Program and Development Director

Position Summary:

The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) seeks a full-time Program Director for ARF WIDE - Workforce Initiative for Diversity & Excellence – to lead ongoing fundraising and strategic partnerships. ARF WIDE is a Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Program that provides scholarship awards, training and professional development to students interested in pursuing careers in market, media and advertising research and data analytics.

Successful applicants will have demonstrated background in fundraising, coordinating nonprofit development strategies and inspiring volunteer leadership/engagement. Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, the role involves executing ambitious fundraising initiatives, working closely with board members, ARF members, university partner representatives, like-minded organizations, and undergraduates.

The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of development experience, preferably in the education and nonprofit fields. This position requires creative and innovative problem-solving skills and provides meaningful opportunities for growth.

• Manage program components including (but not limited to); scholar recruitment,coach/mentor models, internships, and engagement with ARF events and communities
• Develop and implement evaluation frameworks to assess program effectiveness and impact
• Analyze program data and use findings to identify areas for improvement and inform decision making

Development/Fundraising

• Build timely and sustained financial support among member constituencies – media companies, advertising agencies, research providers, and marketers
• Identify and steward prospective donors
• Deepen engagement with current donors, identifying meaningful partnership opportunities beyond financial support
• Define and develop funding sources to support existing and planned program activities as well as lead the development, writing, and submission of grant proposals
• Follow fundraising trends and transformations
• Manage program budget and expenses to expand funders base beyond scholarship dollars
• Work closely with university partner representatives to expand donor networks
• External Affairs/Communications
• Demonstrate ARF WIDE’s unique value proposition as distinct from other DE&I efforts within the advertising/marketing ecosystem
• Maintain external relations with current and prospective university partners
• Coordinate with internal marketing team and press partners to build awareness and drive support for our program

Programming

• Manage program components including (but not limited to); scholar recruitment, coach/mentor models, internships, and engagement with ARF events and communities
• Develop and implement evaluation frameworks to assess program effectiveness and impact
• Analyze program data and use findings to identify areas for improvement and inform decision making

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field
• A proven track record and experience with fundraising
• Passionate about ARF’s mission and industry involvement
• Exceptional communication skills (written, verbal, interpersonal)
• Manage budgets and resources
• Creative problem-solver
• Ability to prioritize and work on multiple projects concurrently
• Willingness to transition between large-scale strategic initiatives and smaller routine tasks
• Comfortability interacting with C-Suite and industry leadership (predominantly CSR leads, Chief People/Talent/Diversity Officers)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in leadership development, nonprofit management or related field
• Prior experience in youth development and/or program management
• Experience in advertising, marketing, or research ecosystem