Head of Strategic Partnerships

The Head of Strategic Partnerships at the American Journalism Project (AJP) will play a pivotal role in securing transformational funding to advance the organization’s mission of rebuilding local news as a pillar of democracy. As a senior leader within the Advancement team, the Head of Strategic Partnerships will work closely with the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) and executive leadership to design and implement strategies that cultivate, solicit, and steward seven- and eight-figure gifts, with a focus on expanding AJP’s network of supporters.

This is a unique opportunity to act as a thought partner to the CAO, represent AJP to key stakeholders, and lead efforts to attract new, high-impact funders to contribute to the future of local news and support the next generation of civic news leaders.

Who we are

We’re a small but entrepreneurial team working to re-shape the future of local news in our country. We’re passionate about journalism, civic engagement, and how local news plays a unique role in shaping our democracy. We help build and grow sustainable local news organizations all over the country — through financial investment, venture support, and movement building — that are governed by, sustained by, and look like the public they serve. Learn about our grantees.

AJP has raised over $175 million for the cause so far, and aims to catalyze enough investment in nonprofit local news to create thriving, equitable, public service-oriented newsrooms that increase civic engagement and make communities work better for their residents.

Our team is deeply connected to our mission and supportive of each others’ goals and overall well-being. We aim to be an organization where everyone feels heard, respected, and valued. We are an entirely remote, distributed team and strive to maintain a healthy, fun, and productive workplace, working alongside smart, energetic colleagues who enjoy one another and the work. Meet our full team.

Our values

• Local First: We know that local journalism must serve and be led by local communities. We make a practice of listening to, and making decisions with – not for – those communities, and connecting them to find strength in each other.
• Bold Leadership: We understand the severe economic challenge facing local news and thus democracy, and we embrace a sense of possibility with courage, urgency, and perseverance.
• Constant Learning: We recognize the unknown in front of us. Therefore, we operate with humility and a commitment to continuous improvement and collaboration.
• Commitment to Equity: We commit to creating a better, more diverse, and more inclusive news media that advances human and civil rights. We actively fight against injustice and racism, and that starts with doing the work ourselves.
• Integrity: We accept the responsibility of earning trust every day. We operate with honesty, transparency, dignity, and respect, and without allegiance to party, ideology, profit, or power.

Your team

The Advancement Team at AJP works to galvanize support towards rebuilding local news, communicate more about our work and progress, elevate our grantees, and provide fundraising operations, cultivation opportunities and tools across the organization. This team has supported the organization to raise more than $150 million for local news, secured significant press wins and developed outstanding thought leadership.

The Head of Strategic Partnerships will report to the Chief Advancement Officer, and work closely with the other members of the Advancement team.

Position summary

The Head of Strategic Partnerships will lead efforts to expand and diversify AJP’s donor base and pipeline, with a focus on securing transformational seven- and eight-figure gifts. Working closely with the CAO, CEO, and programmatic teams, the Head of Strategic Partnerships will design and execute strategies to cultivate new high-impact funders. This role will serve as a senior representative of AJP, building external partnerships and inspiring philanthropic investment in local news. Your strategic leadership will play a pivotal role in advancing AJP’s mission to rebuild local news as a cornerstone of our democracy.

The Head of Strategic Partnerships will have the following responsibilities:

Strategic fundraising leadership and partnership development

• Partner with the CAO to develop and implement strategies for achieving ambitious multi-year fundraising goals.
• Identify, cultivate, and solicit seven- and eight-figure gifts from new donors, with a focus on transformational investments.
• Identify and develop creative partnerships with corporations, managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that drive value for both AJP and its grantees; this includes leading cross-team collaboration, navigating diverse interests, and ensuring partnerships are effectively structured and executed to maximize impact.
• Lead on donor engagement and stewardship for their portfolio, ensuring alignment with AJP’s mission and values.
• Leverage data and market insights to identify trends and opportunities in journalism philanthropy and corporate partnerships and adapt strategies accordingly.

External engagement

• Act as a senior external representative of AJP, articulating the organization’s vision and value to diverse audiences.
• Build and strengthen relationships with new prospects to expand AJP’s donor base.
• Proactively identify and pursue new opportunities to expand AJP’s network, leverage creative strategies to engage with key stakeholders, attend and represent AJP at high-impact events to raise visibility and foster partnerships, and position AJP in influential spaces.

Team collaboration and leadership

• Serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CAO and executive team, contributing to organization-wide strategic planning and decision-making.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align fundraising efforts with programmatic goals and outcomes and to create compelling cases for support and tailor proposals.
• Support the development of external-facing materials, including proposals, reports, and presentations.
• Play an active role on the Advancement Team and leadership role within the organization; mentor Advancement staff, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.

Who you are

We know not all strong candidates will have all the skills we list. That’s OK. Research shows that women and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they don’t meet every skill listed. At AJP, we are committed to creating a better, more diverse, and more inclusive news ecosystem, and that starts with doing the work ourselves. So if your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, but you know this is the role for you – please tell us!

This role might be a fit if you are…

• Experienced fundraiser: You have proven success in securing new seven- and eight-figure philanthropic gifts and demonstrated ability to cultivate relationships with high-level stakeholders and design strategies for sustained engagement.
• Dynamic relationship builder: Adept at building trust, managing complex partnerships, and navigating sophisticated donor ecosystems. Knowledge and experience in the field of journalism preferred.
• Strategic thinker and executor: You thrive at understanding and navigating through complexity and setting clear strategy and prioritization. You are not afraid to dive into the details and be an individual contributor while also getting on the balcony to set strategy.
• Self-starter and goal-oriented: You live and breathe our overall fund goals. You manage against personal goals regularly. You manage and track yourself to goals consistently but you also think very holistically about how we are bringing in new support.
• End-to-end ownership: You see your projects through and you take full responsibility for achieving high-quality outcomes, without waiting to be directed.
• Exceptional communicator: Ability to craft and deliver compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. You are able to effectively communicate strategy and distill impact in a way that can inspire our board, grantees, and external stakeholders.
• Collaborative and agile: You love people and bring tremendous energy to a meeting. You see fundraising as a team sport and leverage others appropriately. You have a collaborative, forward-thinking approach that enables you to work across teams and inspire others.
• Thrive on feedback: As part of your collaborative nature, you bring others into your work for their feedback. You understand that a team approach makes your work stronger, and you don’t shy away from hearing and incorporating solid advice, whether from your manager, your peers, or external partners. This learning orientation means you love to try something, learn from it, and do it better the next time. We encourage risk-taking and constant learning is one of our values.
• Bold and mission-driven: You wake up every day terrified about the future of local news in our country but boldly optimistic that we can reimagine our country’s local news infrastructure. You work with urgency to get us there faster.
• Committed to equity: You bring experience of managing across lines of difference. You’ve worked with organizations led by BIPOC and/or nonprofits that have a track record of serving diverse communities and bring a fluency that has been shaped by those experiences.
• Fun and supportive: We are working hard to reimagine the future of local news and our mission is vitally important to the future of our country. But, we also take the time to enjoy each other’s company and lift each other up.
• Ready to travel if needed but also excited to work for a remote organization: We are a fully virtual team. However, travel is occasionally needed to achieve the overall objectives of this role – we estimate this person would need to travel 6-8 times a year.