Development Director

Help Mississippi Free Press pay for more essential journalism across 82 counties!

Mississippi’s fastest-growing journalism nonprofit, the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group, is seeking an experienced Development Director to lead our revenue team in increasing and diversifying our revenue streams. Immediate hire.

POSITION SUMMARY

As MFP’s first Development Director, this leader will focus on building a best-in-class development department and will be dedicated to identifying and developing new revenue streams, thereby ensuring the organization’s growth across 82 counties and sustainability well into the future. The Development Director will also steward, renew, and increase contributions from existing funders and partners. Although based in Mississippi, the successful candidate is positioned to become a key player in the national nonprofit journalism movement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The core focus areas of this position are:

1. Build, lead and manage the new revenue team.
2. Work with the Board and CEO to set a multi-year strategy and annual plans for aggressive revenue growth.
3. Develop additional creative funding streams including earned revenue.

The Development Director has a broad range of responsibilities under these focus areas, requiring a strong mix of skills, experience, project and time management, and character. These include:

1. Advancing the field of nonprofit journalism and growing MFP’s reach through collaboration with local organizations as well as state and national entities.
2. Embracing traditional media and other philanthropic fundraising methods while also leveraging best practices and innovative strategies from the corporate world and startup sector.
3. Rethinking events and traditional fundraising approaches, while staying up-to-date on the journalism landscape for new ideas and use of tools and innovations to build and maintain sustainable revenue streams.
4. Thinking creatively about MFP’s assets and capabilities to pilot new and envisioning innovative ways to translate those into revenue.
5. Partnering with other organizations (including other nonprofit entities) to develop joint funding and sponsorship opportunities.
6. Managing a substantive personal portfolio of major donors and prospects.
7. Working with the business manager to manage and update our data management efforts through our tech stack; providing reports and updates to the CEO, Board of Directors and staff as needed.
8. Setting clear success metrics and holding others accountable to achieving their fundraising goals.
9. Staying current on related events and practices at the local, state and national levels.
10. Keeping journalistic integrity and the best interests of the organization at the forefront of revenue generation.
11. Willingness to travel for journalism conferences and summits as well as other fundraising trainings, meetings and opportunities.

ATTRIBUTES & WORK STYLE

1. Ambitious: likes to build things, meet and exceed targets, and “win.”
2. Mission-Driven: holds a firm belief in the First Amendment and the critical role of accurate information in our society. Speaks authentically.
3. Strategic: acts as a thought partner to the CEO, CMO and Board; formulates aggressive goals and designs innovative, creative and practical methods to achieve them; adjusts strategy as needed to support budget.
4. Entrepreneurial: takes bold, calculated risks; says “yes” to new opportunities.
5. Results-driven: lives and breathes budget-plus-revenue goal status and tracking; continually communicates realities to revenue team, CEO and Board in a motivational way.
6. Super-organized: possesses high-level skills in both time and project management for own work and to direct and manage the revenue team.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

1. 5+ years of professional experience in revenue-generating positions with a strong track record of meeting and exceeding goals—this experience could come from the fields of business development, sales, nonprofit fundraising, startups, marketing or new product development/management.
2. Direct experience building and managing teams to achieve revenue targets monthly, quarterly and annually.
3. Demonstrated results in designing, pitching, and closing major business development opportunities or philanthropic gifts.
4. Solid understanding of the sales cycle and/or fundraising strategies, systems, and processes.
5. Experienced in constructing, articulating and implementing strategic revenue plans.
6. Prior direct responsibility for cultivating, soliciting and stewarding prospects with a high percentage of new donor acquisition.
7. Experience developing and supporting annual budgets over $1 million.
8. Bachelor’s degree preferred; exceptional professional experience will be considered in lieu.

SALARY & BENEFITS

1. The salary range for the Development Director begins at $70,000 and will be based on prior experience and skillset.
2. MFP currently pays 100% of the employee’s medical, vision and dental benefits through our group plan; family members can be covered through employee contributions.
3. The Development Director will be based in the MFP’s office in downtown Jackson and will have the option of working remotely from home on designated days.
4. This position will receive a total of 24 days of PTO and nine holidays for 33 total paid days off a year, which increases after three years of employment. That includes seven non-religious holidays and two floater days for staff members to use for either religious or non-religious days off due to their personal preferences and needs.

TO APPLY OR ASK QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Donna Ladd, CEO, ; Michael Dozier, Executive Chairman, .

The Mississippi Journalism and Education Group does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information or veteran status in any area of its operations.