Chief Advancement Officer

Featured

Feb 25

Written By Yolanda F. Johnson

Classical KING FM 98.1
Seattle, WA

Anticipated Start Date: 05/01/2026

Description

The Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) joins Classical KING in a critical period of growth as the organization continues to expand audiences through streaming and keeps philanthropic relationships and investments at pace with program expansion. An accomplished fundraising leader, the CAO is at home with best practices and comfortable innovating into the digital future of the station. The CAO is a key contributor to the organization’s culture of collaboration, strategic planning, and inter-personal care. The CAO leads a comprehensive, successful advancement program that is the revenue engine supporting Classical KING’s mission, including gifts from individuals and foundations as well as government grants.

The CAO manages an eight-member advancement team that currently includes two Philanthropy Officers, a Donor Engagement Officer, Philanthropy Coordinator, Director of Membership, Director of Advancement Operations, Donor Relations Coordinator, and Gift Processing Coordinator. The Chief Advancement Officer serves as an essential member of the leadership team that includes a Chief Content and Engagement Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Program Director. The Chief Advancement Officer works closely with Classical KING's CEO and engaged Board to support them on strategic donor cultivation, strengthen the Board’s fundraising capacity, and acts as the primary board liaison to the Development and Marketing Committee.

As a strategic lead, the CAO works closely with the leadership team to deliver expertise, best thinking, iterative counsel, open dialogue, and effective communications to ensure sound advice prevails at the decision table. In 2025, Classical KING moved quickly and decisively to address the loss of federal funding for public media and pushed philanthropic revenues into overdrive. Today the organization is benefiting from extraordinary growth in giving from individuals at all levels and is building on this momentum.

The Chief Advancement Officer will play a critical role keeping fundraising success at pace as the organization moves into its next phase of growth. Strengthening long term sustainability, diversifying revenue streams, and expanding planned giving are all critical components of Classical KING’s fundraising strategy. The CAO reports directly to Rob Wiseman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Classical KING. Having served as CAO since 2024, this CAO search is the result of Rob’s appointment as Classical KING’s CEO in March 2026.

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

Within the first 12 to 18 months, the Chief Advancement Officer will achieve the following major objectives:

Establish strong, trusting relationships through capable leadership with the CEO, leadership team, staff, board leaders, members, volunteers, and donor community.
Maintain Classical KING's growth trajectory and fundraising success by inspiring a high-performing advancement team that grows a diverse donor base through clear, achievable goals.
Lead thoughtful stewardship and retention strategies for donors who increased or initiated support in response to the loss of federal funding for public media, ensuring these contributors feel valued, informed, and connected to Classical KING’s mission and long‑term vision.
Advance and integrate a comprehensive planned giving program that encourages legacy commitments, aligns with donors’ philanthropic goals, and supports the long‑term financial health of Classical KING.
Enlist the help of the Board Development and Marketing Committee to increase major giving, legacy commitments, and inspire the Board in its overall fundraising responsibility.
Develop confidence in talking about Classical KING’s strategic goals, finances, and presenting a compelling case to donors.

Responsibilities

The Chief Advancement Officer will have the following primary responsibilities:

Fundraising Leadership

Develop and implement a comprehensive advancement plan that grows a diverse and increasingly larger base of donors and prospects.
Create inclusive opportunities for all giving levels to support Classical KING with special focus on growing sustainers, increasing the pipeline of five- and six-figure gift prospects, and legacy commitments.
Provide direction, leadership, and oversight for a robust fundraising platform of annual giving, major giving, planned giving, foundation giving, government grants, direct mail, and special events, with clearly defined revenue goals and performance metrics.
Manage a portfolio of leadership-level donors and prospects; play the leading role in advancing relationships with that result in transformative progress for Classical KING’s mission.
Support and guide the CEO, other staff, and volunteers in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors and prospects. Ensure appropriate portfolio management practices to efficiently advance relationships.
Develop and implement high‑impact cultivation and stewardship events that reflect donor interests, celebrate generosity, and reinforce long‑term relationships with Classical KING.
Lead and integrate a comprehensive planned giving strategy that deepens donor relationships, encourages legacy commitments through robust marketing, and supports the long‑term financial sustainability of Classical KING.
Strengthen all advancement processes and systems, donor database, prospect research, and moves management to support an efficient operation that meets the needs of staff and donors.
Ensure that all donors and prospects are appropriately stewarded in order to increase retention and increase higher levels of giving.

Partnership and Board

Serve as staff lead for the Development & Marketing Committee of the Board as well as regularly contribute to meetings of the full Board and Finance Committee.’
Create and deliver regular reports on fundraising performance and donor engagement for the Board.
Partner with the leadership team to ensure coordinated strategy and messaging around external partnerships, Board engagement, and organizational priorities.
Collaborate with the CEO and members of the Board to identify prospective Board members who will enhance the capabilities of the organization.
In conjunction with the leadership team, support nontraditional opportunities to advance the organization’s mission, including fundraising opportunities, program collaborations, and partnerships.

Management

Lead, manage, and inspire the work of a high-performing advancement team in a warm, positive, and compassionate manner to meet and exceed all goals.
Be recognized as a committed, valued, and collegial leader by members of Classical KING’s staff.
In partnership with the CEO, ensure Classical KING’s culture of philanthropy, structure, and resources are aligned in support of contributed revenue expectations and organizational priorities.
Work closely with the CEO and COO in the budgeting process by creating a cohesive plan with clear financial goals rooted in achievable strategies and motivating metrics.
Travel as needed and attend evening and weekend events.

Requirements

The ideal Chief Advancement Officer will bring most of the following qualifications and skills:

A passionate commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Classical KING.
Expertise implementing fundraising best practices and an appetite for innovation and risk-taking.
At least seven years of senior-level comprehensive fundraising experience with prior experience guiding strategy and leading a team of development professionals.
Experience with public media fundraising or other membership-based annual fund programs would be an advantage.
Significant achievement in the areas of major giving, annual giving, legacy giving, foundation giving, donor marketing and stewardship, special events, including solicitation of six-figure gifts and legacy commitments.
An intelligent, compassionate, and thoughtful manager with a solid ability to hire, supervise, and mentor an advancement team that strives for fundraising excellence, leading by example in a warm, positive, and transparent manner.
Demonstrated success in working collaboratively with leadership teams, engaged boards, and volunteers.
Strong motivational and interpersonal skills that value honor, integrity, and excellence in work.
Excellent communication skills, including strong listening, written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Ability to achieve targeted fundraising goals by means of strategic positioning, flexible direction, and team-oriented leadership.
Solid financial management skills with experience in fundraising and budget analysis, forecasting, and planning.
Strong knowledge of advancement operations and donor database management systems, particularly Raiser’s Edge.

Salary Range and Employee Benefits

The salary range for this full-time, exempt position is $180,000 to $200,000.

The Chief Advancement Officer will be based in Seattle at the Classical KING offices with the flexibility to work remotely.

Generous benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; employer-paid life and disability insurance; 401(k) program, paid time off including holidays, sick days, bereavement leave, and vacation; a relaxed, healthy, joyful work environment; and a flexible work-life balance. Relocation assistance will be provided for the successful candidate.

How to Apply for this Job

Please send cover letter, resume, and professional references to hr@king.org.

About the Organization

Classical KING FM 98.1 is the primary institution for classical music in Seattle, Bellevue, and Greater Puget Sound region and serves as the catalyst for the vitality of the entire regional arts community. KING FM strives each day to make classical music and the arts easily accessible by developing new diverse audiences for classical music.

Today, Classical KING FM is recognized as a regional treasure and an experienced, authoritative source of high-quality classical music and arts programming. With over 250,000 weekly listeners, the Classical KING FM audience is as varied as their musical selections. Nearly 20 percent of their listeners are under 35 and thousands of them are under the age of 11. They have 8,300 weekly listeners who identify as disabled and over 40,000 who are people of color. With a budget of $4.2 million, staff of 23, and more than 16,000 members, Classical KING FM is helping to pave the way for a bright future and bring the richness of classical music to diverse audiences in the rapidly growing Puget Sound Region.

As of February 2020, KING FM is located in a new 4,000 square-foot office space on the second floor of the Seattle Opera Administration Building on the Seattle Center Campus near the Space Needle. Before relocating to this new space, KING FM completed an ambitious capital campaign, raising $6.8 million for critical facility needs and allowing this organization a strong foundation for continued philanthropic donor support.

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