Description

WTTW (Chicago PBS) and WFMT (Classical radio) are seeking an Associate Director of Development. The Associate Director supports the Development Department’s $20M annual revenue goals by helping secure $3–5M annually from institutional funders, including foundations, corporations, and select government entities, in support of Window to the World Communications (WTTW and WFMT) local journalism, arts and culture programming, educational initiatives, and public media productions. This writing-intensive role manages a high volume of grant proposals and reports, coordinates information across departments to meet complex deadlines, contributes to institutional fundraising strategy, and manages and stewards a portfolio of funders in collaboration with senior development staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
        -Serve as the team’s primary grant writer, preparing letters of intent, proposals, budgets, grant applications, follow-up materials, acknowledgment letters, and stewardship reports to institutional funders.

        -Manage the production process for grants, coordinating information from program, finance, and leadership staff to ensure proposals and reports are accurate, compelling, and submitted on time. 

        -Support senior development staff in managing a portfolio of corporate, foundation, and government funders by preparing briefing materials, coordinating meetings and preparing senior staff for donor interactions, and ensuring fulfillment of funder benefits, including accurate recognition and ongoing stewardship. 

       -Conduct prospect research to identify potential funders and develop recommendations for cultivation and solicitation strategies.

        -Maintain accurate funder relationship and moves management records in the organization’s development database and assist with reporting and tracking.

        -Collaborate across departments, including programming, finance, and membership, to gather information and align fundraising priorities.

        -Contribute to cultivation and stewardship activities, including donor events and engagement opportunities, on occasional nights and weekends. 

        -Contribute to a collaborative, mission-driven fundraising team working to expand support for public media. 

Requirements

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
    -Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex program information into clear and compelling proposals and reports. 

    -Strong organizational and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.

    -Detail-oriented with excellent follow-through.

    -Comfortable working in a collaborative environment and supporting senior leadership, development colleagues, and program producers in donor engagement efforts.

    -Strong research and analytical skills.

    -Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort working with nonprofit CRM/database systems.

    -Experience with document layout or visual presentation tools (e.g., PowerPoint, Canva, Adobe, etc.).

EXPERIENCE:
       -Must have 3-5 years of professional grant writing experience, with a demonstrated track record of securing foundation, corporate, or government funding.

       -Experience coordinating complex projects or managing multiple deadlines.

       -Experience using nonprofit databases to track donor activity, proposals, and reporting.

 EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree; advanced degree a plus.