Assistant Audience Development Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Position Highlights:

• Part-time, hybrid position
• Location: Evanston, IL
• Reports to Executive Director

Company Overview:

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 Overview:

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.

What You Will Be Responsible For:

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.

What You Bring to the Role:

• 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.

Job Structure:

This is a part-time (hourly), hybrid position. 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.

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.