Philanthropy Officer

About Chicago Public Media

Home to WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Public Media is the largest local non-profit news organization in the country. WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times serve more than 2 million people weekly across broadcast, print, and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, we aspire to become the essential and most trusted news source that Chicago turns to each day for understanding the people, events, and ideas that shape our community.

WBEZ is home to local and national news programming as well as a growing portfolio of popular podcasts. WBEZ serves the community with fact-based, objective news and information, and its award-winning journalists ask tough questions, dig deep for answers and expose truths that spark change and foster understanding. WBEZ is supported by more than 86,000 members, hundreds of corporate sponsors and major donors. In 2022, WBEZ received more than 20 awards for its journalism, including two prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Chicago Sun-Times is Chicago’s oldest continuously published daily newspaper serving Chicago and is known for its hard-hitting investigative reporting, in-depth political coverage, timely behind-the-scenes sports analysis, and insightful entertainment and cultural coverage. Chicago Sun-Times is the winner of eight Pulitzer Prizes and countless other awards.  In recent years, the Sun-Times has focused on a digital transformation to deliver its news and content to a growing digital audience. Most recently, the Sun-Times dropped the paywall on suntimes.com to expand access to its journalism, and shifted to a community-funded digital membership program supported by voluntary member donations. 

Chicago Public Media believes independent journalism is essential to a well-functioning democracy and access to fact-based, objective news and information is a right of every citizen. We serve the public interest by creating diverse, compelling content that informs, inspires, and enriches. We connect diverse audiences and help them make a difference in the community, the region and the world.  And, we employ 300+ staff who want to belong to an organization that inspires, supports, and challenges them to do their best work.

For more information, please see the Chicago Public Media Annual Report.

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.

Working at Chicago Public Media

At Chicago Public Media, we care deeply about our employees as we know attracting, developing, and growing talent is key to our success and enhancing our impact.  

Our culture is one where collaboration, diversity of ideas, and innovation are encouraged.  We value colleagues who will enhance our culture by bringing new ideas, divergent experiences, and talents to our dynamic workplace.

At Chicago Public Media we believe dedication to a great workplace includes supporting our employees and their families. As a result, we provide a broad and generous benefits package for employees at hire and in the years to come.

Our benefits include a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, vacation, holidays, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement savings, and a commuter benefits plan.

Chicago Public Media is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we actively seek and welcome people from all backgrounds, orientations, and life experiences to join our team.

The essential functions described above are not all-inclusive and are not intended to create any contractual or other legal commitment. Chicago Public Media may change the content or format of this job at any time in its sole and exclusive discretion without notice.