What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Advancement position at WHYY Inc?
SCOPE OF POSITION
WPSU, part of WHYY’s public media network, seeks a strategic and entrepreneurial Director of Advancement to lead and grow philanthropic and revenue-generating programs that support WPSU’s regional public media service.
Based in State College, Pennsylvania, the Director of Advancement will build and lead a comprehensive advancement program that includes major and mid-level gifts, planned giving, grants and foundations, membership, and corporate sponsorship. The Director will develop and execute strategies to strengthen philanthropic support for WPSU’s journalism, educational programming, and community engagement across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.
As WPSU transitions to new ownership by WHYY, this position represents a unique opportunity to build a regional public media fundraising program from the ground up. Advancement activities have historically been managed through Penn State University, and the new organization will establish its own independent development operation.
The Director of Advancement will recruit, hire, and lead a new advancement team while establishing the systems, strategies, and relationships needed to support long-term sustainability.
Working closely with the Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement at WHYY and in partnership with WPSU leadership, the Director will expand donor relationships, deepen community investment in public media, and build sustainable funding streams that advance WPSU’s mission.
This position serves as the primary advancement leader for WPSU and plays a key role in building relationships with donors, foundations, corporate partners, and community leaders across Northern and Central Pennsylvania, strengthening support for regional public media and WPSU’s service to communities throughout the region.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Major and Mid-Level Giving
Develop and implement strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward mid-level and major donors across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.
Manage a personal portfolio of individual donors and prospects with capacity for significant philanthropic investment.
Design and execute donor engagement plans that deepen long-term relationships and philanthropic commitment to WPSU.
Collaborate with WHYY advancement leadership to align fundraising priorities with regional and organizational goals.
Planned Giving
Promote and grow WPSU’s planned giving program.
Educate donors about legacy giving opportunities, including bequests and other planned gift vehicles.
Partner with WHYY advancement leadership to steward legacy society members and cultivate future planned gift donors.
Grants and Foundations
Identify and pursue institutional funding opportunities from regional and national foundations.
Develop compelling proposals and coordinate grant reporting and stewardship.
Maintain strong relationships with foundation program officers and institutional partners supporting public media and community initiatives.
Membership and Annual Giving
Oversee strategies that grow and retain WPSU’s membership base across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.
Collaborate with WHYY membership teams to implement effective on-air, digital, and direct response fundraising campaigns.
Analyze donor data and membership trends to strengthen acquisition, retention, and donor engagement.
Corporate Sponsorship and Underwriting
Lead efforts to secure and expand corporate underwriting and sponsorship revenue.
Cultivate relationships with businesses and organizations throughout Northern and Central Pennsylvania interested in supporting public media.
Develop sponsorship opportunities aligned with WPSU programming, events, and community initiatives.
Leadership and Program Development
Recruit, hire, and manage a new advancement team supporting major gifts, membership, corporate sponsorship, and institutional fundraising.
Build the infrastructure for a comprehensive fundraising program including systems, processes, and donor engagement strategies.
Develop and implement an annual advancement plan aligned with WHYY’s institutional advancement strategy and WPSU’s regional priorities.
Establish fundraising goals, performance metrics, and reporting processes to support long term sustainability.
Represent WPSU at community events, donor gatherings, and regional stakeholder meetings to build visibility and philanthropic engagement.
Collaborate with programming, community engagement, and marketing teams to strengthen the connection between WPSU’s public service mission and philanthropic support.
Qualifications:Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree preferred.
Experience: Seven to ten years of progressive fundraising or advancement experience, preferably in public media, nonprofit organizations, or mission-driven institutions. Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising and donor relationship management. Experience with grant writing and foundation fundraising. Knowledge of membership or annual giving programs. Experience securing corporate sponsorship or underwriting support is preferred. Strong relationship building and communication skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders. Strategic thinker with the ability to manage multiple fundraising programs simultaneously. Experience recruiting, leading, and developing staff is strongly preferred. Familiarity with donor databases and fundraising analytics.
Ability to travel throughout Northern and Central Pennsylvania and attend occasional evening or weekend events
Technical Skills: Must be proficient operating various software programs, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.