Position title

Development Manager

Job Classification

Exempt

Department

Development

Position Type

Full-Time

Location

54 Park Place, Newark, NJ

Posting Period

04/17/2025 – 05/03/2025

Salary Range

$58,000 - $65,000

HR Contact

Michele Ralph-Rawls

Contact E-mail

Mralph-rawls@wbgo.org

POSITION DESCRIPTION

About WBGO

A global leader in jazz radio and an iconic institution in Newark, NJ, WBGO seeks to educate, entertain, and inspire the public by providing access and opportunity to engage with the highest-quality curated jazz, blues, and R&B programming. WBGO believes that jazz, in all its forms, represents America’s cultural gift to the world and is committed to connecting the vibrancy of the past, present, and future with that music to a global audience, creating a community of jazz lovers.

WBGO reaches a weekly audience of more than one million across all platforms—including 88.3FM in the New York/New Jersey metro area, streaming services, and social media channels. Through programs such as Jazz Night in America, produced in partnership with National Public Radio (NPR), coupled with WBGO's position as a content provider to NPR, its reach extends to millions more across the country and the world. From its home base of Newark, New Jersey—the birthplace of Sarah Vaughan and NEA Jazz Master Wayne Shorter, as well as the longtime home of saxophonist James Moody—America’s leading jazz radio station, WBGO, has long been an anchor institution in community engagement through its partnerships, concerts, education, and news programming.

Position Summary

The Development Manager is a key member of WBGO’s development team, responsible for managing a portfolio of mid-level and major donors. This portfolio represents a significant source of contributed revenue and plays a critical role in supporting the station’s long-term sustainability and mission. Reporting directly to the Chief Development Officer, the Development Manager will focus on cultivating, stewarding, and growing donor relationships through strategic, personalized engagement.

This position requires strong cross-functional collaboration across departments including programming, marketing, and finance, and a forward-thinking, solutions-oriented mindset. The ideal candidate is highly collaborative, creatively strategic, and has a track record of success working in the arts and culture space.

This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule.               

Key Responsibilities

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Manage a portfolio of mid-level and major donors, developing personalized strategies to deepen engagement and increase giving.
• Build and maintain strong donor relationships through meetings, events, phone calls, and tailored communications.
• Implement thoughtful and consistent stewardship practices, including donor acknowledgments and impact reporting.

Fundraising & Solicitation

• Identify and cultivate new prospective donors to expand the donor pipeline.
• Craft and execute individualized solicitation plans, including direct asks, proposals, and creative donor experiences.
• Work in partnership with senior leadership and board members to maximize donor opportunities and connections.

Events & Engagement

• Lead the planning and execution of donor events and experiences designed to cultivate and steward giving.
• Serve as a visible representative of WBGO at external events and in the community.

Collaboration & Reporting

• Collaborate closely with internal teams to align donor communications, messaging, and recognition strategies.
• Maintain accurate records of donor interactions and giving history in Salesforce (or equivalent CRM).
• Track progress toward goals and provide regular reports on donor engagement and revenue outcomes.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of nonprofit fundraising experience, including direct management of a portfolio of mid-level and major donors.
• Proven experience working in the arts and culture space is required.
• Experience in public media and/or jazz music is a plus but not required.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including board members, staff, community partners, and donors.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• A resourceful, creative thinker who brings fresh approaches to donor engagement and problem solving.
• Experience in internal and external communications, partnership development, and fundraising strategy.
• Adept at using donor databases and CRM tools (Salesforce experience preferred).
• Thrives in a collaborative, team-oriented environment and comfortable working cross-functionally.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• A commitment to WBGO’s mission and role as a cultural institution rooted in community and excellence.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $58,000 – $65,000, commensurate with experience
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, vision, and retirement plan
• Hybrid work schedule with flexibility and opportunities for professional development

Commitment to Inclusion

WBGO welcomes all ethnicities, races, gender identifications, ages, sexual orientations, ableness, languages, nationalities, and religions. This multiplicity supports our effort to create a healthy and thriving workplace where we all contribute to an invaluable and indelible service for our constituency. Embodying the spirit of diversity, equity and inclusion is a core value for WBGO, as a champion of music discovery, independent, fact-based news reporting, intelligent discourse, the African American experience, and as a steadfast advocate for the communities in which we live and work.

At WBGO, our goal is to provide and maintain a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, mutual respect, professionalism and cooperation.  Newark Public Radio is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability or handicap, sex, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

To Apply

A cover letter is required. Applications submitted without a cover letter will not be reviewed. Please submit your resume and cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in WBGO’s mission.