Senior Director, Development Operations

OVERVIEW

A thriving, mission-driven multimedia organization, NPR produces award-winning news, information, and music programming in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. The NPR audience values information, creativity, curiosity, and social responsibility – and our employees do too. We are innovators and leaders in diverse fields, from journalism and digital media to IT and development. Every day, our employees and member stations touch the lives of millions worldwide. 

Across our organization, we’re building a workplace where collaboration is essential, diverse voices are heard, and inclusion is the key to our success. We are committed to doing the right thing in our journalism and in every role at NPR. This means that integrity, adherence to our ethical standards, and compliance with legal obligations are fundamental responsibilities for every employee at NPR.

INTRO TO POSITION

NPR seeks to hire a dynamic, experienced, and mission-driven Senior Director of Development Operations to lead NPR Development in establishing best practice operating policies, procedures, and strategy.  Reporting to the Chief Development Officer and serving as a member of the divisional leadership team, the Senior Director of Development Operations will manage the prospect research, database, donor data and donor services teams. In addition, this role is the primary liaison to the Finance and Legal departments; overseeing departmental expense reconciliation and revenue forecasting, gift agreement development and will inform fundraising strategy. The Senior Director will help shape the department’s strategic vision alongside divisional leadership and oversee measuring and analyzing donor and income trends to make data-backed decisions. 

With the recent launch of the NPR Network, there is room to expand NPR’s pipeline development efforts and create new avenues of donor potential through annual and mid-level giving. Strong candidates will possess significant database, systems, strategy, and analysis experience, and possess knowledge of the unique philanthropic demands of a team overseeing gifts from various sources - direct response through principal giving.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive strategic, data-led fundraising efforts by providing vision and direction to Development Operations
• Oversee and manage strategic and administrative functions of NPR Development, including but not limited to:
• Development research
• Divisional OKR’s and team performance tracking and metrics
• Database maintenance, management, and reporting
• Gift processing and acknowledgement
• Donor inquiries
• Prospect management, prospect research and pipeline development
• Data analytics
• Identify key metrics to fundraising success and provide progress reporting to all departmental staff and key stakeholders
• Review and update current standard operating procedures to optimize the Development Operations function, creating new procedures where necessary
• Serve as key liaison across Digital Philanthropy, Individual Giving, Planned Giving, Collaborative Philanthropy and Foundation teams in an effort to build a strengthened portfolio and pipeline of donors
• Identify, develop, and implement strategies to maintain accurate and timely entry of donor and gift data in Salesforce
• Provide strategic oversight of the prospect management function, ensuring strategies are developed to expand the prospect pipeline and that all portfolios successfully move donors through the qualification process
• Offer strategic recommendations related to Salesforce maintenance and hygiene to ensure data cleanliness, accuracy, completeness, and regular updates
• Ensure data quality to advance the cross-platform analytic framework for the NPR Network and data analysis for the fundraising team 
• Serve as department liaison with the Legal and Finance departments

Required Skills and Experience

• Strong foundation of best practice fundraising knowledge
• Track record of devising and implementing successful development operations that elevate all functions of the development team
• 10+ years non-profit development experience, both front-line and development operations experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred
• Salesforce experience required
• Exceptional communication and relationship-management experience
• Experience in significant successful fundraising campaigns
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet concurrent deadlines, organize time and priorities, and to do so in collaboration with diverse stakeholders
• Experience managing vendor relationships and an understanding of NPR’