Help build one of the country’s most ambitious nonprofit news organizations.

Mountain State Spotlight is entering its next chapter.

Over the last six years, we’ve built one of the nation’s leading nonprofit news organizations by producing fearless accountability journalism that serves West Virginians and holds powerful institutions accountable.

Now we’re ready to grow.

Our strategic plan calls for expanding from a $1.2 million organization to a $2 million newsroom so we can hire more journalists, produce more investigative reporting, and serve more communities across West Virginia.

To achieve that goal, we need to build a fundraising institution that is every bit as ambitious as our journalism.

We’re looking for our first Managing Director of Development to help us do exactly that.

The opportunity

Reporting directly to the Founding Editor-in-Chief and President, you’ll become Mountain State Spotlight’s senior fundraising leader and strategic partner.

This is not a traditional development position.

We’re looking for someone who enjoys building organizations as much as raising money—someone who wants to create the systems, relationships, and team that will power one of America’s most ambitious nonprofit newsrooms for the next decade.

You’ll help transform founder-led fundraising into a durable, high-performing development operation while working side-by-side with one of the country’s most respected investigative journalists.

If you’re excited by building something that matters — not because it is easy, but because it matters — we’d love to talk with you.

What you’ll do

Build our fundraising institution.

Lead Mountain State Spotlight’s fundraising strategy and operations, including major philanthropy, institutional giving, grants, stewardship, prospect management, CRM, and fundraising systems.

Create the processes, discipline, and organizational capacity required to support a significantly larger newsroom.

Partner with the founder.

Work closely with Founding Editor-in-Chief and President Ken Ward Jr. to develop fundraising strategy, prepare for major donor conversations, and maximize the impact of his relationships with transformational supporters.

Help ensure our Founding Editor spends his fundraising time where he creates the greatest value: articulating Mountain State Spotlight’s vision, cultivating relationships, and closing major gifts.

Build and lead our development team.

Supervise and mentor our development staff while creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous learning, and shared ownership.

Help build a fundraising operation that is bigger than any one individual.

Engage our supporters.

Strengthen relationships with national journalism funders while expanding support from major donors, foundations, and West Virginians who believe independent journalism is essential to accountability and democracy.

Work closely with our Board of Directors to help members become active partners in opening doors, making introductions, and advancing Mountain State Spotlight’s mission.

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Expirationdate

2026-12-09 00:00:00

Url

https://impactopportunity.org/job/9350/managing-director-of-development/

Salaryfrom

75000

Salaryto

100000

Companydescription

Our mission is to help West Virginians improve our state by producing “sustained outrage” journalism that exposes abuses of power by government, business and other institutions.

West Virginia is struggling through an historic economic transition. Drug abuse and overdoses are ripping the state’s families apart. The public trust in government is on the decline. Democracy is threatened.

Critical decisions are being made. West Virginia’s economy, educational system, failing infrastructure and troubled public health system are central issues that need attention.

And never before in our state’s history has putting accurate information into the hands of our citizenry been more important. West Virginia is a beautiful state, and its people are resourceful, kind and resilient. They want, need and deserve watchdog journalism that holds powerful interests accountable. Journalism that puts the public interest first.

That’s why Mountain State Spotlight exists.

Companywebsite

mountainstatespotlight.org

Companylocation

170 Summers Street