Major Gifts Manager

States Newsroom; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vacation and leave

Parental leave

401K match

Volunteer time

Cell phone stipend

Wellness benefits

Job summary

States Newsroom seeks a proactive Major Gifts Manager to build and manage a national major gifts program across state-based newsrooms. You will cultivate, solicit, and steward donors, manage 100–150 relationships, and collaborate with editors to identify opportunities for support.

The role emphasizes donor research, strategic systems, and strong relationships with high-net-worth individuals. Remote work is allowed; travel 10–15% is anticipated.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of fundraising experience, ideally in front-line major gifts.
• Proven track record of soliciting and closing major gifts.
• Ability to craft donor-centric communications.
• Strong relationship building across stakeholders.
• Creative and proactive approach to fundraising.
• Team player with a solutions-oriented attitude.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a major gifts strategy aligned with long-term growth.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 100–150 donors and prospects.
• Analyze donor data to identify trends and inform strategy.
• Draft donor communications including proposals and reports.
• Establish stewardship activities including events and donor reports.
• Represent the organization at donor events; 10–15% travel.

Skills

Donor cultivation

Donor stewardship

Prospect research

CRM systems

Wealth screening tools

Relationship management

Communication skills

Tools

CRM platforms

Wealth screening tools

Job description

States Newsroom is seeking a proactive, creative and experienced fundraiser to help build and manage a major gifts program for our national organization and state-based newsrooms.

States Newsroom is the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, with reporting from every capital. Our work provides key insight on policy and politics at no cost to the reader — no pop-ups, paywalls or ads. States Newsroom employs more than 230 full-time editors, reporters, and support staff covering 39 states; in the remaining 11 states, we partner with and support already-established nonprofit newsrooms. As we look to diversify revenue streams and ensure long-term sustainability, we are seeking an experienced and effective Major Gifts Manager to launch a formalized major gifts program, and establish the strategy and systems that will support a robust and growing portfolio of donors across our network.

Reporting to the Development Director, this position can be based anywhere in the United States, and will play a critical role in growing donor support and major gifts, which we currently define as $1,000 and above. The Major Gifts Manager will have strong experience with donor cultivation and stewardship, prospect research and new donor identification, and implementing systems that support a growing individual giving program. This position is a highly collaborative and relationship-driven role, working internally across our newsrooms and directly in partnership with state editors to identify opportunities for support. Ideally, the person in this role is strongly aligned with our mission and understands the critical role of local and state news; experience working at nonprofit newsrooms or in the media field is a plus, although not required.

If you are a highly strategic and proactive fundraiser who is energized by creating systems, building a portfolio, and cultivating trusted relationships with donors across the country who are committed to supporting state and local journalism, this role is for you!

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Development Director and other key staff to develop and execute a major gifts strategy that supports States Newsroom’s long-term vision and growth
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors, and manage an initial portfolio of 100-150 donors and prospects
• Analyze donor data to identify trends and inform major giving strategies
• Draft donor communications including proposals, reports, acknowledgements and other correspondence
• In collaboration with the Development team, establish a stewardship strategy that includes events, webinars, donor-specific impact reports and other communications
• Represent States Newsroom at donor events, conferences, and other gatherings; 10-15% travel anticipated

Qualifications & Compensation

We’re looking for someone who demonstrates:

• At least 3-5 years of successful fundraising experience at nonprofit organizations, ideally in front-line fundraising roles focused on soliciting major gifts
• Demonstrated track record of personally soliciting and closing major gifts, and experience building and managing a major gifts portfolio and pipeline of prospects
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and an ability to craft compelling and effective donor-centric communications
• Strong relationship building skills, highly collaborative, and comfortable with a variety of stakeholders, especially high net worth individuals, as well as working internally with colleagues across editorial, finance, and operations
• Creative, out-of-the-box thinker, who is comfortable in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
• Strong team player, with a can-do and solutions-oriented attitude
• Understanding of DAFs and community foundations are highly preferred
• Familiarity with wealth screening tools, CRM platforms, and database systems
• Experience working at nonprofit newsrooms or in journalism is preferred but not required

The salary range for this role is $85,000 – $95,000 and is commensurate with experience. Our generous benefits package includes:

• Platinum-level healthcare options with premiums covered 100% for employees ( and a majority of medical premiums covered for qualified dependents)
• 4 weeks of vacation per year
• 2 weeks of personal leave per year
• 11 paid holidays per year
• 20 hours of paid volunteer time per year
• $75 monthly cell phone reimbursement
• $200 cell phone replacement benefit every two years
• $75 monthly fitness benefit
• 401K with up to 3% match
• 12 weeks of parental leave
• Full-service EAP

Authorization to work in the United States is required. At this time, States Newsroom is unable to provide visa sponsorship.

About Our Culture

States Newsroom is dedicated to producing journalism at all levels — from quick hit to investigative — but not at the expense of burning out its employees. We are supportive, exciting, welcoming and positive. We believe in creating sustainable careers for journalists on the crucial state government beat.

States Newsroom’s mission is to connect people to the power that shapes their daily lives through relentless reporting and incisive commentary on state government and policy. Journalism is a powerful force for social change, uniquely suited to challenging systemic inequality and racism. Our goal is to build an organization that fulfills that mission.

At States Newsroom, we believe we strengthen our work and improve our insights when we incorporate the perspectives of people who come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences. We are committed to diversity and prioritize equity in all recruiting and hiring. We are always working to better represent our communities and are supported in these efforts by a network-wide Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice committee.