Midwest Outreach Director - Creative Communications

Title: Midwest Outreach Director

Employment Status: FT Exempt

Location: Fully remote, must be based in the Midwest

Department: Development

Reports to: CEO

Supervises: N/A

Compensation: Including commissions, our sales employees can generally expect to make $100 - $130k annually

Job Summary: Public News Service is growing and seeking a Midwest Outreach Director to provide strategic guidance and increase our reporting capacity by expanding our membership, developing new media partnerships, and seeking new funding opportunities in selected states. This person is someone who is well connected in the NGO sector, with at least 10 years of experience in sales to or fundraising from that sector. Public News Service is a fully remote company, but this position will be expected to conduct regular in-person meetings in and around the 12 Midwestern states (as defined by Wikipedia and the Census Bureau: Midwestern United States - Wikipedia) as well as having easy access to a major airport. Generally, this position operates in normal business hours but is expected to travel ~25% of time and attend events, conferences and meetings that may be outside of normal office hours. This is a highly self-directed position, so a nose for opportunity, flexibility to adjust to changing circumstances, and a vivacious personality are necessary.

Key Responsibilities

• Grow PNS membership using organizing and development pipeline techniques to meet annual revenue and growth goals

• Represent PNS in a professional manner consistent with our mission and strategic plan both within the organization and at public events

• Present the Public News Service model in person and virtually and initiate ~10 conversations/week

• Create and update outreach and follow-up materials with a specific strategy toward recruiting new members

• Develop strategies for increasing inbound activity

• Develop (and consolidate current) tracking mechanisms to ensure growth

• Identify and research new “likely” members and utilize the robust PNS database to implement rigorous outreach and membership recruitment

• Assist in prospecting grant opportunities and in the grant writing process

• Support the membership team to achieve an at least 80% renewal rate for existing members

• Work with the membership team to develop and administer ongoing opportunities for members to engage with PNS and each other outside of the editorial space (including value-added member benefits, trainings, webinars, etc.)

• Other duties as assigned

We are a small but rapidly-growing staff. With a lot of opportunity, flexibility is critical all around. These are qualities we practice:

• Communicate constructively: Speak up to express your thoughts and ideas directly and honestly but with respect for others and for the work of the team

• Listen actively: Ability to absorb, understand and consider lots of different ideas and points of view, as well as receive critique gracefully

• Share openly and willingly: Be willing to share information, knowledge and experience, and take the initiative to keep other team members informed

• Think creatively and flexibly: Roll with the punches and adapt to ever-changing situations; the natural tendency to say yes, then figure out how to get it done is highly valued

• Be team-oriented: Strongly care about your work, the team, and the team's work; show up every day with this care and commitment up front, and give your best effort and expect other team members to do the same

• Look to solve problems: Work together in a solutions-oriented manner to get problems out in the open for discussion, face challenges head on without blame or avoidance, and collaborate to find solutions and form action plans
  
  

Finally, here are the skills and experience we’re looking for:

• Commitment to and passion for public interest journalism

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience (make sure to tell us why your experience is equivalent)

• 10+ years in a development and/or communications role in the nonprofit/advocacy/campaign sector with a minimum of 2 years of successful fundraising

• Ability to travel regularly

• Experience with graphic design and video editing

• Strong organizational skills

• Ability to manage and prioritize a significant portfolio of prospective members

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Proficient and trainable in a variety of software programs

• Ability to work proactively both collaboratively and independently

• Flexibility in working with a diverse group of personalities

• Previous exposure or partnership with Public News Service is a plus
  
  

Additional Information

Public News Service (PNS) is a newswire for public interest and social justice news. Though primarily focused on radio, our multi-format content reaches an average of 60 Million people per week through thousands of other media outlets. Innovating at the juncture of national, state and local news for 26+ years, we’re unique in the independent media space as a sustainable Public Benefit (Certified B) Corporation. We partner closely with other media organizations and rely on grants, gifts and memberships to support coverage of critical issues. We are not dependent on clickbait: our most direct audience is news directors who also have bottom lines and care deeply about local news.

Public News Service is a News Guild union workplace; this is a senior-level, management position and not eligible for union representation.

Public News Service is deeply committed to fostering a transparently inclusive workplace environment, and we are focused on developing, engaging and retaining a diverse workforce. People of color, women, people with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We strive to have teams and leaders that reflect the diverse audiences and communities we aim to reach.