Executive Vice President of Development (EVP)

WABE is Atlanta’s choice for NPR, PBS, and local news and storytelling. We inform, inspire, reflect, and empower greater Atlanta to drive community belonging, stoke civic participation, and advance equity. WABE is a non-profit, public media service broadcasting and streaming via WABE90.1FM, WABE TV, WABE.org, and numerous podcasts and digital offerings.

WABE is growing our operation to strengthen the local newsroom, ramp up original storytelling and reach audiences on every vital digital platform. In our 75th year, it’s time to elevate our operation and grow our major donor support, philanthropic grant support and collaborations in the community. An Executive Vice President of Development will be a critical leadership position to help us achieve our strategic plan of “doubling down on the ATL” and “amplifying Atlanta” to the world.

For more information on the broadcast service, programming and opportunities, please visit www.wabe.org

Executive Vice President of Development (EVP)

The EVP of Development is responsible for planning, managing, and executing a comprehensive, diversified, and strategic advancement and communications effort that sustains and grows revenues from all constituents including individual donors, foundation giving, planned giving, and special events. This role, reports to WABE’s CEO and leads development of WABE’s effort to cultivate and systematically increase the number of transformational gifts to the organization to support the WABE’s strategic plan. Responsibilities include driving fundraising efforts, overseeing engagement, solicitation, and stewardship of prospective and current donors across WABE’s multi-channel campaigns. WABE multi-channel campaigns include radio, television, podcasts, digital, direct mail, email, targeted ads, telephone, and texting, as well as targeted programming to retain and deepen donor relationships.  This position will also stay in tune with national benchmarking data, attend public media webinars, learn from colleagues at other public radio and TV stations. 

The successful candidate will have a proven track record for fundraising, leadership, collaboration and staff development and a range of skill sets including effective donor cultivation and networking, oral and written communications, knowledge of donor research and CRM systems, board engagement, and presentation development and delivery.

Accountabilities:

  • Develop and implement both annual and major giving plans to successfully meet established fundraising goals and objectives.
  • Works to achieve annual revenue goals for fiscal year.
  • Collaborate with the CEO, and Development Committee to develop strategies and achieve goals in both annual and major giving (developing donor lists, cultivation strategies, events/meetings, and points of contact).
  • Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and prospects to grow, strengthen, and nurture donor base.
  • Maintain a portfolio of leadership donors to various funds, including capital projects, restricted funds, and event sponsorship.
  • Oversee team responsible for gift processing by ensuring policies, systems and procedures are built on ethical standards for soliciting and reporting.
  • Supervises managers in the implementation of all fundraising efforts; oversees key projects, processes and performance reports, data and analysis.
  • Leads a team of 12 across all fundraising efforts within membership.
  • Develops, proposes and implements fundraising strategies across fundraising techniques consistent with overall organizational objectives; analyzes in-house, marketing, survey and industry data, trends, and experiences to assist in the development of long-term strategies; maintains knowledge about the external environment as it relates to fundraising in the broadcasting industry and in general.
  • Aggressively seeks new funding sources and maintains relationships with current/past donors; represents organization in meetings with potential funding sources; maintains strong relationships and ties within related professional organizations/associations.
  • Builds and maintains relationships with donors (individual and foundations); builds a support system within the department for stewardship of these relationships.
  • Lead outreach efforts – research, list-building, relationship-building – for major gifts programs and projects as assigned.
  • Execute strategy to cultivate highest potential donors and report regularly on results.
  • Engage in personal networking and leverage the capacity of other team members, senior management, and the board of directors to make contacts and engage, secure and retain donors.
  • Leverages data from the CRM system to build target donor profiles and key strategies to reach them.
  • Assess current CRM system and growth needs for efficient and strategic development, reporting, workflows, and processes.
  • Coordinates and works on WABE’s participation in community events in order to enhance individual & community relationships and build station visibility and extend brand.
  • Works with other station leaders in the development and monitoring of budgets and financial performance, providing reports and data as needed for financial monitoring and projection.
  • Reviews, analysis of activities, costs, operations, and forecast data to determine department or division progress toward stated goals and objectives.
  • Participates in Board and fundraising committee meetings, providing information and making presentations as needed.
  • Conduct state-of-the-system research on PBS and NPR sites as well as Pledge Chat, Greater Public, Trac Media, etc. for best practices for membership programs and stewardship.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Master’s degree or equivalent; or eight (+) years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Proven analytical skills and ability in developing programs and communications as well as critical analyses of trends and data. Prior fundraising and development management coupled with marketing experience preferable. Proven organizational skills with demonstrated ability to maintain successful interpersonal relationships with contributors, volunteers, board and staff. Ability to develop, project manage and meet a multimillion-dollar budget and to make data-driven decisions. Knowledge/experience in donor prospecting, research methods, database systems and techniques and strategy necessary.

Qualifications:

  • An energetic, forward-thinking, and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional image.
  • Must possess sound technical skills, analytical ability, good judgment and strong operational focus.
  • A well-organized and self-directed individual who is “politically savvy” and a team player.
  • Successful candidates will possess strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills and possess the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
  • Ability to analyze fundraising results and amend strategies/plans based on findings.
  • Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate a complex work environment.
  • Commitment to delivering excellent internal and external customer service.
  • Ability to work collaboratively to design and build a new program from the ground up.
  • Experience working with various technologies including advanced knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office Suite, database and project management software, and CRM systems.
  • Ability to manage and inspire teams to work collaboratively.
  • Desire to support and promote an inclusive work environment and cultivate strong, productive relationships across internal WABE departments.
  • Must be able to reprioritize projects quickly based on changing needs and new opportunities.
  • A curious mind and natural desire to develop, test and evaluate new strategies is essential.
  • Strong multi-tasker and ability to produce products from start to finish effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Individuals may need to sit or stand as needed. May require walking primarily on a level surface for periodic periods throughout the day. Reaching above shoulder heights, below the waist or lifting as required (up to 5 lbs.), filing documents or store materials throughout the workday. Proper lifting techniques required. For the most part ambient room temperatures, lighting and traditional office equipment as found in a typical office environment.