Philanthropy Officer

The Opportunity

The Development team at Chicago Public Media plays a central role in the organization’s sustainability and growth. Reporting to the Director of Major and Planned Giving, the Philanthropy Officer will be a member of the frontline fundraising team, responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals for philanthropic support of Chicago Public Media’s mission and objectives. A successful candidate will manage a portfolio of major donors and prospects ($5K+ in annual support) and collaborate with colleagues on volunteer management efforts and other fundraising priorities of the Development team. The Philanthropy Officer will also support the planning and execution of CPM’s Business Leadership Council, composed of top industry leaders from across Chicagoland.

The Philanthropy Officer will possess the following competencies: excellent judgment, strategic thinking, initiative, ability to deal with ambiguity, quality decision-making, integrity and trust, interpersonal savvy, listening, negotiating, presentation skills, priority setting, strategic agility, strong written communication skills, openness to risk, persistence, creativity, and collaboration.

Responsibilities

Frontline Fundraising/Relationship Management (80%)

Build and manage a portfolio of active and prospective major donors with a special focus on members of the business community with the capacity to make gifts of $5K+ annually.
Qualify and prioritize donors for cultivation and solicitation. Develop and successfully implement comprehensive and customized solicitation and engagement strategies to generate, sustain, and upgrade donors and prospects. Create and execute donor-centric cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
Write briefings, proposals, donor correspondence, and updates that shape and reflect fundraising strategies, with support and collaboration from colleagues.
Identify planned giving prospects and partner with the Director of Major and Planned Giving to secure new planned gift intentions and steward existing planned giving donors.
Achieve annual performance metrics including visit targets and revenue goals—to be set each year.

Other Fundraising Activity (20%)

Support the planning and execution of CPM’s Business Leadership Council meetings, in close collaboration with Senior Philanthropy Officer.
Co-create a strategy for deepening relationships with members of the business community.
Keep track of plans and outreach in the Development database to ensure transparency and effective pipeline management. Provide timely follow-up and debriefs after meetings.
Proactively update and track solicitation data and review gift acknowledgments.
Participate in the hands-on, team approach to shaping and executing donor cultivation, engagement, and stewardship opportunities. This includes building invitation lists and partnering on donor events, holiday card mailings, etc.
Actively participate in strategy sessions and help inform colleagues’ major gifts strategies.
Actively build knowledge of CPM and relationships with colleagues across the organization by attending events and activities, reading and listening to CPM journalism, and pursuing other avenues for professional learning and growth.

Skills and Qualifications

3+ years of experience in fundraising or advancement, experience managing a major gifts portfolio required.
Knowledge of fundraising strategy and techniques and an ability and willingness to implement strategy.
Ability to take relationships with donors and prospects to a higher level and to move difficult cases forward.
Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
Excellent interpersonal skills required to relate to donors, volunteers, and colleagues. Must be able to consistently display tact, diplomacy, and discretion, and maintain confidentiality inside and outside of the organization.
Must be a self-starter who is organized, results-driven, solutions- and detail-oriented, and able to prioritize and balance multiple tasks in a fast-paced complex environment.
Demonstrates proficient use of data to shape strategies and approaches to work.
Must have a natural affinity for collaboration, leading through influence, and a high level of emotional intelligence. Must be drawn to a challenge and exhibit the patience necessary to advance solutions in a complex and collaborative organization.
Exercises excellent judgment and models honesty, integrity, and collegiality.
Proficiency with constituent management and fundraising software.
Demonstrates a personal commitment to excellence.

Compensation

The expected pay range for this position is $80,000 to $90,000 per ANNUM.

Chicago Public Media provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the organization reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographical location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.