Overview
NPR seeks a strategic and entrepreneurial Executive Director of Principal Giving to lead and expand the organization’s principal gifts program. This role will focus on identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors capable of making transformational commitments of $5 million and above. Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Development, the Executive Director will play a central role in building a robust pipeline of principal gift prospects and guiding strategies that align donor passion with NPR’s mission to create a more informed public.
Responsibilities
Principal Gift Strategy
- Lead strategy for NPR’s principal giving program, focusing on gifts of $1M+.
- Work with the Senior Vice President for Development to define fundraising priorities and build compelling philanthropic opportunities aligned with NPR’s journalism, cultural programming, and civic mission.
- Partner with executive leadership to develop bold philanthropic initiatives capable of attracting transformational investment.
Pipeline Development
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline of principal gift prospects, identifying individuals capable of seven- to nine-figure commitments.
- Conduct high-level prospect research and strategy development to uncover new principal-level prospects across media, technology, philanthropy, arts, and civic leadership networks.
- Develop long-term cultivation strategies designed to move prospects from discovery to transformational commitment.
- Collaborate with major gifts, foundation relations, and digital philanthropy teams to identify donors who may evolve into principal gift prospects.
Donor Relationship Management
- Manage a portfolio of 40-50 principal gift prospects and donors.
- Design and execute customized cultivation and solicitation strategies that involve senior leadership, board members, and editorial leaders when appropriate.
- Personally solicit and close principal gifts in partnership with the Senior Vice President and CEO.
- Serve as a trusted partner to NPR’s development leadership, helping translate the organization’s strategic vision into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Coordinate with development colleagues to ensure consistent donor strategy and stewardship.
Stewardship and Long-Term Engagement
- Ensure exceptional stewardship of principal donors through high-touch engagement, impact reporting, and meaningful involvement in NPR’s work.
- Develop long-term engagement strategies that position donors as sustained partners in NPR’s mission.
Qualifications
- Minimum 10–12 years of fundraising experience, including significant experience securing major and principal gifts.
- Demonstrated success soliciting and closing gifts of $1M+, with experience pursuing gifts of $5M+ strongly preferred.
- Proven ability to cultivate relationships with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and philanthropic leaders.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.