Development Director

Transcription

1 Development Director OVERVIEW San Diego Theatres (SDT), operating the San Diego Civic Theatre and the historic Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego is evolving into a performing arts center with vision of inclusion and access, artistic excellence, and civic and arts partnership to strengthen San Diego while propelling forward the artistic identity of the region and Southern California. It is establishing a development department, and seeks an entrepreneurial Director of Development to help lead the growth of SDT through fund development. Under the leadership of a visionary board and new CEO, SDT is building an integrated senior team where civic engagement, community partnership, stakeholder-focus and smart use of technology drive patron-derived revenue and audience development. SDT s work will now expand to include a focus on youth programs, community partnerships, arts creation and urban renewal. Therefore, the company is thrilled to commence a search for a Development Director who will thrive in this dynamic, forward-thinking, team-focused, and entrepreneurial environment. SDT s Development Director will be an accomplished arts fundraising professional who is passionate about activating new, collaborative fundraising approaches while tenaciously pursuing a solid but dynamic development plan to build relationships and significantly grow the capacity of the organization. The successful candidate will be passionate about the vision of SDT, will relish the opportunity to build a department and step into a lead role that integrates with a senior team to form powerful, inclusive relationships with the community and drive revenues and audience development at an increasing rate over the next decade. DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR BASIC FUNCTION Reporting to the CEO, the Development Director is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive donated revenue strategies. These revenues come from public, foundation, individual and corporate sectors, as well as special event activities and other sources. He or she will work closely with senior staff and board leaders on campaign related activities and direct solicitations. The Development Director will enact and follow through successfully with plans 1

2 to both look internally at patrons to cultivate toward advocacy and donations, and look externally at the San Diego region (and beyond) at potential funders. The Director will work with the CEO in building a development department over the next 24 months to ensure that the organization can achieve short and long term goals. This will include the department s cultivation of support groups, which will need to be activated sensitively and successfully. While the department will build out and deliver a full annual fund campaign, it will also raise funds for a major building renovation project and an endowment campaign. As the development department is essentially in start-up mode, departmental staffing will be contingent upon first phase fundraising successes. Meanwhile, SDT has begun relationships with a grant writer, and critical resources like an experienced and invested CEO and engaged board will help achieve early success. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES Counted among the major responsibilities of the Development Director will be to: Develop, activate, and deliver on a fundraising plan that addresses the needs of each prospective donor, segmented by type (individual, corporate, government, foundation, nonprofit), level (subscription levels, various major gift levels, planned giving), and fund (unrestricted annual operating and restricted for specific purposes, including programming, capital and endowment); Engage in direct donor solicitations. As appropriate, engage in solicitations with the support of other SDT staff, the CEO, support groups and members of the Board. This includes regularly identifying top prospects, identifying the best people to help pursue the prospects, helping to set meetings and/or cultivation/solicitation events and giving those people guidance and strategy they need to ensure the best possible outcome of a solicitation and the ongoing relationship with those prospects. Establish processes that support fundraising initiatives, donor recognition, and campaign management; ensure that information systems are properly maintained and used, including a new, untested high-level use of the Ticketmaster data management system; Develop annual special events that boost institutional and individual fundraising efforts; Participate in long-range strategic planning for SDT as part of the senior management team; Help establish and provide primary support to development-related support groups, including board development committee and board governance committee; Support the strategic growth of the board and work to help cultivate new board members; Assist in the creation of materials that communicate the SDT vision to patrons and donors ensuring that these materials are segmented and distributed in a targeted and consistent fashion; Collaborate with the CEO, financial staff and key staff in the preparation of annual operating plans and budgets, incorporating fundraising projections into the budget of the organization; 2

3 Advance a unified view of donors and potential donors that integrates information on ticketbuying and giving habits for all SDT patrons; Develop and implement guidelines for corporate sponsorship that allow for meaningful marketing opportunities for other companies; Represent the organization publicly with confidence, authenticity and enthusiasm. Prepare frequent narratives and analytic reports for consumption by CEO and board. Attend trainings and meet travel requirements of the position. Maintain confidentiality. REQUIREMENTS: EXPERIENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS Candidates should have: Significant (7+ years) nonprofit arts fundraising experience with a sizable institution that includes a record of success in raising money for annual, capital, event and endowment funds; Proven return on investment of solicitation strategies: direct mail, online giving, grant development, events, direct solicitations, donor cultivation, donor research, etc.; A broad knowledge of brand enhancement, sales and public relations; demonstrated success with establishing donor recognition programs that sustain long-term relationships; A track record as an exceptional communicator, in writing as well as verbally; Demonstrated management skills in motivating, directing and managing staff and consultants, and in coordinating and supporting the fundraising activities of others; A minimum of a bachelor s degree in a related field. The successful candidate will be: A mission-driven individual with a passion for the vision and impact of SDT; An evangelist for the performing arts and a love for the diversity of Southern California; A charismatic communicator, able to build enthusiasm for SDT, its performances, partners and programs and build innovative approaches that advance the reputation of SDT as a performing arts leader in Southern California; A good listener and strategist; comfortable receiving input from many sources, and able to analyze and formulate disparate information into a sound, well-organized plan; A hard worker with a high, positive energy level; a doer with a willingness to work hands-on in developing and executing a variety of development and advancement activities; 3

4 A globally-minded, conscious citizen dedicated to serving a diverse constituency through the arts; Emotionally mature with a good sense of humor and the flexibility and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations. SDT fosters and nurtures a workplace community that is exciting, respectful, and fun. Our staff is creative and positive. We encourage people to apply who tend to go with that old theatrical adage yes and! rather than no and here s why not San Diego Theatres is committed to building a diverse staff to ensure the highest quality workforce, to reflect human diversity, and to improve opportunities for minorities and women. SDT embraces human diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and eliminating discrimination. This commitment is both a moral imperative consistent with an artistic community that celebrates individual differences and diversity, as well as a matter of law. SDT does not discriminate against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Salary commensurate with experience, with one of the best benefits package in the field. Additional information, including immediate goals and SDT s integrated staffing perspective, is available upon request. HOW TO APPLY Please submit a résumé, salary requirements, and a cover letter to: No phone calls please. [email protected] 4

5 ABOUT SAN DIEGO THEATRES San Diego Theatres is a not-for-profit arts organization that successfully operates the San Diego Civic Theatre and the historic Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego, serving over 450,000 patrons annually through arts and entertainment presentations. Its mission is to enrich all the people of its region through exceptional performing arts and education experiences, to foster collaboration in the arts community, and to be a catalyst for economic development in downtown San Diego. Through San Diego Theatres and its arts and community partners, the people of this region are enriched, empowered, and entertained. Spirit, charisma, and vitality of all are nurtured and strengthened. Balboa Theatre: 1,300 seats, built in San Diego Civic Theatre: 3,000 seats, built in Named one of the World s Most Spectacular Hosts Broadway shows, Opera, Concerts, more. Theatres by CNN Travel. SDT is strategically building its organizational structure to support patron-focused positions in three new arenas: development, operations, and communications. These positions will each work as specialists meeting departmental goals, but they also work in an integrated fashion as a team (alongside other existing departments such as programming, patron cultivation/ticketing, production and engineering) to meet goals. Ultimately, the company is working as one to move patrons and other stakeholders into becoming performing arts center advocates, where donations express satisfaction, loyalty, investment and excitement about the future. 5