Senior Director of Major Giving

Nine PBS: Senior Director of Major Giving

Who We Are: As an essential community institution, Nine PBS magnifies and deepens understanding of our community to help our region flourish. We convene meaningful conversations, we share thought-provoking content, and we host events that engage and inspire our region. Our unique facilities and connections offer opportunities for memorable experiences for audiences of all ages.

Our History: We are a community-licensed public media station. For 70 years, we have been a foundational pillar in the St. Louis community by providing trusted, community-centered content and resources. Our core purpose is to magnify and deepen understanding of our community to help our region flourish. 

Our Values: Nine PBS is rooted in our four values: Community, Trust, Equity, and Learning. These guide every aspect of our work - both in how we interact with one another as teammates, as well as how we engage with the community. 

Our Culture: Nine PBS is an equal opportunity employer with a leadership team and culture that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. For the past three years, Nine PBS was identified by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis as a top place for women to work.

Our Team: One of our strategic goals is to create and sustain a positive, high-performing, inspiring, and inclusive culture that prioritizes the well-being and belonging of every member of our team. Get to know the amazing individuals you will be working alongside if you are selected for this position: https://www.ninepbs.org/ourteam/.

Position Description: The Senior Director of Major Giving is responsible for managing and expanding the Major Gifts program for Nine PBS, helping to secure philanthropic funding from individuals to build on the institution’s historic success and impact on the greater St. Louis community. As Nine PBS embarks on a transformational fundraising campaign, the Senior Director of Major Giving will personally engage and solicit a portfolio of donors and lead the strategy, goal setting, and management of Nine PBS’s Major Giving team. The Senior Director of Major Giving will report to the Vice President and Chief Individual Giving Officer, will work closely with the larger Development team, Nine PBS Senior Leadership and Board of Directors.

The Senior Director of Major Giving will also work closely with external counsel to integrate the major gift strategy into broader campaign planning. Using the campaign as a moment to build the broader major gift pipeline, the Senior Director of Major Giving will work with Nine PBS leadership and external counsel to support day-to-day campaign management including pipeline development, engagement and solicitation strategies for major gift prospects, campaign data tracking and reporting, stewardship, and campaign volunteer management.

Primary Responsibilities: The following job duties are vital to successfully meeting the expectations of this position in an effective and efficient manner. This is not an exhaustive list and areas of focus may shift, as needed.

Major Gifts:

• Work with the Vice President and Chief Individual Giving Officer and the President and CEO to set and achieve fiscal year fundraising goals.
• Provide day-to-day management of the Major Gift team; support direct reports by ensuring they have the tools, mentoring, professional development, and resources to meet their goals.
• Establish performance metrics for the major gift team, monitor results, and evaluate the efficacy of development efforts.
• Manage a portfolio of current and prospective donors; work to identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward current and new constituents for operating, endowment, program/project, campaign, and planned gifts.
• Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with prospects and donors who have the capacity to make philanthropic gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Work with other members of the Nine PBS Individual Giving team to collaborate on gift strategies and prospect management.
• Research prospective donors and create ways to link those prospect’s philanthropic goals with Nine PBS programs, initiatives, and volunteer opportunities.
• Utilize data to inform donor strategy, team goalsetting, and to track progress.
• Strengthen the overall culture of philanthropy within the organization.

Campaign Support:

• Support campaign management and organization, including prospect pipeline tracking, prospect research and strategy, and maintenance of timelines.
• Assist in campaign volunteer management, including organizing and monitoring volunteer assignments and follow-up, coordinating committee meetings and communications, and volunteer-led meetings and/or events.
• In partnership with external counsel, track campaign progress and provide timely reports to Nine PBS staff, campaign volunteers, and the board of directors.
• Coordinate with staff and leadership to develop and implement fundraising strategies for the public phase of the campaign, including any events, announcements, appeals, or targeted publicity.
• Work with the development and finance teams to ensure proper recording, allocation, documentation, acknowledgement, and analysis of campaign gifts and pledges.
• Collaborate with Nine PBS staff in promoting a culture of inclusive philanthropy, rooted in best practices, and guided by Nine PBS’s mission.

Requirements and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience required. Master’s degree and/or CFRE certification preferred.
• 7+ years of professional experience in a nonprofit organization.
• Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising, including strategizing, soliciting, and closing gifts of $25,000 and above.
• Experience managing direct reports and/or a team.
• Experience working with executive leadership and/or Board of Directors.
• An entrepreneurial spirit and demonstrated effectiveness in building or growing fundraising programs.
• Knowledge of the St. Louis philanthropic community is encouraged.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively lead people and initiatives.
• Prior campaign experience highly preferred.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, CRM and donor databases (such as ROI, Salesforce), and donor research tools (Donor Search, iWave, etc.).
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships.
• Strong passion for public media.

Hybrid Schedule: This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule, typically working up to three days virtually each week. On-site work is expected for meetings with donors and prospective donors, as well as team meetings determined by supervisor.

Additional Expectations and Core Competencies: Success in this role is not only measured by meeting the expectations outlined above, but also in how the work is performed. The following competencies are required for this role.

• Approach all interactions solution focused.
• Be open to feedback and demonstrate a growth mindset.
• Provide respectful feedback to others, as needed.
• Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging by modeling inclusive behaviors.
• Effectively and proactively communicate with supervisor, teammates, and others across the organization to create a collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrate effective time management.
• Demonstrate good judgment.
• Demonstrate effective working relationships with others.
• Lead with integrity and role model positive behavior for the organization.
• Delegate, empower, and motivate while coaching staff to develop their full potential.
• Provide a supportive environment for enhanced performance and professional growth.
• Build diverse, high-performing, and cohesive teams.
• Think strategically and advance identified priority areas within the team and across the organization.

Application Instructions

Company: Nine PBS

Vacancy Type: Full-Time

Job Location: St Louis, MO, US

Salary: $105,000

Application Timeline: February 5 – February 29, 2024

Application Process: For a candidate to be considered for employment, the following materials must be submitted as a complete application to jobs@ninepbs.org:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• 3 Professional References

Provide a word document that includes responses to the following three questions:

1. What have you read in this job posting that is interesting and inspiring to you? (no more than 150 words)
2. How are you uniquely qualified to enhance the Nine PBS team and our work? (no more than 150 words)
3. One of Nine PBS’s organizational priorities is to foster an inclusive culture that values belonging and connection. Please provide an example of a time when you reinforced these priorities. (no more than 150 words)

Nine PBS

As an essential community institution, Nine PBS magnifies and deepens understanding of our community to help our region flourish. We tell stories that move us. We meet people where they are the most comfortable consuming content. Nine PBS’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine PBS KIDS®, Nine PBS World, and Nine PBS Create), ninepbs.org, social media, the free PBS Video App, streaming services, live and virtual events, and the Public Media Commons. Since 1954, Nine PBS has accepted the community’s invitation into their homes, schools, and businesses. Follow Nine PBS on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.