Director, Digital Fundraising Strategy

Job Description

Director, Digital Fundraising Strategy

Department: Fundraising Strategy

Corporate Area: Station Services

Status: Full-time/Regular/Exempt

Position Overview:

The Fundraising Strategy team's goal is to increase local stations' financial sustainability through implementation of comprehensive fundraising strategies for member stations.

The Director, Digital Fundraising Strategy is key to provide insight and strategy for the continued growth and evolution of system-wide fundraising efforts leveraging digital platforms and technologies. As primary liaison to member stations, internal stakeholders and national partners for digital fundraising initiatives, the overall goal of this position is to optimize local fundraising efforts through product adoption and digital marketing best practices in support of station financial sustainability. Working collaboratively with the VP, Fundraising Strategy and cross-functionally across departments, the position will help maximize online fundraising and engagement programs and guide system-wide holistic strategies for all special digital campaigns and solicitations to successfully retain, reactivate, and acquire new donors.

Key responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
• Aligning with the overall goals of the department and working with the VP, Fundraising Strategy, provide direction and management for Digital Fundraising initiatives and strategies, including but not limited to:

• Create digital fundraising tests for stations, planning logistics, creating assets and developing metrics including the tracking of fundraising appeals on digital/FVOD platforms and in turn, overseeing studies and focus groups to better determine best practices.

• Initiate and implement campaigns to scale, working cross-departmentally to ensure that technologies can support the initiatives including the creation of actional fundraising opportunities to leverage content rights on digital platforms and establish digital-specific campaigns; as well as the implementation of at least one national MVOD event each fiscal year.

• Drive creative discussions and champion best practices in digital strategy and email campaigning that balance creativity with data-informed insights in order to provide guidance on testing and the adoption of new strategies and features to maximize engagement and/or fundraising goals.

• Partner with local stations, national partners, and other stakeholders to deliver tools, resources, and assets that elevate fundraising practices and drive innovation.

• Lead product adoption for development initiatives in collaboration with stakeholders that identifies change champions at stations and executes learning paths.

• Serve as liaison and development lead internally and externally to manage the digital fundraising needs and expectations of the PBS eco-system with a focus on efficiency and collaboration.

• Champion experimentation and innovation, ensuring that new data and innovations are utilized to implement changes and new tactics across campaigns.

• Assist the team on proposal screening and evaluation to determine what will be distributed to individual PBS stations, with a focus on recommending the best course of action to leverage them on digital platforms, specifically for engagement and contributions.

• Remain well-informed and report back on the latest trends in digital fundraising, email campaigning, deliverability, and online storytelling in order to better optimize existing content, practices and strategies.

• When assigned, represent team at meetings within and outside of PBS.

• Other duties as assigned

Requirements for success:
• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• Ability to design fundraising campaigns from conception to execution.

• Existing, working knowledge of digital platforms.

• Ability to work effectively in a matrix organization, with a complex network of internal/national and external/local stakeholders.

• Ability to work collaboratively across the organization, gaining buy-in and bringing people together to achieve goals

• Openness to embracing the unique challenges of a hybrid organization

• A proven track record of collaborating across departments, with peers and with colleagues/stakeholders outside of the organization.

• Demonstrated capacity to juggle multiple projects simultaneously.

• Superior oral and written communication skills.

• Respectful of others' experiences and expertise and, at the same time, a high-energy thought leader who is comfortable with new opportunities and can anticipate and lead new initiatives.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and rapidly-changing environment.

• Ability to develop plans, capture and analyze data, summarize findings and implement initiatives.

• Ability to work on several projects simultaneously.

• Attention to detail and pride in high-quality execution of work.

• A deep understanding and appreciation for public media in general, and public television especially.

• A clear understanding and high regard for the mission and legacy of PBS, a desire to be invested in its future, and a willingness to learn its unique culture where stakeholder buy-in and public service are core values.

• Some travel required.

• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered. Proof of vaccination required.

PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Jobcode: Reference SBJ-roxo23-18-218-234-83-42 in your application.