Senior development officer

GBH enriches people's lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain, fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of learning, and the power of diverse perspectives.

At GBH, we believe in the advantages of coming together to build community, mentor and learn from colleagues, and connect more deeply with our mission. As a result, the majority of our staff are hybrid and work both from home and onsite. Our current hybrid approach requires staff to work onsite a minimum of two days each week, every Tuesday and one other day, to be determined by their business unit. Hybrid staff are also welcome to come in additional days each week or may be asked to come in on other days by their manager.

Department Overview

GBH is a vibrant public media powerhouse that enriches people’s lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain –fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of learning, and the power of diverse perspectives.

GBH is more than a station or a channel — it is a leader in independent public media, telling the stories that matter to our audiences and producing programs that can change the world.

For the past 75 years we have grown to become the largest producer of content for PBS, making award winning series such as FRONTLINE, NOVA, MASTERPIECE, American Experience, and ANTIQUES ROADSHOW. PBS is the most trusted source of media in the United States carrying the local, national and international news that audiences rely on.

The Development Division is responsible for raising funds from individuals

and institutions. It plays a vital role in helping to finance broadcast, video,

digital, and audio programs, including celebrated dramas, investigative

journalism, documentaries, children’s media, podcasts, and other local and

national programming in the public media system.

Job Overview

The Senior Development Officer (SDO) reports to the Sr. Director of Development, Major Annual Giving. The SDO is a senior member of the Major Annual Giving team, which is responsible for raising over $9 million in gifts annually through GBH’s three giving circles: the Champions Circle, Beacon Circle, and CAI’s Founders Circle. In addition to managing a portfolio of leadership annual fund prospects and donors, the SDO plays a key role in Beacon Circle patron program strategy and works closely with the Sr. Director and the Beacon Circle volunteer committee to build out offerings and services that improve donor engagement and inspire increased support of GBH. Specific goals will be tied to upgrades within Beacon Circle, Major and Planned Giving donor qualification, as well as visits made. This is a transformative period for GBH, as it navigates profound changes in its business model, driven by the changing media landscape and evolving sources of revenue. With a comprehensive campaign launching in late 2025 and GBH’s 75th anniversary in 2026, GBH’s Major Annual Giving team is innovating for growth and the SDO will be a vital participant in this work.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of 150-180 leadership annual prospects and donors.
• Qualify, cultivate, solicit and steward individuals through meetings in-person and on Zoom, phone and written communication and engagement at events.
• Execute solicitations of annual unrestricted grantmaking foundations.
• Work closely with Beacon Circle committee volunteers on strategies to engage friends and networks with GBH.
• Develop stewardship strategies to strengthen donor retention.
• Collaborate with Major Gifts and Planned Giving teams to qualify patrons for transformative giving.
• Prepare proposals, briefings and reports and meet regularly with donors.
• Record and track all donor activity using GBH’s CRM

SKILL SET

• Strong interpersonal, writing and communication skills.
• Demonstrated portfolio management and relationship building experience.
• Ability to work independently and within a team.
• Knowledge of CRM relational databases.

Education And Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Minimum of 5-8 years of relevant, progressively complex work experience, annual fund and/or major gifts experience preferred.

JOB SPECIFICS

Staff position

Hybrid position

LOCATION

1 Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135

This position is located in Boston, MA, and requires on-site presence.

GBH is an equal opportunity employer. The community and audience we serve are diverse, and we wish to foster that diversity in our workplace. Toward that end, GBH does not discriminate against individuals in hiring, employment, or promotion based on race, religion, color, sex/gender, gender identity and gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, disability, veteran or military status, political belief, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Application Process Assistance

GBH will reasonably accommodate applicants with disabilities who need adjustments to participate in the application or interview process. To initiate an accommodation request, contact the Human Resource department by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling 617-300-2000.