Associate Director of Development
Position: Associate Director of Development
Reports to: Director of Institutional Advancement
Posted on Feb 14, 2022
About Theatre for a New Audience
Founded in 1979, Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA) is an award‐winning off‐Broadway LORT‐ C theatre whose mission is to develop and vitalize the performance and study of Shakespeare and classic drama alongside other new work. TFANA is dedicated to building a culturally diverse and equitable environment and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented populations. The position will remain open until a diverse and qualified pool of candidates is identified.
Values and Strategies:
We are guided in our work by five core values: a reverence for language, a spirit of adventure, a commitment to diversity, a dedication to learning, and a spirit of service. These values inform what we do with artists, how we interact with audiences, and how we manage our organization. Language is at the heart of all we do. We focus on the language and ideas of writers. We believe that hearing great language powerfully expressed improves our listening skills, opens our eyes, and deepens our perception and understanding of the world around us. We infuse our work with adventure—provocative ideas, visual boldness, and a sense that we are on a lifelong journey with Shakespeare and classic drama. We are committed to diversity— diverse approaches to dramatic material, diversity on our staff, in our casting and audiences, and multifaceted relationships with uniquely different communities. Learning is a fundamental principle of the Theatre, and we value learning as a process that takes place over time—a process that depends on our ability to promote curiosity, reflection, study, research and dialogue in all our work. We are dedicated to service. Inspired by our civic role, we seek to create broad public access and to bond the diverse New York community through the language, pleasure and ideas of classical drama. To advance our mission and values, Theatre for a New Audience:
- produces Shakespeare alongside other plays of classic stature and major contemporary plays, creating a dialogue over centuries between Shakespeare and other authors about our contemporary world;
- builds long‐term associations with artists and offers programs for their growth and ongoing development;
- promotes the humanities by presenting dynamic discussions with leading artists and scholars in a variety of fields in conjunction with the plays we present;
- programs for wide‐ranging audiences—from connoisseurs of diverse repertory to young people who are seeing groundbreaking productions for the first time;
- promotes access for diverse audiences by offering economically‐priced tickets;
- provides rich arts‐in‐education programs, including teacher training and the largest in-depth program in New York City to introduce Shakespeare to Public School students;
- uses its facilities and intellectual resources to serve the local artistic, educational and social communities where the Theatre operates, and contributes to the international theatre community through touring, artistic exchanges and partnerships.
About the Position: Associate Director of Development
Working in close collaboration with the Director of Institutional Advancement and other departments at Theatre for a New Audience, the Associate Director of Development significantly supports and impacts the Theatre’s annual fundraising efforts. The Theatre seeks a well‐organized individual with a minimum of five years’ experience combining individual giving, major gifts, special events and administration.
Responsibilities include:
- Managing the major gifts program for TFANA.
- Soliciting gifts of $5,000 and more
- Establishing budget goals and strategies in this category
- Establishing and maintaining a donor cultivation cycle and gift stewardship program
- Identifying and researching major gift prospects
- Writing of correspondence, solicitation materials, and acknowledgments
- Maintaining regular stewardship communications
- Maintaining donor prospect records in the database
- Ensuring that donors enjoy a close relationship to TFANA
- Organizing cultivation and recognition events,
- Greeting donors and prospects at the Theatre during performances and other special cultivation events (including evenings and weekends)
- Working collaboratively with the Theatre’s leadership, Board, and staff to promote a collegial atmosphere, to ensure that financial and advancement goals are met
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Traits:
- Five years or more of Development experience, with three years or more of individual giving experience
- Experience making individual solicitations in the $5,000 + category required
- Event management experience, including silent auctions
- Grants experience a plus
- Planned giving knowledge and experience
- Appreciation for and familiarity with theatre, including Shakespeare
- Motivated, detail‐oriented team player
- Excellent computer skills (Office 365, Excel)
- Superior communication skills (verbal and written)
- Raiser’s Edge/Spektrix database experience a plus
Compensation:
Salary range $65,000 – 70,000 commensurate with experience. Benefits offered include medical, Life and long‐term disability insurance, paid time off, Employee Assistance Program and voluntary pre‐tax programs for retirement (403[b]), Transit and FSA.
To Apply:
Applicants for this role should send cover letter and chronological resume, combined into a single PDF attachment, to jobs@tfana.org with “Associate Director of Development” in the subject line. Applicants considered following first round of review will be asked to submit writing samples.
Theatre for a New Audience is committed to attracting, hiring and retaining employees who reflect the cultural diversity of our community. We believe that every employee has the right to work in a respectful environment that is free from discrimination, consistent with our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and respect. This commitment extends to all aspects of the employment relationship.