Executive Director, Principal Giving

Role Overview

• Lead strategy for NPR’s principal giving program, focusing on gifts of $1M+.
• Work with the Senior Vice President for Development to define fundraising priorities and build compelling philanthropic opportunities aligned with NPR’s journalism, cultural programming, and civic mission.
• Partner with executive leadership to develop bold philanthropic initiatives capable of attracting transformational investment.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of principal gift prospects, identifying individuals capable of seven
• to nine-figure commitments.
• Conduct high-level prospect research and strategy development to uncover new principal-level prospects across media, technology, philanthropy, arts, and civic leadership networks.
• Develop long-term cultivation strategies designed to move prospects from discovery to transformational commitment.
• Collaborate with major gifts, foundation relations, and digital philanthropy teams to identify donors who may evolve into principal gift prospects.
• Manage a portfolio of 40-50 principal gift prospects and donors.
• Design and execute customized cultivation and solicitation strategies that involve senior leadership, board members, and editorial leaders when appropriate.
• Personally solicit and close principal gifts in partnership with the Senior Vice President and CEO.
• Serve as a trusted partner to NPR’s development leadership, helping translate the organization’s strategic vision into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Work closely with newsroom, programming, and music leaders to develop projects that inspire major philanthropic investment.
• Coordinate with development colleagues to ensure consistent donor strategy and stewardship.
• Ensure exceptional stewardship of principal donors through high-touch engagement, impact reporting, and meaningful involvement in NPR’s work.
• Develop long-term engagement strategies that position donors as sustained partners in NPR’s mission.

Requirements

• Minimum 10–12 years of fundraising experience, including significant experience securing major and principal gifts.
• Demonstrated success soliciting and closing gifts of $1M+, with experience pursuing gifts of $5M+ strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to cultivate relationships with ultra-high-net-worth individuals and philanthropic leaders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate organizational priorities into compelling philanthropic opportunities.
• Strong collaboration skills and comfort working with senior executives and board members.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.

Benefits

• access to health and wellness
• paid time off
• financial well-being
• medical
• dental
• vision
• life/ accidental death and dismemberment
• long-term disability
• short-term disability
• voluntary retirement savings