement, and work/life balance programs, as well as opportunities for career growth and development.
NPR is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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