The client is seeking a Director of Donor Relations to lead individual major gift fundraising for a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region and Western Pennsylvania. The role will focus on building and strengthening individual leadership giving, supporting independent journalism, and engaging an expanding community of donors. The Director of Donor Relations will collaborate closely with senior leadership and will be part of a team with peer directors across other parts of Pennsylvania.
Responsibilities include identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and steward prospective donors capable of making leadership gifts across multiple tiers; creating and managing a relational fundraising strategy that moves prospects beyond transactional support; and stewarding existing major donors through timely communications and impact reporting tied to their interests, with the goal of increasing giving according to donor capacity. The role also involves working with the team to identify current donors who may be ready to become leadership donors (using wealth screening and other tools), planning and leading small-group events and donor engagement activities in Pittsburgh and the broader Western Pennsylvania region, and developing materials for leadership donors.
The client seeks an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record raising individual gifts in the leadership range, typically from $1,000 to $100,000+; demonstrating results from initial cultivation through conversion to major donors; and maintaining strong organizational and communication practices to track progress and ensure regular, individualized outreach. The position requires comfort working collaboratively in a team environment while also performing independently, with a goal-oriented, self-starting mindset. Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through both team efforts and fundraising is expected, and the role will support community newsroom expansion efforts by aligning donor engagement with the organization’s growth plans.