Sr. Director of Development

To apply, please submit a one page cover letter and resume to HR@unitedartscfl.org.

United Arts of Central Florida, the leading nonprofit local arts agency for arts and culture in Central Florida, seeks an energetic, goal-driven fundraising professional to lead a successful development team as the agency’s new Sr. Director of Development. This is an opportunity for a seasoned development professional and manager who is eager to support the community’s broader arts and culture ecosystem by ensuring the institutional sustainability and effectiveness of an organization dedicated to the growth, vitality, and viability of the sector. The annual development efforts secure more than $13 million in resources for arts and culture in our region. The Sr. Director of Development will successfully implement a comprehensive annual development plan that aligns internal and external fundraising goals with the agency's overarching strategic goals. They will work in partnership with the Development Department team, the President & CEO, and the Board of Directors' Development Committee.

The Sr. Director of Development is an entrepreneurial leader willing to pursue new and innovative funding strategies to ensure United Arts’ mission and vision are realized with sustainable resources. By strengthening United Arts’ capacities for fundraising for the Collaborative Campaign and the Arts for All Fund, United Arts will grow investments for the entire arts and cultural sector and help it thrive. They will report directly to the President & CEO. The successful candidate for this position will be able to lead all efforts to meet and/or exceed annual revenue goals as determined by strategic planning efforts, organizational needs, and proper assessment of philanthropic readiness. They will have a proven ability to authentically form deep relationships with donors, steward strategic alliances, and engage publicly with diverse stakeholders and perspectives. They will have a proven record of managing a staff and identifying, cultivating, and closing major gifts, by communicating a clearly articulated case for support. The Sr. Director of Development should have the ability to think analytically and creatively, using strategic knowledge of best practices and significant trends in philanthropy to adapt fundraising strategies as needed. They will exercise independent judgment and discretion.

Essential responsibilities include:

• Providing leadership and implementation of annual development plan supporting all development activities and managing its staff (5) and daily departmental operations to meet or exceed revenue goals

• Monitoring the progress of fundraising activities in coordination with the CEO, Development Committee of the Board, and appropriate Board members

• Engaging staff and board leadership along with other key stakeholders in executing a fundraising strategy to meet revenue goals, ideally with the potential to produce continued growth results

• Directly manage a portfolio of major gifts with annual revenue of $250,000.

• Partnering with the Finance Director to ensure sound fiscal operation of the development function, including timely, accurate and comprehensive budgeting monitoring, forecasting, and reporting donor contributions, grants, and department expenses

• Working closely with Outreach department and Marketing and Communications department to ensure Development department can effectively communicate with donors and tell United Arts’ stories of impact

• Acting as a representative and ambassador to raise resources, promote positive relationships, and develop strong resource partnerships for the benefit of the organization

Essential Job Functions:

• Drive United Arts’ resource development capacity to meet the growing needs of the cultural sector in the Central Florida region

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO on fundraising efforts

• Serve as a member of United Arts senior leadership team, collaborating on high-level planning and decision-making

• Create standard operating procedures, identifying and implementing efficiencies for all aspects of the Development department

• Provide supervision and mentorship of the development team and represent them to the leadership team, creating a positive workplace environment that promotes employee engagement and satisfaction that aligns with the culture of the organization

• Foster a culture of philanthropy and collaboration among the various departments of the organization and the Board of Directors

• Work in service of United Arts’ expansive vision to ensure all people of Central Florida have access to quality arts and cultural experiences

• Promote and represent United Arts’ core values of Excellence, Impact, Transparency, Fairness and Care

Fundraising:

• Implement a comprehensive annual development plan to meet or exceed budget goals for the Collaborative Campaign and United Arts mission investments through public and private resources.

• Set benchmarks and evaluation procedures for individual, foundation, corporate giving, and public funding goals

• Align all fundraising efforts with the agency’s strategic goals

• Maintain a personal portfolio of current and prospective major donors with expected minimum of $250,000 annually

• Oversee federal, state, and local grant funding application and reporting

• As the staff liaison for the Board Development Committee and in collaboration with the CEO, encourage board member Individual Development Plans and leverage members’ networks and experience with a particular emphasis on major gifts

• Develop and oversee evaluation and reporting systems for fundraising so that leadership and the CEO have timely information and key metrics to measure progress

• Lead development strategies and activities to seek out and develop new opportunities for investment, revenue generation, and strategic partnerships resulting in increased revenue of $500,000 annually

• Identify, develop, and maintain long-term relationships with major donors, foundations and corporate contributors, and other key stakeholders, including significant personal solicitations/asks

• Accurately forecast revenue and expenses from all fundraising activities

• Work with the CEO to utilize their and other key stakeholders’ time effectively and efficiently in meeting with donors

Team Management:

• Retain high-performing team members, while empowering them to continually elevate their level of responsibility, sense of agency, and performance

• Set development staff goals, monitor work, and evaluate results to ensure that the department meets organizational objectives and operating requirements and is in line with the needs and mission of the organization

• Develop a positive, healthy workplace culture for the department

• Ensure that there is technical support and automation within the department for using Blackbaud’s Raiser’s Edge and donor prospecting software

• Work with development staff to develop operational systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management

Qualifications:

• Minimum of seven years of diversified fundraising experience in a nonprofit environment, including collaborative or federated campaigns, major gifts, annual gifts, and corporate and foundation philanthropy; as well as state and federal funding sources

• Proven knowledge of and record of accomplishment for identifying, cultivating/stewarding, soliciting, and closing major gifts and corporate sponsorships

• Proven ability to manage a team of five or more employees with an energetic and enthusiastic leadership style, strong management skills, and a collaborative spirit

• Ability to plan both short- and long-term with an aspirational and strategic mindset.

• Experience working successfully and collaboratively with a Board of Directors, senior management, and professional colleagues

• Experience developing and executing a relationship-based fundraising program with an emphasis on gifts over $5K • Demonstrated ability to collaborate with leadership around goal setting and the strategies to achieve those goals

• Ability to give and take advice and support to ensure the fulfillment of the organizational mission

• Adherence to deadlines, strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail

• Ability to be flexible and adaptable to situational changes

• Experience with CRM databases and Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge

• Ability to manage and build consensus across internal and external constituents

• Proven understanding of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, the role that racial inequity plays in our society, and a demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and collaborate across differences

• Interpersonal, verbal, and written communications skills

We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you're returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.

The salary base is $125,000 with a bonus opportunity based on fundraising and management performance goals. We offer hybrid work options as appropriate. A moving allowance is available. Benefits include paid time off including 13 paid holidays and summer hours, medical and vision (employer paid for the employee), life insurance, employee assistance plan, and 401(k) with employer match of up to 5% after the first year.

To apply, please submit one page cover letter and resume to HR@unitedartscfl.org. No phone calls, please. Please use your cover letter to tell us about what you hope to bring to this role that is not reflected in your resume. The priority application deadline for this search is November 11, 2024. While we will still accept and consider applications after this date, we encourage you to apply as early as possible for the best chance at being considered for the position. Please note that meeting the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview.