Senior Director of Institutional Advancement

Toledo Community Foundation; Toledo (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

WGTE Public Media in Toledo, OH seeks a Senior Director of Institutional Advancement to lead major gifts and donor stewardship, and to align fundraising, membership, sponsorship, and grants with WGTE's mission. The role partners with senior leaders to grow philanthropic support and long-term sustainability.

The position requires strategic leadership, relationship building with donors and foundations, and strong cross-department collaboration to advance WGTE's priorities and community impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in business, communications, or related field.
• 3–5 years of progressively responsible fundraising or institutional advancement experience.
• Proficiency with donor management software and Microsoft Office.
• Strong public speaking and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors.
• Build relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations and community leaders to increase philanthropic support.
• Lead and align fundraising, membership, sponsorship, grant, and communication efforts with organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to advance donor engagement and strategic fundraising initiatives.

Skills

Major Gifts

Donor Stewardship

Stakeholder Engagement

Strategic Leadership

Fundraising Strategy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Donor management software

Job description

Senior Director of Institutional Advancement

Posted: August 12, 2026
Expires: October 11, 2026

WGTE Public Media

Leads WGTE's institutional advancement efforts with a primary focus on cultivating, soliciting and stewarding major donors to advance the organization's mission and long-term financial sustainability. Provides strategic leadership for fundraising initiatives andcoordinates cross-functional advancement efforts by working in partnership with theleaders of Member Services, Business Development, Marketing/Communications and thecontracted Grants Administrator to align fundraising, membership, sponsorship, grant and communication strategies with organizational priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Major Gifts and Philanthropic Development

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward major donors and prospective donors.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with individuals, foundations,corporations and community leaders to increase philanthropic support. Partner with the President & CEO on leadership gifts, major gift solicitations andtransformational giving opportunities.
• Develop and expand planned giving initiatives to strengthen long-term financialsustainability.
• Maintain an active portfolio of major donor prospects and establish strategies fordonor cultivation, solicitation, recognition, and stewardship.

Fundraising and Institutional Advancement Strategy

• Align the organization's overall fundraising strategy, including annual giving,membership growth initiatives, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships,underwriting and grants.
• Coordinate institutional advancement initiatives across Member Services, BusinessDevelopment, Marketing/Communications and the contracted GrantsAdministrator to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
• Partner with Member Services to develop strategies that retain existing members,recruit new members and expand Benefactor Circle participation.
• Identify new philanthropic, corporate, and community funding opportunities thatdiversify and strengthen revenue.
• Monitor fundraising performance and recommend strategies that maximizecontributed revenue.

Stakeholder Engagement and Community Partnerships

• Represent WGTE with major donors, corporate leaders, foundation representatives, government officials, sponsors and community partners.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships that strengthen philanthropic investment and community engagement.
• Serve as an ambassador for WGTE by building relationships that advance theorganization's mission and visibility throughout the region.

Philanthropic Events and Donor Engagement

• Provide strategic leadership for philanthropic events that support donor cultivation,stewardship and fundraising objectives.
• Collaborate with internal staff, volunteers, sponsors and community partners to develop and execute fundraising events that strengthen donor relationships andincrease philanthropic support.
• Partner with Marketing/Communications and Business Development to ensurefundraising events align with organizational messaging, sponsorship opportunities and community engagement goals.
• Work with the President & CEO to identify opportunities for donor recognition, cultivation and stewardship through special events and organizational activities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of philanthropic events and recommend strategies toenhance donor engagement, financial performance and community impact.

Marketing, Communications and Cross-Department Collaboration

• Partner with the Marketing/Communications team to align messaging and campaigns with fundraising and donor engagement strategies.
• Collaborate with Business Development and Member Services to supportsponsorship, membership and donor initiatives.
• Coordinate cross-functional advancement efforts that promote consistentmessaging, donor stewardship and organizational priorities.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to utilize audience research andcommunity feedback in support of fundraising and advancement planning.

Strategic Leadership and Vision

• Collaborate with the President & CEO to develop and implement institutionaladvancement strategies that support WGTE's mission and long-term sustainability.
• Serve as the organization's senior leader for institutional advancement, ensuring coordinated fundraising, donor engagement, sponsorship, membership, grants, andcommunity outreach efforts.
• Advise the President & CEO on fundraising priorities, philanthropic trends, andmajor donor opportunities.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other duties as assigned by the President & CEO.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provides functional supervision of the Business Development and Institutional Advancement Specialist in collaboration with the Head of Regional BusinessDevelopment and Partnerships.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited four-year college or university infields such as business administration, marketing, communications or related field.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible fundraising or institutionaladvancement experience, including major gift development and donor stewardship.
• Working knowledge of, and proficiency with, donor management software and Microsoft Office platforms.
• Strong public speaking and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated success in securing and managing grants and fundraising initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degrees in public or business administration, nonprofit leadership, mediamanagement, marketing and communications or a related field.
• Experience working in or with public broadcasting or educational mediaorganizations.
• Developed network of key business, government, and other non-profit leaderswithin the community.
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible fundraising or institutionaladvancement experience.