Donor Engagement Officer

Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR), the nonprofit public media company of Western North Carolina, is searching for a Donor Engagement Officer. The individual in this position is a member of Blue Ridge Public Radio’s development team responsible for advancing donor engagement, stewardship, and fundraising strategies, with a primary focus on Leadership Circle donors ($1,200 or more annually). Through personalized outreach, portfolio management, and strategic communications, this position supports revenue growth, donor retention, multi-year commitments, and long-term philanthropic investment in BPR’s mission.

The Donor Engagement Officer manages a portfolio of current and prospective donors, deepens engagement across giving levels, and identifies opportunities to expand major gift support. Serving as a trusted ambassador for BPR, this fundraiser builds meaningful relationships that strengthen philanthropy and advance the organization’s impact throughout Western North Carolina.

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Director of Donor Engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, nonprofit management, business, public relations, marketing, or a related field; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
• Five years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, donor relations, membership, sales, account management, or related field.
• Demonstrated success securing major gifts, philanthropic investments, or high-value sales that strengthened organizational sustainability.
• Strong knowledge of major gift fundraising, donor stewardship, relationship management, and moves management principles.
• Demonstrated proficiency with CRM systems, donor databases, wealth screening tools, and fundraising analytics.
• Exceptional listening skills and strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication abilities.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Demonstrated commitment to mission-driven work and building authentic donor relationships.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain discretion, and represent BPR with professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality in donor and community settings.

Working Conditions

• Local travel throughout BPR’s 14-county service area for donor meetings, station events, and community engagement.
• Regular in-office presence to support collaboration, relationship management, and departmental goals.
• Occasional evening and weekend work required to support donor cultivation, stewardship, and special events.
• Ability to travel independently throughout the service area.
• Prolonged periods of sitting and computer use, with occasional standing, walking, and lifting of materials up to 25 pounds.
• Must be able to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through virtual meeting platforms.

Compensation

Annual salary range of $68,000 - $71,000 - Commensurate with Experience
Benefits
Medical Insurance (80% paid), Dental Insurance (80% paid), Vision Insurance (80% paid), Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life Insurance, Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Leave, Paid Holidays, 403(b) Retirement Plan with 5% Match, Phone/Internet Stipend, Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Culture
Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) exists to provide Western North Carolinians with a deeper understanding of one another and the world - by being an essential, independent source of trusted news and cultural content.

BPR is an independent, nonprofit news and media organization producing award-winning journalism and cultural programming that inspires, informs, connects, and reflects the people and places of Western North Carolina. Our two broadcast services and digital platforms reach more than 650,000 people across 14 Appalachian counties.

BPR’s blind initial screening process helps ensure fairness in hiring. Personal identifiers (such as name, gender, age, race, and educational institutions) are removed from initial materials so our review focuses only on each candidate’s skills and experience. This is one of the ways that we actively advance diversity, equity, and inclusion across our operations. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as members of traditionally underrepresented or underserved communities.

Responsibilities
What you’ll do at BPR

Essential Responsibilities

Donor Relationship Management and Engagement

• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors and qualified prospects through personalized cultivation, gift requests, stewardship, and engagement strategies.
• Develop meaningful donor relationships through meetings, communications, events, and individualized cultivation plans that align donor interests with BPR priorities.
• Strengthen donor retention and long-term philanthropic investment through thoughtful stewardship, recognition, and donor experience initiatives.
• Maintain accurate donor records, build queries, and generate reports in BPR’s RevCRM to inform fundraising strategy and decision-making.
• Plan and facilitate donor gatherings, station events, and community engagement opportunities.

Major Gifts and Leadership Circle

• Identify, qualify, cultivate, request, and steward major gift prospects and donors.
• Develop strategies that move donors through the giving journey and increase philanthropic investment, prioritizing meaningful, high-impact donor visits with qualified prospects.
• Analyze donor engagement, giving history, and publicly available information to identify and qualify new major gift opportunities.
• Collaborate with development leadership to establish and achieve major gift fundraising goals.
• Prepare donor correspondence, proposals, gift agreements, and other fundraising materials.
• Support planned giving conversations and legacy giving initiatives, as appropriate.
• Manage a Leadership Circle portfolio, monitor fundraising performance, and provide regular reports on donor activity and progress toward goals.
• Organize and coordinate Leadership Circle portfolios for the CEO/General Manager and Director of Donor Engagement.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Collaborate with development, audience, and content teams to ensure consistent donor messaging and engagement strategies.
• Support on-air fundraising campaigns, membership initiatives, and special projects.
• Integrate donor engagement opportunities into station programming, community outreach, and organizational activities.
• Promote a culture of philanthropy among staff, volunteers, board members, and community partners.
• Serve as an internal resource on donor interests, fundraising trends, and relationship management best practices.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate donor records by documenting meaningful interactions, philanthropic interests, donor-shared preferences, and strategic next steps while ensuring compliance with organizational policies and donor confidentiality standards.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and materials for fundraising-related meetings and public speaking engagements.
• Stay informed about philanthropic best practices, fundraising trends, and developments in public media.
• Participate in departmental planning, budget discussions, and strategic initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Development Department and BPR’s mission.

Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in related field OR equivalent work experience
Physically work in Asheville office (not remote)
Authorized to work in the US without sponsorship
Accept a background check to be performed
English
Knowledge in: Microsoft Office
Knowledge in: CRM Experience
Equal Opportunity Employer
Blue Ridge Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Blue Ridge Public Radio are based on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, generation, family or parental status, national origin, age, disability, military or veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.

Requisition #cmqqwal2vnsnd0ilh9a6uzsxm