Summary: Spotlight PA is seeking a Major Gifts Director based in the Pittsburgh area to lead individual major gift fundraising for its award-winning nonprofit newsroom. The mission of Spotlight PA is to hold powerful private and public forces to account by producing nonpartisan investigative and public-service journalism that gets results and serves the public good. Spotlight PA has the largest collaborative local journalism network of its kind in the United States, with stories regularly republished across 125+ partner newsrooms, allowing our vital reporting to reach Pennsylvanians in all corners and drive positive change. Spotlight PA is supported by foundations and thousands of individual donors who believe in the value of the work and want to sustain it. In partnership with the American Journalism Project, we are expanding our development team to increase our focus on leadership gifts from individuals giving $25,000+ annually in the Pittsburgh area. Our strong brand, grassroots donor base, compelling mission, and bold strategic plan are assets that the new Major Gifts Director will leverage to achieve success. 

What you’ll do: The Major Gifts Director will lead Spotlight PA’s growth of its major individual giving in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, a vital pillar of our overall long-term revenue strategy and sustainability. We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and results-driven Major Gifts Director to help us meet ambitious targets over the next three years. Both will report to the Deputy Director and be part of a team that will include Major Gifts Directors based in Eastern and Central Pa. The Major Gifts Director will also work closely with the CEO. Responsibilities include:

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors with the capacity to give leadership gifts in different tiers, from $25,000 to $100,000+.
• Create and manage a relational fundraising strategy that identifies prospective major donors early and moves them beyond transactional support.
• Steward existing major donors through timely communications and impact reports related to their areas of interest with a goal of increasing their financial support according to their giving capacity.
• Work collaboratively with the team to identify current donors who could become leadership donors, assisted by wealth screening and other tools. 
• Plan and lead small-group events and other activities in Western Pa. to engage donors in Spotlight PA’s work with a moves management mindset that results in thoughtful and successful solicitations. 
• Collaborate with the team on Spotlight PA’s ambitious community newsroom expansion strategy: currently, we have newsrooms in Berks and State College, with the potential for other newsrooms or locally-based journalists. 
• Create materials for major donors. 
• Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on our team and through fundraising. 

Who we’re looking for: We are seeking an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record (at least 5-8 years of experience) in raising gifts of $25,000 to $100,000+ from individuals for important causes. Applicants should be able to demonstrate results of cultivating donors from first gifts to becoming major donors. Strong organizational and communication skills to track donor progress and ensure regular, individualized communications and touch points are required. An ability to work in a collaborative environment and as part of a positive and productive team is a must. Applicants should have a passion for building relationships on behalf of the organizations they serve, be goal-oriented and a self-starter, and be able to work independently. You must also be committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on our team and through your work. 

This job is full-time and includes benefits. The first two years of these positions are funded by a generous grant from the American Journalism Project. The position is remote — Spotlight PA does not have an office — but applicants should be based in the Pittsburgh area. You should also be willing to travel throughout Western Pa. for donor meetings and events (your travel expenses will be reimbursed). This job is full-time, includes benefits, and offers a competitive salary.

Applicants should include a resume and a one-page cover letter answering the following prompts: 1) What makes you uniquely able to grow Spotlight PA’s major gifts program in Pittsburgh, and how would you do it?; and 2) Tell us about specific examples where your work resulted in major/transformative gifts to a nonprofit. 

We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.