Job Description

The Poynter Institute seeks a talented development professional responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding contributions from new and existing donors in support of Poynter’s mission.

Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, the Associate Director of Development will manage a portfolio of donors and prospective donors, raising private support from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Associate Director of Development will be an integral member of Poynter’s team, seeking private support for Poynter’s key priorities across Poynter, including sponsorships for Poynter’s annual fundraising event, the Bowtie Ball. 

This newly created position seizes on the momentum of seven straight years of growth at Poynter and coincides with Poynter’s upcoming 50th anniversary in 2025. 

Essential Responsibilities and Duties: 

Identification, Cultivation, Fundraising, Stewardship, Operations & Relationship Management 

• Strengthen and diversify Poynter’s fundraising program by expanding Poynter’s donor base of individuals, corporations, and foundations. 
• Identify new prospective donors and manage a prospect portfolio of both new and existing prospects/donors across the Tampa Bay community. 
• Develop engagement, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies within a projected 3, 6, 12, and 18-month timeline. 
• Meet and exceed fundraising goals, as determined annually during the organizational budgeting process. 
• Support annual fundraising goals across the Institute including significant focus and responsibility for raising sponsorships for the annual Poynter’s Bowtie Ball.
• Communicate Poynter’s mission, impact, and funding priorities effectively to inspire philanthropic and sponsorship support. 
• Maintain development system and record-keeping procedures to track current and prospective donors' contributions and engagement activities.
• Ensure timely and personalized acknowledgment of gifts, including ongoing stewardship to foster donor loyalty and engagement. 
• Provide support for donor-related events, meetings, and communications, including Poynter’s Bowtie Ball.
• Be available to attend events in the community, representing Poynter.
• Provide relevant feedback regarding fundraising initiatives and contribute ideas and suggestions.
• Assist in special fundraising projects and targeted initiatives, as assigned. 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree required, Master's degree preferred. 
• 5 years of relevant professional fundraising experience at a non-profit, educational institution, or healthcare foundation is preferred. 
• Knowledge of the greater Tampa Bay philanthropic landscape and experience preferred. 
• Understand the mission, programs, and priorities of the Poynter Institute.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and describe funding priorities to a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders. 
• Proficiency with fundraising/development databases, including CRMs.
• Knowledge of marketing strategies, including social media platforms, is a plus. 

About Poynter:  

The Poynter Institute, founded in 1975, is a non-profit organization supporting journalists, newsrooms, businesses, technology companies, and people within our communities to convene - finding solutions that promote trust and transparency in the news and stoke meaningful public discourse - strengthening democracies in the U.S. and around the globe. 

Poynter is the home of PolitiFact the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking organization; MediaWise, an innovative, peer-to-peer digital media literacy program, that partners with the leading technology platforms and operates currently in seven different countries; and the International Fact-Checking Network, (IFCN) which supports and certifies more than 150 fact-checking platforms around the globe. Each program’s mission is to teach, empower, and convene communities around excellent journalism. Poynter strives to create healthier, sustainable information ecosystems, build trust in journalism, and strengthen democracies throughout the world.

In addition to salary, we offer:

• Excellent professional development opportunities and the ability to progress in both your craft and career
• Benefits offerings to include medical, dental, vision plans, and life insurance
• Paid holidays
• One of the better-paid parental leave plans in journalism
• The last two weeks of the calendar year off

EOE

Annual salary range: $65,000-$75,000, commensurate with experience

Applicant Instructions/How to Apply: 

For consideration, interested applicants should submit the following: 

• cover letter
• resumé
• three (3) professional references

Please send to the following email address for consideration:  [email protected]

Resumés will be accepted until the position is filled

This position will work in a hybrid model, out of our St. Petersburg, Florida office. Therefore, preference will be given to candidates residing in the Greater Tampa Bay Area.

All inquiries are to be directed to Gabe Echazabal, Director of Human Resources & Administration, at [email protected] 

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