Summary of Opportunity: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts (The Center) in Richmond California seeks an experienced and talented colleague to oversee contributed income programs, with a particular focus on major donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. In 2011, after a successful $16 million capital campaign, the Center moved back into its completely rebuilt permanent home in the heart of Richmond’s Iron Triangle. The result is an award-winning mid- sized state of the art facility from where we now engage over 3,500 children, teens, and young adults as students and 25,000 local residents as audiences each year in a nationally-recognized offering of interlocking programs. The Center now seeks a Director of Development with a record of success in individual donor engagement to build on the momentum from the capital campaign, a well as a passion for social justice and the performing arts, and an ability to contribute to new strategic thinking for the Center’s next phase. Together with veteran Executive/Artistic Director (E/AD) Jordan

Simmons and a growing board of directors, the Director of Development will take a leading role in increasing the organization’s capacity to cultivate new and steward existing donors and funders as the Center approaches its 50th anniversary and continues to fortify its growing impact on the lives of young people in the greater Richmond/East Bay region.

Our Mission: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, founded in 1968 in Richmond, California engages youth and young adults in imagining and creating new worlds for themselves and new visions for their communities through the inspiration and discipline of rigorous training in world performance traditions.

What We Do:We offer diverse youth and young adults opportunities to grow and excel as learners, creators of art, and contributors to their communities. We provide broad and strategic community-based and public school performing arts access programs; rigorous individual and ensemble training; an intensive four-year, interdisciplinary diploma program; advanced two-year internships; and commissions for new works of art. Our students, partners, and audiences deepen their experience and engagement with the life-affirming and community-building impact of music, theater, dance, and media-making from a curated selection of world cultures reflective of the community. Rooted in tested principles of youth development and community development as well as best practices of the arts and culture field, the Center is a trusted and neutral anchor institution for place-based action, optimism, and collaboration among diverse members of a complex community.

Position Summary: The Director of Development serves as a key management team member and an active participant in developing strategic goals and implementation plans affecting the Center’s long-term sustainability. In partnership with the E/AD, the Director of Development will have primary responsibility for refining the development systems needed to grow our $2 million budget through the solicitation of major gifts, federal and state grants, special events, and corporate and foundation support. S/he will work closely with three other proven development team members to expand and diversify the Center’s donor base and secure funding for new initiatives. The Director of Development will work closely with the board of directors as they take on a growing role in donor relations and fundraising.

The Ideal Candidate: We seek a colleague who has knowledge of all relevant development functions and has successfully built or enhanced contributed income programs in other organizations, especially with regard to major donors. S/he is a confident leader with a sense of purpose and humor, able to work effectively with a diverse community of stakeholders and colleagues. The ideal candidate will be a trusted relationship broker and possess a passion for youth and the community in which we are located.

Reporting Relationships: Reporting directly to the Artistic/Executive Director, the Director of Development will guide and support a team of three including a proven senior development colleague who focuses on institutional funders, a development associate, and communications associate. The Director of Development will also work closely with our Deputy Director of Programs, Finance Director, and School Partnerships Program Director.

Primary Responsibilities

Support and partner with the Executive/Artistic Director, development/finance staff colleagues and board members on all major fundraising initiatives, events, and efforts.
Oversee research of funding sources and trends to help position the Center as the strategic landscape changes.
Build and lead an enhanced Major Donor program (for those contributing $5,000+), and evolve a stewardship program appropriate for this level of giving.
Oversee the Center’s general donor stewardship program and ensure appropriate acknowledgment, recognition, education/information and opportunities for involvement as part of the cultivation and advancement of every EBCPA donor.
Launch and oversee a Planned Giving program.
Provide direct support to a Major Gifts Leadership Team comprising members of the Board and “Friend of the Center” who help guide and execute major gifts campaigns and long-term program.
Wed the Center’s overall external communications strategically with the individual donor program.
Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program to the E/AD, board, and senior staff.
In partnership with the E/AD, develop and manage fundraising budgets; assume clear responsibility for meeting or exceeding budgeted revenue goals; utilize best practices to forecast and track progress of fundraising goals.
Contribute to strategic planning in all development areas and align with overall Center planning.

Key Qualifications

Strong commitment to the Center’s mission, constituency and community
Significant professional experience in nonprofit organizations, including demonstrated success in major donor identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Outstanding communication skills, both written and oral; ability to influence and engage a wide range of donors and build long-term relationships
Strong organizational and management skills, including proven budget forecasting and management
Flexible and adaptable style; a leader who can positively impact both strategic and tactical fundraising efforts
Ability to work both independently without close oversight, but also a team player who will productively engage with others at varying levels of seniority within and outside the Center
Ability to design, communicate, and implement annual and multi-year strategic development plans
Strong familiarity with best practices in moving donors up the ladder of giving, and ability to implement and manage a multi-level donor engagement and stewardship experience

Work Schedule:Customary Work Hours: 40+ hours per week. Customary Work Days: Monday-Friday, evenings and weekends as required. Status: Full-time, exempt Salary and Benefits: Competitive depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

How to apply

Application Process:Applicants should email their resumes and cover letters describing their qualifications and interest to chelsea.riley@eastbaycenter.org. Please reference Director of Development Inquiry in the subject line.