Posted on January 14, 2012

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Director of Development and Communications

Career Transition For Dancers is a 27 year-old national artists service organization with three offices (New York, Los Angeles and Chicago). Over its 27 years, Career Transition For Dancers has helped thousands of dancers and is seeking to expand its reach. This will mean budgetary growth and increased fundraising goals. The organization’s current budget is 1.5 million but is committed to increasing it.

Career Transition For Dancers’ next Director of Development and Communications must be a dynamic and dedicated individual. He or she will directly report to the Executive Director, and have the support of a full-time Development Associate and shared support from Communications Coordinator, Social Media Consultant, Database Conversation Consultants and Web and Graphic Design Consultants. This is a unique opportunity for a creative and entrepreneurial development professional to work with a dedicated group of leaders to enhance the organization’s national presence and raise funds necessary in helping dancers establish successful post-performance careers. Above all, this individual must be a highly successful proven fundraiser and communicator, who possesses an excellent track record raising substantial funds from individual donors, foundations, and corporations to meet the organization’s annual budget of $1.5 million and the ability to build and engage an audience. It is also important that the prospective candidate be accustomed to working with boards and committees to fundraise.

The candidate must be a hands-on manager, a strategic thinker and planner, a problem solver, and be able to respond to requests quickly and effectively. Excellent communication skills are very important. He or she must be equally comfortable and experienced in making presentations before corporate executives, high earning income individuals and the public. In addition, he or she must be bright, diplomatic, analytic, of the highest integrity, and possess sound judgment.

Qualifications

• Prefer 7- 10 years of progressive responsibilities in fundraising on behalf of the arts, humanities, and creativity.
• Experience in obtaining and managing large fundraising gifts on behalf of creative arts, educational, and cultural organizations.
• Comprehensive fundraising experience in the fields related to the arts, humanities, and creativity, including major gifts from individuals and corporate.
• Strong leadership ability, including management, strategy and analysis.
• Ability to work as a leader and as part of a team
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to meet aggressive deadlines and juggle multiple priorities
• Proven management and leadership capabilities
• Flexibility, high energy and positive disposition
• Superior computer skills and knowledge of database programs

The Director will oversee and manage the following specific areas:

• Major Donor
• Sponsorship
• Grants
• Fundraising Events
• Database
• Marketing
• Communications
• Board Development
• Maintaining financial oversight of the development and communication programs
• Overseeing, mentoring and providing leadership to Development Associate and Communications Coordinator while building consensus with other staff members.

Details of the position include but are not limited to:

• Managing development strategy and systems by:
• Managing long-term development goals and strategy
• Reviewing all development systems and procedures, making improvements where necessary, and overseeing all department operations. This includes all development functions, events, and publications
• Overseeing implementation and management of donor management software (SalesForce)
• Overseeing management of databases and all records, files and gift processing
• Maintaining knowledge of trends and best practices in the field
• Developing and managing Board fundraising capacity
• Guiding the organization as it continues to develop its vision and long-term strategy
• Creating a long-term development plan, and raising the funds necessary to grow CTFD with an increased focus on attracting new major gifts and sources of funding
Serving as the senior staff liaison to the Development Committee and reporting to the Board of Directors
• Working closely with the Office Manager to ensure alignment of income goals and expense needs

• Overseeing the development of a national focus for the organization by:
  • Working closely with CTFD’s Board of Directors: including staffing the Board committees, growing the Board and supporting Board members to become active partners in development efforts
  • Partnering with regional offices for donor outreach
  • Building programs specific to regional audiences

• Creating and implementing annual development plan and strategy by:
• Providing leadership and direction for the implementation of plans to enhance revenue and fundraising through major gift donors and planned giving in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago.
• Leveraging the Executive Director in service of funding opportunities
• Designing and maintaining donor relations programs
• Create 3 year plans with benchmark targets for Major Donor, Sponsorship, Membership and Grant opportunities
• Creating at the appropriate time campaigns for Endowment, Major Funding and Planned Giving
• Reporting development activity to the Executive and Finance Committees as well as the Board of Directors at all Board meetings

• Managing all strategies and activities for donor cultivation, solicitation, and relations by:
• Developing creative strategies for identifying and engaging diverse constituencies critical to the organization’s fundraising goals.
• Managing two regional events annually. ( New York City, New York and Palm Beach, FL) And seeking to develop other locations.
• Maintaining relationships with significant and influential individuals
• Soliciting major gifts
• Able to maintain high level of confidentiality
• Maintaining contact with, and develop grant proposals for foundations and corporations
• Training and leading other staff and volunteers to support fundraising efforts

• Managing the organization’s brand and all associated marketing and communication material, including writing/editing the semiannual newsletter by:
• Creating of a long-term communications plan, incorporating both traditional and new media
• Overseeing the development of new programs and publications
• Managing content and services available on the organization’s website, specifically in the area of online career resources.
• Overseeing all activities related to social media and web 2.0.

• Supporting the Gala/Client Outreach Coordinator by:
• Assisting in media outreach strategy and execution

Career Transition For Dancers Benefits Package

• Payroll is weekly, direct deposit option through ADP
• 100% Employer paid health insurance with Oxford beginning day 1
• 403(b) Pension with TIAA-CREF after 6 months of employment. (CTFD pays up to 2% without employee contribution and will match up to 4% of employee's contribution)
• Monthly Metro Card
• 10 paid holidays; in addition to the week of December 25 – January 1 CTFD office is closed.
• Paid vacation
• 3 Personal days per year and 1 sick day accrued per month
• Salary mid $60’s

Career Transition For Dancers is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Application Instructions

What you must submit to apply for this position: Please send a Cover letter, resume, references and a writing sample in a single pdf document to: nadams@careertransition.org

No Phone call.