About the Company

The Venetoulis Institute is a nonprofit organization founded to bring high-quality local journalism to the Baltimore metro area. We started on this journey because local news is under siege across the country, with many news organizations either shutting down, downsizing to survive, or being bought out by hedge funds focusing on the bottom line. Despite Baltimore’s proud history of great journalism, our region’s publications have not been spared the realities of the news industry.

We are creating a vibrant, strong, trustworthy, and sustainable news organization to fulfill our mission. We are seeking to re-imagine what a news organization for the future looks like and will be launching The Baltimore Banner, a multi-platform news operation covering a broad range of topics from local government to culture and the arts.

About the Job:

Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the Director of Philanthropy and Operations will play a lead role in shaping the development programs and operations of the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, serving as an agile and knowledgeable thought-partner for the CPO. The position will have a dual focus – to design and implement programs and systems that contribute to the Institute attaining its annual fundraising goals and maximizing its potential, and working directly with prospects, both individuals and foundations/partner organizations to raise lead gifts that enhance and strengthen the editorial arm of the Baltimore Banner. Duties will include oversight of the operations functions for the Institute (donor database, gift accounting/stewardship, prospect research), helping to set and modulate the philanthropic strategy for the Institute, and managing a portfolio of donors toward annual solicitation and dollar goals. As the nature of building the operation is fluid, these responsibilities may be subject to adjustment.

 Responsibilities:

  • Manage a portfolio of prospects toward annual revenue and solicitation goals in service of the overall philanthropic goals of the Institute
  • Participate in setting high-level donor strategies that involve and meaningfully engage the CEO, Chairman, Editor in Chief, and other leaders as needed
  • Work in close collaboration with the CPO, Editor in Chief, and the Newsroom staff to set priorities for topics, themes, and programs that align with external sources of funding (individuals, foundations, partner organizations)
  • Work with the CPO, CMO, Editor, and others to plan and execute engagement events for founding benefactors of the Venetoulis Institute and Baltimore Banner, refining the tiered/premium offerings for high-level donors as the program grows
  • Put into place and manage systems, including Salesforce and appropriate systems for prospect tracking, research, reporting/accountability, donor stewardship, and marketing/engagement
  • Coordinate with the Advertising Sales division on corporate approaches that involve philanthropy or in-kind support
  • Work with the Chief Philanthropy Officer to set and adjust the fundraising strategies for the Institute
  • Recruit, hire, and train a small but agile team of development professionals with a distinct focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and opportunity
  • As needed, help manage the preparation and maintenance of organizational information for public reporting purposes, examples including the Institute’s IRS Form 990 and GuideStar listings, and others as they arise
  • Support the work of the board of trustees for the Institute in conjunction with the CPO and CEO; prospect for, research, and help bring on new board members. Develop ancillary volunteer structures as the program evolves
  • Other duties as the game plan evolve; flexibility is critical in a startup environment


Requirement:

  • The ideal candidate will have 7-10 years of progressively responsible development/fundraising experience, preferably in a nonprofit setting
  • Prior experience in nonprofit journalism or media organizations is desired. Additionally, experience working in the Baltimore area is strongly preferred
  • Bachelors’ Degree required. Masters’ Degree preferred
  • Candidates should have a wide range of skill sets, including a dynamic personality, depth of analytical abilities, skill, and facility interpreting data to inform fundraising strategy and process revision
  • Excellent organizational and project management skills
  • Versatile engagement style within all levels of a team, from senior executives and c-suite external constituents to staff at all levels of the Institute
  • Ability to serve as an effective manager and coach to team members
  • Utmost integrity concerning handling confidential information regarding donors and editorial content and strategy.
  • Infectious drive to succeed is positive and motivating for team members and colleagues
  • Self-awareness, intellectual sensitivity, versatility, and initiative

 

The Venetoulis Institute embraces diversity and inclusion, and we are wholeheartedly committed to being proactive in inspiring a culture of inclusion across our organization. We are dedicated to establishing an organization that reflects the fundamental respect for different ways of working and living, and we assure every employee the opportunity to reach their full potential.

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