Chief Development Officer
Youth Radio
Oakland, California
Youth Radio, an award-winning youth-driven producer of innovative media, technology and educational resources, seeks an experienced fundraiser and strategist to join our senior leadership team as Chief Development Officer.
The ideal candidate will believe strongly in the bold proposition that today’s young people are powerful creators of stories, and innovative digital technology, not just users or consumers of such products.
Youth Radio’s mission is to secure those opportunities for youth whose voices are missing from the mainstream media landscape by launching them onto career and education pathways with a strong foundation of hands-on training in digital media and technology, complemented by a full array of wrap-around services.
Building on a successful multi-million dollar capital campaign to purchase and transform a downtown Oakland, CA, headquarters into state-of-the-art studios and a cultural arts education center, Youth Radio, with a current annual operating budget of $4 million, is now poised to further scale its products and programs to have greater national and international impact, including, but not limited to,curriculum toolkit dissemination and expanded global correspondent coverage.
Our Chief Development Officer will expand and advance a multi-pronged fundraising program to back Youth Radio’s strategic plan to expand impact on the national and international stage, especially emphasizing growth in the arena of major donors and corporate support.
This position includes a comprehensive health, benefits and vacation package, with a salary at the top of the market, based on experience.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the President/Chief Content Officer under the leadership of the Board of Directors, the Chief Development Officer is a member of the senior leadership team and will have the following primary responsibilities:
Develop and implement annual plans and strategies, including tangible goals and projected timetables for cultivation and solicitation activities to obtain support from major donors, corporations and foundations, with priority focus on increasing individual major donors
Build and expand the major donor and corporate giving programs
Oversee systems and procedures that support fundraising and fund development
Increase Board giving rate
Prospect current donor pool for increased giving potential
Oversee direct mail and grant application processes
Conceptualize and produce fundraising events
Coordinate and support the Fundraising Committee of the Board of Directors on prospecting, cultivation activities, and solicitation strategies
Collaborate with staff on major fundraising initiatives
Supervise a team of 4-5 staff
Knowledge, Skills and Qualifications
Minimum 10-12 years development/fundraising experience in a non-profit setting required, at an increasingly senior level.
Proven ability and deep knowledge of best practices in fundraising, including familiarity with state-of-the-art digital fundraising tools and techniques
Demonstrated experience providing staff supervision and evaluation
A team player, who has the capacity to mentor staff and board members on effective fundraising strategies
Superior written and oral communication skills. The candidate must be able to strategize, write, and edit proposals and reports to Youth Radio’s high internal standard and communicate easily with colleagues and potential donors.
Capacity to balance multiple priorities and pressures in a fast-paced work environment with exceptional attention to detail
Strong computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and experience with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, preferably Salesforce
Bachelor’s degree required from an accredited college or university and experience in a media environment or youth development sector a plus
More About Youth Radio
Youth Radio continually pushes the boundaries of innovation with its state-of-the-art studios and recently created Innovation Lab, a partnership with MIT, sponsored by a $1.7M grant from the National Science Foundation. This project connects young people with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals to develop new interactive media tools and tell dynamic stories about issues they face in their communities.
Youth Radio is NPR’s official Youth Desk. Youth Radio’s Newsroom distributes the nation’s leading youth-produced media for massive audiences through its extensive networks that include NPR, commercial radio outlets, The Huffington Post, National Geographic, SanFrancisco Chronicle, and more. Youth radio also partners with prestigious organizations andcompanies engaged in media technology development such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley,Mozilla, Smule, Apple, Google, and[[http:Ask.com|Ask.com]].
Youth Radio has earned the highest journalism awards in the industry, including two Peabody Awards, four Edward R. Murrow awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Award, The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Award, the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award, the MacArthur Award, and numerous others.
Based in the Bay Area, with networks in Washington, DC, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, Youth Radio seeks to scale programs and impact nationally and internationally in the coming years with its innovative media education and workforce pathway model. Our Oakland headquarters plays an integral role in the regional economy by increasing the high school graduation and postsecondary matriculation rates of our 14-24 year old participants, employing them in our media production company, and deploying them into jobs in the digital marketing, communications, and technology sectors.
How to apply
Application Instructions
At a minimum, all applications should include a resume, cover letter, and recent salary history. Email applications to hr@youthradio.org.
PLEASE PUT “Chief Development Officer” in subject line. No calls please.
Youth Radio is committed to maintaining a diverse, multi-cultural working environment, women and peopleof color strongly encouraged to apply.