Senior Director of Institutional Advancement

Location: WGTE Public Media, Toledo, Ohio Salary: $105,000-$115,000/year Position Summary: Leads WGTE's institutional advancement efforts with a primary focus on cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors to advance the organization's mission and longterm financial sustainability. Provides strategic leadership for fundraising initiatives and coordinates cross-functional advancement efforts by working in partnership with the leaders of Member Services, Business Development, Marketing/Communications, and the contracted Grants Administrator to align fundraising, membership, sponsorship, grant, and communication strategies with organizational priorities. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Major Gifts and Philanthropic Development Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospective donors. Build and maintain long-term relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations, and community leaders to increase philanthropic support. Partner with the President & CEO on leadership gifts, major gift solicitations, and transformational giving opportunities. Develop and expand planned giving initiatives to strengthen long-term financial sustainability. Maintain an active portfolio of major donor prospects and establish strategies for donor cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship. Fundraising and Institutional Advancement Strategy Align the organization's overall fundraising strategy, including annual giving, membership growth initiatives, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, underwriting, and grants. Coordinate institutional advancement initiatives across Member Services, Business Development, Marketing/Communications, and the contracted Grants Administrator to ensure alignment with organizational priorities. Partner with Member Services to develop strategies that retain existing members, recruit new members, and expand Benefactor Circle participation. Identify new philanthropic, corporate, and community funding opportunities that diversify and strengthen revenue. Monitor fundraising performance and recommend strategies that maximize contributed revenue. Stakeholder Engagement and Community Partnerships Represent WGTE with major donors, corporate leaders, foundation representatives, government officials, sponsors, and community partners. Cultivate strategic partnerships that strengthen philanthropic investment and community engagement. Serve as an ambassador for WGTE by building relationships that advance the organization's mission and visibility throughout the region. Philanthropic Events and Donor Engagement Provide strategic leadership for philanthropic events that support donor cultivation, stewardship, and fundraising objectives. Collaborate with internal staff, volunteers, sponsors, and community partners to develop and execute fundraising events that strengthen donor relationships and increase philanthropic support. Partner with Marketing/Communications and Business Development to ensure fundraising events align with organizational messaging, sponsorship opportunities, and community engagement goals. Work with the President & CEO to identify opportunities for donor recognition, cultivation, and stewardship through special events and organizational activities. Evaluate the effectiveness of philanthropic events and recommend strategies to enhance donor engagement, financial performance, and community impact. Marketing, Communications and Cross-Department Collaboration Partner with the Marketing/Communications team to align messaging and campaigns with fundraising and donor engagement strategies. Collaborate with Business Development and Member Services to support sponsorship, membership, and donor initiatives. Coordinate cross-functional advancement efforts that promote consistent messaging, donor stewardship, and organizational priorities. Collaborate with organizational leadership to utilize audience research and community feedback in support of fundraising and advancement planning. Strategic Leadership and Vision Collaborate with the President & CEO to develop and implement institutional advancement strategies that support WGTE's mission and long-term sustainability. Serve as the organization's senior leader for institutional advancement, ensuring coordinated fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorship, membership, grants, and community outreach efforts. Advise the President & CEO on fundraising priorities, philanthropic trends, and major donor opportunities. Additional Responsibilities Perform other duties as assigned by the President & CEO. Supervisory Responsibilities: Provides functional supervision of the Business Development and Institutional Advancement Specialist in collaboration with the Head of Regional Business Development and Partnerships. Required Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited four-year college or university in fields such as business administration, marketing, communications or related field. Three to five years of progressively responsible fundraising or institutional advancement experience, including major gift development and donor stewardship. Working knowledge of, and proficiency with, donor management software and Microsoft Office platforms. Strong public speaking and stakeholder engagement skills. Demonstrated success in securing and managing grants and fundraising initiatives. Preferred Qualifications: Advanced degrees in public or business administration, nonprofit leadership, media management, marketing and communications, or a related field. Experience working in or with public broadcasting or educational media organizations. Developed network of key business, government, and other non-profit leaders within the community. Five to seven years of progressively responsible fundraising or institutional advancement experience. Application: Submit a rsum and cover letter to employment@wgte.org. For full consideration, apply by September 4, 2026.
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