Vice President, Development

Description

About the Opportunity 

Lehigh Valley Public Media is the public media organization serving Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. We are community-powered and community-centered, connecting people through trusted local news and information, educational programs, storytelling, and experiences that bring neighbors together. Our mission is to engage everyone in our community through public media resources to make the Lehigh Valley better tomorrow than it is today. 

We’re looking for a Vice President of Development who can help turn that mission into lasting support. 

This leader will build meaningful relationships with the people, businesses, and philanthropic partners who believe in the Lehigh Valley and want to invest in its future. The VP of Development will lead LVPM’s fundraising strategy, growing philanthropy and major gifts, strengthening corporate partnerships and sponsorships, and building deeper relationships with our members and supporters. 

This is a role for someone who loves both relationships and building: someone who can cultivate a major donor, develop a compelling partnership, coach a team, strengthen the systems behind the work and help people understand what their investment makes possible for our community. 

What You’ll Do 

Lead Philanthropy & Major Gifts 

• Build and execute a strategic, data-informed fundraising plan aligned with LVPM’s mission and priorities. 
• Grow and actively manage relationships with major donors, foundations, and philanthropic partners. 
• Develop thoughtful, personalized cultivation and stewardship strategies that connect donor interests with community needs and impact. 
• Partner with the President & CEO and Board on donor cultivation, strategic introductions and major philanthropic opportunities. 

Grow Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships 

• Develop integrated partnership and sponsorship opportunities across LVPM’s news and information, educational programs, storytelling, digital platforms, events and community engagement. 
• Build strong relationships with business and community leaders throughout the region. 
• Grow multi-year partnerships that create meaningful value for LVPM, our partners, and the community. 

Strengthen Membership 

• Lead the continued evolution of LVPM’s membership program toward deeper, long-term relationships with members and supporters. 
• Connect membership strategies with LVPM’s programming, digital experiences, events and audience engagement. 
• Use audience and donor insights, segmentation and data to strengthen acquisition, retention and engagement. 

Lead the Team & Build the Operation 

• Lead and develop a high-performing team spanning philanthropy, membership, sponsorship/underwriting and stewardship. 
• Establish clear goals, accountability, and professional development for the team. 
• Improve CRM, pipeline management, reporting, KPIs, and stewardship practices. 
• Collaborate across LVPM so community impact helps drive philanthropy and donor insights help us better understand and serve our community. 

These responsibilities reflect the core areas of ownership in the role, including major gifts, corporate partnerships, membership, team leadership, and development operations. 

What Success Looks Like 

Success in this role means building sustainable revenue and strong relationships that allow LVPM to deepen its impact across the Lehigh Valley. 

You’ll help: 

• Expand LVPM’s relationships with major donors, foundations, and philanthropic partners. 
• Grow corporate partnerships and sponsorship revenue. 
• Strengthen membership, retention, and long-term engagement. 
• Build and maintain a healthy fundraising pipeline with clear goals and accountability. 
• Develop a strong, collaborative development team. 
• Create stronger connections between donor investment and measurable community impact. 

Those outcomes align with the role's formal accountabilities for philanthropy, partnerships, membership, team leadership, and external engagement.

Requirements

What You Bring 

We’re looking for a relationship builder and strategic thinker who can move comfortably between a donor conversation, a community event, a strategy session, and the details of a fundraising pipeline. 

Ideally, you bring: 

• At least eight (8) years of progressive fundraising leadership in nonprofit, public media, higher education, arts and culture, or another community-focused organization. 
• A demonstrated record of securing major gifts and developing corporate partnerships. 
• Experience leading and developing teams, particularly during periods of growth or organizational change. 
• Strong knowledge of CRM systems, segmentation, pipeline management, and development operations. 
• Exceptional relationship building, communication, and storytelling skills. 
• The ability to translate ideas and opportunities into strategies, systems, and results. 
• Comfort using data and analytics to inform fundraising and donor engagement. 
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience; a master’s degree is preferred. 

Who You Are 

You’re mission-driven, collaborative, and curious. You have high emotional intelligence and understand that successful fundraising starts with listening, trust, and relationships. 

You’re equally comfortable thinking strategically and getting into the work. You can navigate complexity, bring people together around an idea, and turn that idea into action. And you’re energized by the opportunity to build something, not simply maintain what already exists. 

Most importantly, you believe in strong local news and information, education, storytelling and community connection matter, and you can help others see why investing in them matters, too. The role calls for a people-first, collaborative and forward-thinking leader who is comfortable building through change. 

Join Us 

This is an opportunity to help shape what community-powered, community-centered public media can become in the Lehigh Valley. 

If you’re excited about building relationships, growing philanthropic support, and connecting people and organizations with work that makes a meaningful difference in their community, we’d like to hear from you.