About the Evanston RoundTable

The Evanston RoundTable is Evanston's only independent nonprofit newsroom, covering local government, education, racial equity, arts and culture. Reader-funded and editorially independent, the RoundTable draws over 90% of its budget from readers and reaches 16,000+ daily newsletter subscribers. Our reporting has earned regional and national recognition, including a Lisagor Award for public interest journalism.

Position Summary

The RoundTable seeks a versatile marketing professional to manage fundraising campaigns, donor communications and audience development, with a particular focus on two annual fundraising campaigns. This role works closely with the Executive Director and Development team.

The ideal candidate is a strong, persuasive writer with sharp attention to detail and the ability to self-manage timelines. They should also have hands-on experience with email marketing (ideally ActiveCampaign), design tools (Canva, Acrobat Pro), WordPress/Newspack, and social media strategy and analytics — along with a genuine belief in the value of local, independent journalism.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Campaigns

Lead all communications for the Spring Fundraiser, Fall NewsMatch and other campaigns: develop messaging strategy and timeline with the Executive Director and Development team; write and edit all campaign email copy
Build and deploy campaign emails and donor segmentation in ActiveCampaign; monitor performance and deliver a written post-campaign report
Coordinate the campaign schedule across email, website, newsletter and social media, including daily newsletter blurbs during active campaigns; brief the social media editor and design supporting visual assets

Donor Development

Write the annual year-end appeal (letter, envelope and direct-mail variations) and routine donor thank-you and stewardship communications
Write and edit automated new-donor email sequences with the BlueLena and Development teams; proofread donor group emails and occasional Board/Advisory Committee messages

Events (RoundTable Reads, News & Brews)

Support events with promotional emails, newsletter blurbs, web ads and on-site materials; write press releases and draft event articles as needed
Set up and maintain Eventbrite pages; handle occasional sponsor communications and create supporting Canva design assets

Audience Engagement, Marketing & Advertising Support

Write and edit the automated Welcome series for new subscribers with the Blue Lena team; create web ads and a social media strategy to grow newsletter subscriptions
Support the ad sales team on the media guide and advertiser web ads; produce e-blasts for the Evanston Chamber of Commerce and similar partners; assist with merch store updates

Annual Impact Report

Organize editorial content, audience metrics and donor recognition; manage a freelance designer and oversee print production

Opportunities for Growth

Over time, the role may expand to include refreshing the media guide, developing a business sponsorship strategy, deepening cross-promotional audience development (e.g., for RoundTable verticals like Raising Evanston), and auditing the RoundTable's communication channels.

Qualifications

At least 1-2 years of experience in marketing, communications or a related field, with excellent, persuasive writing skills across formats and audiences
Experience with email marketing platforms (ActiveCampaign preferred) and visual design tools (Canva, Adobe Acrobat Pro or equivalent)
Experience with social media marketing and analytics; comfort with CRM/direct mail systems (Blue Lena or similar a plus)
Strong project management skills; nonprofit fundraising/donor appeal experience preferred; familiarity with Evanston is a significant advantage
Commitment to independent, community-centered journalism

How to Apply

Send a resume, cover letter and two or three writing samples (demonstrating fundraising, donor communications or audience engagement writing) to tracy@evanstonroundtable.com. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants may be asked to complete a short assessment as part of the interview process.

The Evanston RoundTable is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the community we serve.

Evanston RoundTable

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