Director of Advancement

WHYY Inc • Ferguson Township, PA

1d

About The Position

WPSU, part of WHYY’s public media network, is seeking a strategic and entrepreneurial Director of Advancement to lead and grow philanthropic and revenue-generating programs supporting WPSU’s regional public media service. Based in State College, Pennsylvania, the Director will build and lead a comprehensive advancement program covering major and mid-level gifts, planned giving, grants and foundations, membership, and corporate sponsorship. The role develops strategies to strengthen support for WPSU’s journalism, educational programming, and community engagement across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.

As WPSU transitions to new ownership by WHYY, the Director will establish an independent development operation. Advancement activities have historically been managed through Penn State University. The Director will recruit, hire, and lead a new advancement team and establish the systems, strategies, and relationships needed for long-term sustainability. Working with the Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement at WHYY and WPSU leadership, the Director will expand donor relationships, deepen community investment in public media, and build sustainable funding streams. The position is WPSU’s primary advancement leadership role and represents the organization with donors, foundations, corporate partners, and community leaders throughout Northern and Central Pennsylvania.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Seven to ten years of progressive fundraising or advancement experience.
• Demonstrated success in major gift fundraising and donor relationship management.
• Experience with grant writing and foundation fundraising.
• Knowledge of membership or annual giving programs.
• Strong relationship-building and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to manage multiple fundraising programs simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and databases such as Team Approach.
• Ability to travel throughout Northern and Central Pennsylvania and attend occasional evening or weekend events.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree.
• Fundraising or advancement experience in public media, nonprofit organizations, or mission-driven institutions.
• Experience securing corporate sponsorship or underwriting support.
• Experience recruiting, leading, and developing staff.
• Familiarity with donor databases and fundraising analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward mid-level and major donors across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.
• Manage a personal portfolio of individual donors and prospects with capacity for significant philanthropic investment.
• Design and execute donor engagement plans that strengthen long-term relationships and philanthropic commitment to WPSU.
• Collaborate with WHYY advancement leadership to align fundraising priorities with regional and organizational goals.
• Promote and grow WPSU’s planned giving program, educate donors about bequests and other planned gift vehicles, and partner with WHYY to steward legacy society members and cultivate future planned gift donors.
• Identify and pursue regional and national foundation funding opportunities; develop proposals; coordinate grant reporting and stewardship; and maintain relationships with foundation program officers and institutional partners.
• Oversee strategies to grow and retain WPSU’s membership base across Northern and Central Pennsylvania.
• Collaborate with WHYY membership teams on on-air, digital, and direct-response fundraising campaigns.
• Analyze donor data and membership trends to strengthen acquisition, retention, and donor engagement.
• Secure and expand corporate underwriting and sponsorship revenue by cultivating businesses and organizations and developing opportunities aligned with WPSU programming, events, and community initiatives.
• Recruit, hire, and manage an advancement team supporting major gifts, membership, corporate sponsorship, and institutional fundraising.
• Build the infrastructure for a comprehensive fundraising program, including systems, processes, and donor engagement strategies.
• Develop and implement an annual advancement plan aligned with WHYY’s institutional advancement strategy and WPSU’s regional priorities.
• Establish fundraising goals, performance metrics, and reporting processes to support long-term sustainability.
• Represent WPSU at community events, donor gatherings, and regional stakeholder meetings.
• Collaborate with programming, community engagement, and marketing teams to connect WPSU’s public service mission with philanthropic support.
• Travel throughout Northern and Central Pennsylvania and attend occasional evening or weekend events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director