Current openings
Director of Donor Relations, Pittsburgh, Spotlight PA
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Summary: Spotlight PA is seeking a Director of Donor Relations based in the Pittsburgh region to lead individual major gift fundraising for one of the nation’s fastest-growing nonprofit news organizations. Since its launch in 2019, Spotlight PA has become Pennsylvania’s leading source for statehouse and statewide reporting that holds power to account, informs communities, and drives positive change. Spotlight PA’s news and investigations are available at no cost at spotlightpa.org and reach millions of Pennsylvanians through republication partnerships with more than 125 news partners, including the Post-Gazette, WESA, and TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Pittsburgh represents one of Spotlight PA’s greatest opportunities for growth. We have an enthusiastic and expanding community of donors who believe deeply in independent journalism and are eager to help us strengthen our presence there—including possibly launching a Pittsburgh-based team of investigative journalists. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced fundraiser who wants to help us build the future of journalism in the region.
What you’ll do: The Director of Donor Relations will lead Spotlight PA’s individual leadership giving in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. We are seeking an experienced, strategic, and results-driven person who is energized by connecting with donors and passionate about healthy, informed communities. This position will report to the Deputy Director and be part of a team that will include peer directors in Eastern and Central Pa. The Director of Donor Relations will also work closely with the CEO. Responsibilities include:
Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward prospective donors with the capacity to give leadership gifts in different tiers, from $1,000 to $100,000+.
Create and manage a relational fundraising strategy that identifies prospective major donors early and moves them beyond transactional support.
Steward existing major donors through timely communications and impact reports related to their areas of interest with a goal of increasing their financial support according to their giving capacity.
Work collaboratively with the team to identify current donors who could become leadership donors, assisted by wealth screening and other tools.
Plan and lead small-group events and other activities in Pittsburgh and the greater Western Pa. region to engage donors in Spotlight PA’s work with a moves management mindset that results in thoughtful and successful solicitations.
Collaborate with the team on Spotlight PA’s ambitious community newsroom expansion strategy: currently, we have newsrooms in Berks and State College, with the potential for a Pittsburgh-based reporting team.
Create materials for leadership donors.
Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on our team and through fundraising.
Who we’re looking for: We are seeking an experienced fundraiser with a proven track record (at least 5-8 years of experience) in raising gifts of $1,000 to $100,000+ from individuals for important causes. Applicants should be able to demonstrate results of cultivating donors from first gifts to becoming major donors. Strong organizational and communication skills to track donor progress and ensure regular, individualized communications and touch points are required. An ability to work in a collaborative environment and as part of a positive and productive team is a must. Applicants should have a passion for building relationships on behalf of the organizations they serve, be goal-oriented and a self-starter, and be able to work independently. You must also be committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on our team and through your work.
This job is full-time and includes benefits. The first two years of this position are funded by a generous grant from the American Journalism Project. If successful, we will continue the position after the two-year period. The position is remote (Spotlight PA does not have an office) but applicants should be based in the Pittsburgh area. You should also be willing to travel throughout Western Pa. for donor meetings and events (your travel expenses will be reimbursed).
Applicants should include a resume and a one-page cover letter answering the following prompts: 1) What makes you uniquely able to grow Spotlight PA’s major gifts program in Pittsburgh, and how would you do it?; and 2) Tell us about specific examples where your work resulted in major/transformative gifts to a nonprofit.
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for informed communities and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support vital news and investigations. Spotlight PA is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage people from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including people of color, women, people from the LGBTQIA+ community, and people with disabilities.
Environment reporter (Guild position)
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Summary: Spotlight PA and Grist are seeking an environment reporter to cover the impacts of climate change in Pennsylvania. The ideal candidate will be interested in exploring the intersectionality of a warming planet with, well, everything — from land use, business, energy, water, and policy decisions to environmental justice and health — as well as solutions to the climate crisis.
The reporter will be based at Spotlight PA, a statewide nonprofit newsroom headquartered in Harrisburg that has won national awards for its investigative and in-depth journalism. This Guild position can be located anywhere in Pennsylvania. The reporter’s stories will also be periodically adapted for a national audience and republished on Grist.org.
Pennsylvania sits squarely in the center of some of the largest debates around climate change. Despite years of pledges to address climate change and expand renewable energy, the state remains one of the largest producers of fossil fuels, ranking second in natural gas production and high in coal. Last year, Gov. Josh Shapiro pulled out of a multi-state carbon cap-and-trade system as part of a budget deal. And data centers are increasingly impacting energy needs and utility prices.
Climate change is already having a real impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians. This position offers an opportunity to tell the untold stories of how climate is impacting the Keystone State.
The right person for this job will be interested in also approaching this beat from a solutions lens: How are people working to address the problems caused by climate change? Can those solutions be scaled up to statewide or national levels? What are the drawbacks? We’re also looking for someone who is always mindful of the equity issues that are often at the root of human-based climate stories.
The salary range for this position is $65,000 to $75,000. This role is a co-funded partnership between Spotlight PA and Grist. Please apply with a resume and cover letter.
What you’ll do: This job will require the reporter to balance iterative and feature reporting — typically at least two to four stories per month. We expect this person to identify areas with the potential for regular coverage (for example, the actions of a state climate committee, the latest on legislation that affects climate change, or the regulations coming from the Department of Environmental Protection).
At the same time, this reporter will propose, conceive, and execute enterprise stories that go beneath the surface. We expect this person to write with depth and nuance about complex environmental and climate issues that have a real impact in Pennsylvania.
Like every reporter at Spotlight PA, this person will have the opportunity to execute an investigation if they identify the right topic. Other duties as assigned.
Preferred qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in journalism or a related field
Three (3) or more years of reporting experience
Demonstrated news judgment, ethics, and creative approaches to storytelling.
Demonstrated ability to be able to tell a deeply reported, well-written story that includes data and narrative elements.
Strong organizational skills and ability to juggle multiple tasks and deadlines
Enthusiasm about using journalism engagement practices to serve audiences.
Demonstrated record of collaboration with colleagues from various perspectives and experiences on team projects, and a desire to be part of a team that values hard work and humor
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
An ability to thrive in a deadline-driven environment where attention to detail and accuracy are key.
Comfort using a variety of technologies, including content management systems, social media, and project management platforms.
Ability to respond constructively to feedback and positively engage with collaborative and team-based projects.
Digital reporting/writing experience preferred; portfolio submission and/or writing assignment is highly likely as part of the interview process
We know not everyone reading this will fit exactly what we’ve described. We encourage everyone to apply who shares our passion for indispensable journalism and our drive to create a sustainable business model to support it. We’re committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and we especially encourage members of underrepresented communities to submit an application, including women, people of color, veterans, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals with disabilities.