We are currently seeking applications from eligible candidates for this role. Applications are processed on a rolling basis.

Development Director

Location: Remote within the U.S.; preference for candidates based in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, Philadelphia, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or Seattle, where regular in-person donor meetings are feasible. Our main office is located in Washington, D.C. with an option for hybrid for DC-based candidates. 

Employment Type: Full-time, exempt. 

Reports To: Publisher

About The American Prospect

The American Prospect is an independent, nonprofit, reader-funded magazine based in Washington, D.C. We believe that independent, deeply reported journalism can be sustained by the people who value it. Our reporting drives real-world accountability, from health care reform and corporate power to the fight over democracy itself. As we approach our 40th anniversary in 2030, we are scaling and investing in the development function that will carry us into our next era, including a future capital campaign. 

The Role

We are hiring our first dedicated development leader to grow The American Prospect’s fundraising department. You will personally manage our top portfolio of major donors and institutional prospects today, and design the program — systems, pipeline, and eventually a team — that scales our giving over the next several years and ultimately powers a 40th-anniversary capital campaign. You will work in close partnership with the publisher, associate publisher, and executive editor to steward, cultivate, and engage with our portfolio of current and future donors.

Key Responsibilities

  • Own The American Prospect’s development strategy and annual revenue goals across major gifts, foundation/institutional giving, and donor stewardship.
  • Carry and grow a personal portfolio of major-gift donors and prospects through the full cycle: identification, cultivation, solicitation, close, and stewardship.
  • Oversee the maintenance of the pipeline and operating rhythm: moves management, a prospect tracker, reporting, and a cadence of outreach and follow-through. You will have significant support from the publisher and associate publisher.
  • Manage institutional relationships and the grant lifecycle: proposals, reporting, and renewals.
  • Partner with the publisher, executive editor, and operations and marketing manager to translate our journalism into a compelling case for support.
  • Oversee development operations and the donor tech stack (CRM/email and online giving), ensuring clean data and accurate reporting with significant support from the publisher and associate publisher. 
  • Help lay the groundwork for our 40th-anniversary capital campaign, and hire and lead a small development team as the program grows.

What Success Looks Like in Your First Year

  • An incremental increase in major and institutional giving committed or closed over your first 12 months. 
  • A built, documented major-gifts pipeline and a qualified, personally managed portfolio of 40–50 major-gift prospects and institutional funders.
  • A functioning operating rhythm and clean donor data that make the following year’s growth predictable. 
  • A long-term plan developed in partnership with the publisher to scale and grow the major giving program and team including plans for future hires and investments in the program.

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in nonprofit fundraising with a demonstrable record of personally closing five- and six-figure gifts.
  • Experience across major gifts and institutional/foundation giving; comfort owning a revenue number.
  • The entrepreneurial instinct to build from near-scratch rather than inherit a machine.
  • Strong writing and the ability to make a substantive case for mission-driven work.
  • Bonus: experience in journalism, media, advocacy, or progressive/political fundraising; familiarity with CRM and online giving tools; exposure to capital or multi-year campaigns.

Compensation and Benefits 

Salary Range: $100,000-$120,000 commensurate with experience.

We invest in our people. Full-time staff enjoy 20 days of vacation, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating days, and a full office closure from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. New parents get up to 16 weeks of paid leave. We cover 80% of health, vision, and dental, along with employer-paid life and disability coverage, a 403(b) retirement plan, and FSAs for healthcare and dependent care.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should follow this link to the application form to apply. Please email info@prospect.org if you have any trouble accessing the application.  

The American Prospect is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, marital status, union activity, AIDS/HIV status, on-the-job injuries, or any status otherwise protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages and we encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.

This job description outlines the general nature and key responsibilities of the role, but it is not exhaustive. Duties may change as per the needs of the organization.