Description
WHO WE ARE:
Serving the country’s fourth-largest media market, KERA reaches more than 5 million people monthly through KERA TV, KERA News, KXT, WRR and The Denton Record-Chronicle. For more than 65 years, North Texans have turned to KERA as a destination for community engagement and lifelong learning.
As we seek to recognize and reflect our audience and communities, we encourage applicants from all backgrounds and points of view to consider employment opportunities at KERA.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Donor Relations Officer (DRO) manages and grows a portfolio of mid-level donors, typically in the $1,000–$4,999 range, with a focus on deepening relationships, increasing giving, and qualifying donors for major gifts.
This role serves as a critical bridge between membership and major gifts, applying a scaled relationship management approach to a large portfolio. DROs prioritize donors based on engagement and capacity, delivering personalized outreach where it matters most while maintaining broader programmatic communication across the portfolio.
The DRO is responsible for advancing donors through the pipeline—either toward higher levels of giving and major gift qualification or back into programmatic streams when appropriate.
This position is classified as FLSA exempt, is not eligible for overtime and reports to the VP, Philanthropic Giving.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Portfolio Management & Donor Strategy
Manage a large portfolio of mid-level donors and prioritize 150–200 active donors at any given time for deeper, personalized engagement
Develop and execute individualized engagement strategies for top-tier donors within the portfolio
Donor Engagement & Relationship Building
Conduct discovery calls, meetings, and personalized outreach to understand donor interests, motivations, and capacity
Execute 12–24 annual touchpoints per active donor, with increasing personalization based on giving level
Build meaningful relationships that lead to increased giving and long-term engagement
Qualification & Pipeline Movement
Assess and track donor signals, including giving trends, responsiveness, and event participation
Qualify donors for movement into:
o Higher levels of engagement and givingo Major gifts portfolios
o Lower-touch, programmatic stewardship when appropriate
Revenue Growth & Upgrades
Drive increases in average gift size across the portfolio
Actively solicit gifts and upgrades, particularly toward the $2,500+ and $5,000+ levels
Partner with leadership and major gifts team on donors nearing qualification thresholds
Moves Management & Planning
Maintain clear and consistent documentation of donor interactions and next steps in the CRM
Develop monthly and quarterly plans for outreach, engagement, and solicitation
Ensure disciplined moves management practices across the portfolio
Collaboration & Events
Partner with stewardship, membership, and major gifts teams to coordinate donor experiences
Participate in and support donor events as a tool for engagement and qualification
Collaborate with data and analytics staff to refine portfolio strategy
What Success Looks Like in This Role:
Growth in average gift size across the portfolio
Increased number of donors reaching $2,500+ and $5,000+ giving levels
Strong pipeline of qualified donors moving into major gifts
Effective portfolio management, with clear prioritization and movement of donors
As a KERA employee:
Work in a manner that is consistent with KERA’s mission, vision and values; and maintain compliance with all company policies and procedures
Participate in fundraising activities as needed and assigned
Perform additional duties as assigned
This list of job duties is not exhaustive and is subject to regular reviews and updates
Requirements
WHAT WILL MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL:
We believe a strong organization includes employees from a range of backgrounds, with different skills, experiences, and passions. If you don't meet every job qualification but have some of these skills and think you’re the right person for the job, we'd like to hear from you. Please apply and tell us more about yourself.
4–6+ years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or sales
Experience managing donor or client portfolios with a focus on relationship-building and revenue growth
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport
Ability to balance personalized engagement with scaled portfolio management
Data-informed and strategic in prioritizing time and outreach
Experience with CRM systems and moves management practices
BONUS IF YOU BRING:
Passion for public media
SALARY RANGE
$75,000 - $85,000 annually, depending on experience
BENEFITS
Generous vacation (3 weeks), sick (8 days), personal time (2 days) and holidays (11)
Comprehensive health, dental and vision insurance
KERA-paid short and long-term disability, basic life insurance and AD&D insurance
Flexible scheduling and hybrid work environment
401k plan with KERA-contribution after 6 months
Robust employee assistance program available to the employee and all members of their household
Strong company culture focused on connection, belonging and professional growth
LOCATION:
We expect that this position will work out of our Dallas office at least 50% of the time. (Equivalent to 20 hours per week)
Time in office requirements are subject to change based on the needs of KERA and/or the position.
HOW TO APPLY:
Complete the application on KERA’s employment page.
Add an optional cover letter indicating why you’re excited about joining the KERA team.
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
We generally close roles 2-4 weeks after posting. The hiring process may continue for several weeks after the closing of the role depending on the number of applicants.
KERA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
KERA believes that diversity is important to our success. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.
