Chief Development Officer
The Pulitzer Center is a leading nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to championing the power of stories to drive engagement and impact. Founded in 2006, the Center supports ambitious journalism that investigates the defining challenges shaping communities around the world – from artificial intelligence and global health to climate change, human rights, democracy, and conflict.
Through grants, fellowships, editorial resources, and global reporting networks, the Pulitzer Center supports journalists and newsrooms in pursuing in-depth stories that media systems are increasingly unable to fund at the scale these issues demand. Its work spans more than 80 countries and reaches millions of people annually through partnerships with major international, national, and local news organizations.
What distinguishes the Pulitzer Center is its integrated model of journalism, education, and public engagement. Beyond supporting groundbreaking reporting, the organization builds communities of learning that connect journalists with educators, students, artists, policymakers, and the public through outreach programs, university partnerships, events, and audience engagement initiatives designed to deepen understanding and inspire participation.
Today, the Pulitzer Center is recognized as one of the most innovative and influential nonprofit journalism organizations in the world – advancing reporting that not only informs audiences, but also drives dialogue, accountability, and tangible social impact.
About the role
The Pulitzer Center is at a defining moment in its evolution. Our work is more vital than ever in a world where the business model for journalism is under unprecedented strain, where authoritarian pressure on the press is intensifying, and where the issues we cover – from AI accountability to climate to global conflict – are reshaping the lives of communities everywhere.
Under new executive leadership, the Center is sharpening its strategic positioning, deepening its sector-level impact, and building the philanthropic relationships needed to sustain and grow our critical work. The Chief Development Officer (CDO) will play a central role in shaping and implementing that future by leading all aspects of the Pulitzer Center ’s revenue strategy, fundraising operations, and philanthropic growth during this moment of significant organizational momentum.
This role extends beyond traditional fundraising leadership. The CDO will serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and senior executives, helping position the Pulitzer Center within a rapidly evolving media, democracy, and philanthropic landscape. They will bring a sophisticated understanding of institutional positioning, sector trends, and relationship-building strategy – translating emerging global issues and organizational priorities into compelling opportunities for partnership, investment, and long-term impact.
The CDO will oversee all aspects of development strategy and execution, including institutional philanthropy, principal and major gifts, board engagement, donor communications, strategic partnerships, events strategy, grants management, revenue forecasting, and development operations. Ultimately, this role is accountable for growing the Pulitzer Center 's philanthropic revenue, the relationships that sustain it, and the organizational capacity to do both at scale. They will lead and continue building a growing development team currently composed of four full-time professionals, with the expectation of growth as the function scales. The CDO will also serve as a senior external representative of the organization with major funders, peer institutions, and sector leaders.
The ideal candidate is both strategist and builder – someone who can operate at the level of institutional vision while also strengthening the systems, discipline, and culture necessary to execute with rigor, sophistication, and ambition at scale.
Prior journalism experience is not required.