Organizational Overview:

The National Catholic Reporter is a non-profit, independent, lay-led news organization that reports on the Catholic Church and wider moral issues facing the human family. It publishes the National Catholic Reporter bi-monthly in print and daily at NCRonline.org. It also publishes Global Sisters Report and EarthBeat online. These publications are committed to shaping a world that recognizes the sacredness and dignity of every human being, regardless of religious belief, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation. Throughout our history, NCR has been a voice for the voiceless, disadvantaged and marginalized. It has held authority, secular or religious, accountable.

The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) for the National Catholic Reporter is a newly-created role which will provide leadership and strategic vision to maximize the philanthropic potential of NCR's development program. The CAO will be responsible for growing the annual fund and completing the organization's Endowment Campaign to achieve its $7.5M goal.

Role Summary:

The Chief Advancement Officer will report to the CEO/Publisher.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Design, implement and lead a comprehensive multi-year fundraising strategic plan encompassing goals for the NCR annual fund, the endowment, foundation funding and planned giving.
• Oversee and partner with the five additional members of the fundraising team to expand, deepen and extend relationships with individual donors and foundations.
• Ensure the implementation of programs that support fundraising excellence, including research, business analytics, events and stewardship.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Utilizing a Moves Management planning process, manage a portfolio of existing and prospective major gift donors, fostering donor relationships and growing connections to NCR's mission.
• Examine existing processes to design and refine a process for identification of individual prospects for a major gift and planned giving strategy, working with the development team to allocate research duties and to establish a set of criteria for identification that works with the current donor pool and the mission and realities of NCR.
• Evaluate and update a process for researching local, regional, national and international foundations whose giving interests match those of NCR and work to create an ongoing system based on timelines and priorities to submit proposals for their consideration.
• Design and implement cultivation and solicitation plans for specific individuals and groups of prospects. The plans will provide a role for the members of the development team, the CEO, board members and other key staff members.
• In collaboration between development and marketing, design strategies to draw younger readers and lower-level donors more fully into the NCR community.
• Articulate NCR's needs, values, and ambitions clearly through informal and formal communications, including written proposals and brochures.
• Lead the development and donor engagement team in implementing all aspects of fundraising, including capital campaigns, endowment growth, annual giving, major and planned gifts, and stewardship.
• Oversee the preparation and monitoring of an annual fundraising budget.
• Ensure timely and accurate fundraising reporting, adhere to fundraising policies and procedures, and collaborate with the finance department to reconcile fundraising reports in a timely manner.
• Travel extensively across the country to build relationships and solicit significant donations.
• In concert with the CEO, provide staff leadership and strategic direction to the board of directors and its Development Committee. This committee functions as other board committees do and helps give consideration to and provides volunteer leadership for appropriate fundraising initiatives.
• Manage a team of five (three full-time and two part-time/contract employees) with a vision for developing the staff.

A successful Chief Advancement Officer will have:

• Bachelor's degree or higher; CFRE certification preferred but not required
• Minimum of seven years' fundraising experience, with a minimum of five years' experience working with donors with significant capacity
• Track record of success in working with a variety of fundraising channels, securing major gifts and meeting fundraising goals
• Experience in methods for attracting new donors at all levels
• Familiarity with private and public sector grant processes
• Experience supervising, coaching and mentoring a development team; experience managing remote/distributed teams is a plus
• Excellent presentation skills and ability to write a clear and compelling case statement
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Efficient and effective research and analytical skills
• Team-oriented, flexible, positive, personable outlook and willingness to learn
• Proven ability to self-motivate and work both independently and as part of a team
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive, Calendar, etc.) and familiarity with Slack, Salesforce or similar technology/databases and online fundraising tools
• Passion for social justice, human dignity and the common good - all core values of the National Catholic Reporter
• Appreciation for and strong understanding of the history and mission of the National Catholic Reporter
• Appreciation for and understanding of news organization and journalism is a plus
• Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including some weekends and evenings, in order to maintain a travel schedule necessary to visit donors/prospective donors and to deepen understanding of NCR activities; the person in this role is expected to independently book/manage their own travel arrangements
• NCR is based in Kansas City, Missouri and has a distributed work environment, with staff primarily working remotely; this position may be remote (based in the United States) with nearby access to a major airport as well as license and access to operate a motor vehicle

Compensation and benefits:

This remote position will be full-time, with the opportunity to work in person or hybrid at NCR headquarters in Kansas City, MO. Salary is commensurate with experience and other relevant factors, in the range of $130,000 to $150,000 annually. NCR offers the following benefits for full-time employees (employees working 24 hours or more per week):
• Health Insurance plan options (90% employer paid premium)
• Dental and Vision plan coverage (90% / 75% employer paid premium)
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability
• Group Annuity Program (403B) with company match
• Supplemental Insurance option (A ac) and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid parental leave (up to 12 weeks)
• Generous paid vacation (up to 20 days per year)/sick/personal time, plus 11 paid holidays

To apply:

Interested parties should submit a resume with career history, along with a cover letter explaining their interest and describing their qualifications. All nominations, applications and inquiries should be directed electronically to Megan Judd, HR & Administrative Manager, at jobs@ncronline.org by January 31, 2025. The position will remain open until filled.

All communications will be treated confidentially. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, on a rolling basis. For selected candidates, steps in the hiring process may entail a series of virtual (Zoom) interviews with a hiring committee and the CEO/Publisher.

The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company is an equal opportunity employer, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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Chief Advancement Officer