Director of Development

Established in 2011, Israel Story is now the world’s largest, and most listened-to Jewish podcast. It is also a growing media organization with dreams of expansion in various different realms of activity. We are dedicated to telling a complicated and nuanced story of Israel, and try to model the Israeli society we’d like to live in – one that’s open-minded and pluralistic, diverse and full of curiosity; one in which we listen to each other, and learn from one another; one in which there is room for people of different faiths, beliefs, backgrounds and lifestyles; one that isn’t seen primarily through ideological or political lenses, but rather recognizes the humanity of all who live here. In other words, Israel Story attempts to build a cultural bridge between Israel and the world.

At Israel Story, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence, flexibility, curiosity, and humility.

While there is obviously a proliferation of podcasts within the Jewish space, none are comparable to Israel Story in its approach to storytelling, its commitment to the highest standards of production, and its audience size. In the last year alone, more than one million people from over 190 countries around the world have downloaded our episodes.

To date, Israel Story, led by CEO Mishy Harman, has been the beneficiary of a number of individual donors and major foundations who believe in our mission. It is clear that securing and expanding our funding is the key to long-term sustainability and growth.

And that’s why we need you.

Israel Story is seeking an experienced Director of Development to join our tight-knit team. We are looking for someone who believes in our mission, is aligned with our core values and will demonstrate exceptional drive to further our existing fundraising efforts and help strategize and deliver critical new ones.

An ideal candidate will be:

  1. A self-starter and independent worker with a passion for fundraising
  2. Confident and curious
  3. Highly-motivated and hard-working
  4. Professional and organized
  5. Have a knack for research and leaving no stone unturned
  6. Able to think creatively and expansively about “outside the box” fundraising/revenue generating campaigns
  7. Have extensive relationships with potential donors and foundations, and be willing to use them, both within – and outside of – the world of Jewish philanthropy

Areas of Responsibility:

  • Steward and maintain existing donor relations with both individuals and foundations
  • Cultivate a network of dedicated donors and ensure major donors are satisfied and kept in the loop
  • Research and find new individuals and foundations that may be interested in Israel Story
  • Effectively convey the organization’s mission, vision, and programs to potential donors
  • Craft grant applications, funding proposals and reports for all grants
  • Keep a careful calendar of submission deadlines, reporting deadlines, etc.
  • Strategize and successfully execute fundraising campaigns to help the organization meet financial goals
  • Identify and pursue other (non philanthropic) revenue-generating opportunities such as like corporate sponsorships, brand partnerships, paid consulting and others

Skills and Qualifications:

  • At least three to five years of fundraising, sales, or marketing experience, including extensive experience writing proposals, LOIs, etc.
  • A track record of having applied for, and received, grants of over $100k
  • Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills
  • Ability to collaborate with colleagues
  • Strong attention to detail
  • Adept at managing tasks, planning events, and balancing priorities
  • Competence in excel and donor management systems

The position is full-time, and we offer a competitive salary commensurate with level of experience and location. The range is $70k-$90k/year.

Our offices are in Jerusalem, but we are willing to accept applications from candidates who will work remotely as well. The Director of Development will report to, and work closely with, the CFO and CEO. They will have weekly meetings in which the Director of Development will be expected to show visible and demonstrable progress.

The start date will be March 1, 2022.

Please submit a full CV, and – in lieu of a cover letter – a one-page “case for support” for Israel Story along with three to four bullet points of “outside the box” funding ideas. Material should be sent to jobs@israelstory.org by February 15, 2022.