About Sahan Journal
Sahan Journal is the only independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit digital newsroom fully dedicated to providing authentic news reporting for and about immigrants and communities of color in Minnesota.
We chronicle the struggles, successes, and transformations of Minnesota’s immigrants and communities of color, whose stories are often overlooked, ignored, or poorly represented in legacy media. As Minnesota becomes more diverse, Sahan brings these undertold stories to the mainstream, with the skill, perspective, and nuance they deserve. We create journalism that represents the changing face of Minnesota and recognizes that democratic engagement and power belong to everyone. We believe that local journalism is a unifying force that can connect us all, regardless of our race, politics, religion, or nation of birth.
Sahan Journal’s editorial team has produced original and influential coverage of important issues, including teacher diversity, policing, COVID-19 and health equity, environmental justice, and political participation. And our photojournalists and multimedia producers have created innovative videos and digital journalism across social media platforms. We’re constantly experimenting with how to listen to the communities we cover and reflect their news needs in our coverage. Sahan Journal exists to find new, better ways to provide news and information.
Our journalism has been recognized regionally and nationally for its excellence and distinction. Our stories reach audiences online and through sharing with media partners and via social media, averaging 100,000 unique readers a month. Sahan has received funding from the Racial Equity in Journalism (REJ) Fund at Borealis Philanthropy, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundations, McKnight Foundation, Google News Initiative, Facebook Journalism Project, Emerson Collective, Knight Foundation, and other major funders of journalism innovation and racial equity.
The Opportunity
Sahan Journal is seeking a candidate to succeed its founding Managing Director, and join founder and Executive Director Ibrahim in shaping the future of this respected and distinctive nonprofit news organization. Launched in 2019, Sahan Journal is poised to move beyond its startup phase, and to build organizational capacity that will allow Sahan to make lasting contributions to the media ecosystem of Minnesota and the nation.
The individual in this position will play a critical role in shaping Sahan Journal’s future by creating and implementing systems for sustainable development and operations, while participating as a key member of Sahan’s leadership team.
Position Description
Sahan Journal is seeking a high-energy, versatile, experienced, and creative person to build revenue and manage internal operations. This role is an opportunity to help lead a mission-driven nonprofit news organization that believes that journalism is at the forefront of the movement for racial equity and social justice in America.
This role has broad, hands-on responsibilities and will be best served by an individual with wide-ranging skills, from fundraising and financial management to strategic planning. The ideal candidate will thrive on managing details and enabling colleagues to be successful while helping to shape the vision for Sahan’s long-term successful development.
The Managing Director of Development and Operations reports to the Executive Director and will oversee Sahan Journal’s operations and fundraising efforts, which currently account for approximately $1.5 million in annual revenue. This position also helps set Sahan Journal’s strategic direction as a member of the leadership team. Immediate priorities are increasing revenue from individual major gifts and growing our base of member households to build support that sustains the organization beyond initial start-up investments from major foundations in Minnesota and nationally.
We are creating a supportive, high-energy organizational culture, one that is committed to developing the potential of our staff and honoring their wellbeing. We believe the best work is thrilling and fun. The successful candidate will join a full-time staff of 10 and supervise the Sahan revenue and operations team including:
- Contract Grant writer
- Contract Membership Director
- Contract Controller/Accountant
- Contract HR Consultant
Primary responsibilities include:
Leadership
- Serve as a member of Sahan’s leadership team that directs strategy, determines plans, and inspires and leads staff and volunteers in common purpose;
Development:
- Direct a full-scale development effort that includes annual fundraising, grant writing, major gifts, special campaigns, fundraising events, and donor stewardship.
- Manage the process of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors, with a particular focus on major gifts ($1,000+), working in close coordination with the Executive Director and Sahan Journal’s Board of Directors.
- Direct the organization’s individual giving program to grow membership, including managing the online giving platform, ensuring delivery of prompt thank-you notes, and timely and persuasive communications to support member experience.
- Direct donor data collection, management, and analysis using our Salesforce CRM system.
Engagement:
- Plan and promote events that raise brand awareness, engage donors/members, and increase membership.
- Cultivate and strengthen relationships and partnerships with community organizations and institutions.
Governance:
- Lead board recruitment, development, and management.
- Build a non-governing Advisory Board with the Executive Director.
Operations
- Serve as a member of the business leadership team, providing input and support to the organization’s financial, budgeting, and administrative processes to continuously develop and improve systems.
Qualifications
Strong candidates will have:
- A sophisticated understanding of intersectional racial inequity, and the role of journalism in uplifting underrepresented voices, and increasing civic engagement.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
- Five or more years in nonprofit fundraising, including major gifts experience.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated excellence in project management.
- Familiarity with donor databases and the ability to use database information analysis purposes.
- Previous experience managing people is required.
Preferred Skills
- Bilingual in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, or other spoken language.
- Deep understanding of emerging and BIPOC communities.
- Highly collaborative and entrepreneurial.
- Committed to the success of colleagues.
Salary and Benefits
- The salary range for this position begins at $80,000 and will be based on prior experience and skillset.
- Sahan Journal pays 100 percent of the employee’s medical and dental benefits; family members can be additionally covered by employee contributions.
- Sahan Journal staff currently work primarily from home. We anticipate in 2021 we will begin weekly in-person meetings.
- Flexible working hours.
- Sahan Journal does not offer standard holidays (Eid, Labor Day, Christmas, etc.), reflecting the diverse preferences of our staff. Instead, this position will receive five weeks of PTO to be used at personal discretion.
Application process
Send resume and cover letter to jobs@sahanjournal.com by July 16, 2021.
The position is open until filled.
About Sahan Journal founder Mukhtar M. Ibrahim
Mukhtar M. Ibrahim has won recognition as an innovative journalist addressing issues of diversity and equity in media. He received the prestigious leadership fellowship from the St. Paul–based Bush Foundation; a “Great Immigrant” award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York; Twin Cities Business Magazine’s 100 People to Know; Islamic Resource Group’s “Building Bridges Award in Media”; and an “Above the Fold” award, which honors alumni of the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication under the age of 40 who have made exceptional contributions to their fields.
Sahan Journal in the Media
https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/sahan-journal-minnesota.php
