Director of Development
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center via TOC Arts Partners
Waterford, CT
Anticipated Start Date: N/A
Description
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, one of the American theater’s most celebrated homes for artistic creation, seeks a new Director of Development. This is a significant opportunity for a dynamic fundraising leader, with a deep passion for new work development, to join a committed team and bring the organization’s contributed income generation to the next level.
About the Position
The Director of Development, part of the organization’s senior management team, reports to the Managing Director, but with a close working relationship with the Executive Director. This leader is responsible for the successful planning and execution of an annual and strategic development plan, raising just over $2 million annually, with progressive annual targets to increase that figure to $2.5-$2.75 million in the next three years, to ensure optimal resources to serve the mission, programs, and operations of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.
They will oversee a team of two other development colleagues, one of whom is a direct report. The position’s major responsibilities include the successful organization, tracking, and completion of the annual campaign and membership program, timely management of grant activities, and oversight of fundraising events, in conjunction with department staff. The Director of Development will be expected and required to attend all major O’Neill events, be a regular presence during our summer performances, and take a leadership role in identification and cultivation of donors.
Responsibilities
Individual Giving (30%)
Oversee the year-round Individual Giving program, creating annual campaign communications and materials and ensuring regular solicitation, stewardship, and engagement of donors at all ends of the spectrum.
Act as a lead solicitor for major gifts; tracking an active portfolio of high-level donors and prospects, ensuring regular contact and stewardship, using moves management best practices.
Organize donor cultivation and follow-up plans for the O’Neill’s Executive Director, Managing Director, and Board members, as appropriate, to ensure a broad network of donors are being engaged and solicited to make significant gifts.
Supervise all donor mailings, appeals, and regular communications to meet timelines and promote member and donor participation.
Identify, cultivate, and solicit donors to the O’Neill’s planned giving program. In collaboration with the Development Associate, maintain integrity of donor records in Salesforce donor database, including updating of contact info, gift information, etc.
Institutional Support (20%)
Oversee ongoing interactions with new and existing sources of institutional support, including foundation, corporate, and government sources.
Manage the O’Neill’s ongoing relationship with Advance Collaborative (formerly Advance NYC), in order to ensure strong and timely completion of institutional giving proposals and reports.
Complete the preparation for funder request meetings as needed, including the assembly of case and briefing materials.
Conduct research on new and existing funders to properly incorporate them into the organization’s broader cultivation and stewardship activities.
Develop funder profile reports in the donor database and keep records of gifts and contact information up to date in the donor database.
Special Events (15%)
In partnership with O’Neill and volunteer leadership and Development Manager, contribute to all event related planning and implementation, including adherence to timelines and budgets.
Seek and obtain various levels of sponsorship for events, and ensure viable sales strategy for tickets and tables.
Serve as a host and staff lead for all development related events, including donor cultivation receptions, fundraising galas, alumni receptions, etc.
Oversee the creation of invitation lists and strategize to encourage participation of key prospects at appropriate O’Neill events and performances.
Board Relations (15%)
Directly engage the Board and appropriate Board Committees on all fundraising and Board Development initiatives and build ongoing communications related to these efforts.
Prepare reports for the Executive Director and the Board, in addition to attending and reporting at quarterly Board and/or Committee meetings throughout the year.
In collaboration with the Executive Director, Managing Director, and Board leadership, identify and recruit potential Board members and solidify the onboarding processes for new members.
Attend event planning committee meetings to advance the Board and other volunteers’ ideas and contributions toward events. Devise and manage Board members’ yearly contribution and action plans to support the O’Neill.
Administrative/Other (20%)
Actively develop, implement, and evaluate the organization’s annual development plan, devising systems to track and report progress and metrics to understand the success of key initiatives; produce regular reports on reaching contributed income goals and evolve reporting processes, as needed.
Serve as senior staff member, participating and contributing to executive level planning discussions. Act as a public advocate at the O’Neill and within the local Waterford community and at times, within the national field of American theater.
Create a positive and productive working environment for the development team members and any associated interns or volunteers; acting as a mentor, guide and communicative partner.
Continually ensure optimal evaluative tools for various artistic and educational programs, for the purposes of developing compelling cases for support and evaluative reports for donors and supporters.
Ensure the Development Department’s monthly reconciliation process with the Business Office to guarantee proper tracking of all transactions
Requirements
A passion for the performing arts and the advancement of American theater and a commitment to the mission of the O’Neill.
Strong organizational skills; capable of balancing multiple projects simultaneously, using judgment to determine priorities, and successfully moving multiple high-priority projects forward together.
Excellent communication skills; ease and elegance in written and oral communication, and comfort with public speaking.
Friendly and neighborly, naturally ready to build relationships in and around Southeastern CT, and interface with constituents around the O’Neill campus during the summer season, ensuring excellent customer service and stewardship.
A sense of discretion and care to keep donor information secure and interactions with notable alumni and donors private, maintaining confidentiality of sensitive information.
Sound judgment and decision-making skills; able to consider the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the best course of action.
Available to work nights and weekends, especially during the concentrated period of special events and performances in the spring and summer months.
Ability to travel for Board of Trustee meetings, donor cultivation and solicitation, and special events – including frequent domestic and occasional international travel. Familiarity with endowment or capital campaigns.
Flexibility, openness, and sense of humor; capable of working independently and being part of an active, collaborative team. Comfortable in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment.
Experience with Salesforce/PatronManager, MS Office, Google Apps suite.
Salary Range and Employee Benefits
$95,000-125,000
How to Apply for this Job
About the Organization
The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center is located in Waterford, CT along the southeastern Connecticut shoreline. Waterford offers scenic beaches, waterfront views, miles of hiking trails, and is known for its blend of coastal recreation and cultural activity. Waterford offers convenient access to major regional hubs, roughly two hours from both New York City and Boston and is within easy reach of Hartford and New Haven.
With its parks, beaches, and scenic public spaces such as Harkness Memorial State Park, Waterford is the ideal location for people who enjoy the outdoors and the ocean. Just minutes away, neighboring communities such as New London and Mystic feature vibrant arts and dining scenes, historic waterfront districts, and attractions like Mystic Seaport Museum and the Connecticut College Arboretum.
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