Chief Advancement Officer

The Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with Chicago Public Media in the search for a Chief Advancement Officer.

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Advancement Officer will lead all fundraising and membership efforts on behalf of Chicago Public Media, including the development of vision, strategies, and tactics for maintaining and increasing contributed revenue. The Chief Advancement Officer will ensure the successful achievement of annual and long-term goals for membership, major gifts, foundations, planned giving, annual fundraising events, and corporate giving. The Chief Advancement Officer will be an active representative of Chicago Public Media, building relationships across the community in order to advance a culture of inclusivity and opportunity that aligns with the demographics of Chicago Public Media's coverage area and amplifies the philanthropic impact of the organization.

As one of the largest and most respected public media organizations in the country, Chicago Public Media is home to WBEZ, Chicago’s NPR news source, and a wide range of popular and award-winning podcasts. WBEZ reaches nearly 550,000 listeners a week across radio and digital streaming platforms, and more than a million people engage with its content on digital platforms. Chicago Public Media is supported by more than 90,000 members and hundreds of corporate sponsors and major donors who believe in its mission: To amplify the public conversation by telling the stories that matter–stories that provoke thought, entertain, capture emotion, and inspire action.

Chicago Public Media believes independent journalism is essential to a well-functioning democracy and access to fact-based, objective news and information is a right of every citizen. The organization serves the public interest by creating diverse, compelling content that informs, inspires, and enriches. It connects diverse audiences and helps them make a difference in their community, the region, and the world. Chicago Public Media employs many who are inspired by its mission and who want to belong to an organization that inspires, supports, and challenges. During the past five years, Chicago Public Media has significantly expanded the size and ambitions of its newsroom. In addition to bringing nationally syndicated public radio news and talk shows to a Chicagoland audience, its award-winning newsroom desks cover education, criminal justice, politics and government, race, class, and communities. Its live, two-hour show on WBEZ, Reset, drives and further expands the daily conversation during midday listening hours. The newsroom also collaborates with Chicago Public Media’s content development studio to create engaging and educational audio programs and podcasts such as Making Obama, Making Beyonce, Making Oprah, Motive; 16 Shots; Public Official A, Curious City, and Nerdette and has a proud legacy as the birthplace of iconic nationally syndicated programs such as This American Life, Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me…, and the ground-breaking podcast, Serial.

To fulfill its mission, Chicago Public Media is committed to creating a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization that is reflected in the work it produces, the policies it practices, and the culture it perpetuates. This vision of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive future requires it to prioritize the hard work that must be done, with a commitment to openness and transparency. As Chicago Public Media embarks on this journey, its efforts focus on three initiatives: recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse staff at all levels; cultivating a culture of inclusivity and opportunity; and aligning its content and audience with the demographics of its coverage area.

A bachelor's degree is required for this position as is ten years of experience in a fundraising environment including five years of management experience. Public media experience or experience within a complex nonprofit environment is a plus. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of Chicago Public Media as well as the responsibilities and qualifications stated in the prospectus.