Director of Strategic Advancement, Cook Silverman Search/East Bay Center for the Performing Arts

ABOUT EAST BAY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Founded in 1968, East Bay Center for the Performing Arts is a regional beacon in the field of arts training and youth development—demonstrating how a place-based model of performing arts instruction can at once center community needs, foster a deep sense of connection and belonging, and maintain high artistic rigor across cultures and disciplines. We have accomplished this by providing a safe place for children, youth, and young adults to reach outside of their comfort zones in a rich environment and by understanding that all children and youth come with both individual callings and the universal gift of human imagination. This approach has shaped generations of young people to embody a growth mindset: to build the confidence to explore different learning pathways and the courage to address society’s challenges—as they identify them, and to create a sense of purpose for themselves in a complex world, valuing process over product.

The Center currently provides beginning-through-advanced, culturally distinct music, dance, and theater skills to 3,500 children, youth, and young adults annually within an ecological systems and strength-based framework, where long term continuity of support is part of our theory of change. Instruction is delivered both in the public schools in Richmond, as well as at our state-of-the-art facility in the historic Winter’s Building in downtown Richmond’s Iron Triangle neighborhood.

The Center focuses on three important pillars: Core Training, Access to High Quality Arts Education and Connecting Youth to Their Communities.

For more information, please visit www.eastbaycenter.org/

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Director of Strategic Advancement (DSA) is responsible for designing, implementing, and meeting annual strategic fundraising goals, leading strategic communications in Development, supporting priority partnerships, and overseeing the Office of Development. As part of these responsibilities the DSA will support the Board Development Committee and with the ED, ensure ongoing planning and evaluation practices are in place to create a culture of philanthropy that prioritizes fund development throughout the organization and Board.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The DSA reports to and works with the Executive Director as a thought partner. The DSA is a part of the senior management team and supervises an office of four full-time staff and development contractors. The DSA works closely with the Board and staffs the Board development committee.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy and Leadership

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, manage and implement a multi-year, strategic fundraising plan including annual fund, individual major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, planned giving, and building of endowed assets
• Design and implement a comprehensive development and communications plan to support the organization
• Advise the Executive Director and Board on strategic matters, nurturing and supporting Board leadership capacity to ensure exemplary Board governance and oversight, and assisting with Board recruitment, orientation, and development efforts.
• Assist ED/Board in overseeing compliance with all government and investor gift policy requirements.
• Create annual fundraising goals and projections and forecasts.
• Lead the Development team in planning, execution, and follow up for events.
• Manage, mentor, and nurture the development staff.
• Work with and support Director of Programs and ED to develop and implement program evaluation metrics and practices.
• Create and implement a plan to grow the $4M endowment over the next five to seven years.
• Work with the Controller and related program staff to develop revenue projection and grants reconciliation as well as monthly grant allocations.

Institutional Funding

• Supervise Director of Institutional Giving
• Working with Director of Institutional Giving, manage efficient systems to ensure accurate records and timely communication with funders, including oversight of grants calendar database for all institutional donors.
• Cultivate and sustain private, corporate, and foundation relationships.
• Oversee ongoing research and successful cultivation of new key grant prospects.
• Support Director of Institutional Giving in their work with contract grant writer(s) as needed for the writing and submission of foundation and/or corporate grants, proposals, and reports.

Individual Giving

• Supervise Director of Individual Giving and assist with solicitation strategy decisions.
• Build and directly manage a major gifts portfolio of prospects and donors capable of giving $10,000 or more
• Working with the Director of Individual Giving, rejuvenate and improve the Planned Giving program

Strategic Communications

• Working with communications team ensure quality development communications, donor communication documents (case statement, VIP newsletters, etc.) including original content/ideas for major grants and reports.
• Raise the strategic profile of the Center with key audiences per the Center's overall Strategic Communications Plan.
• Working collaboratively with management and programs, establish the narrative pillars that will be used to create grant proposals and Individual giving appeals.

Systems, Infrastructure and Reporting

• Ensure all development systems are adequate to meet the Center’s development needs.
• Must have a strong working knowledge of Salesforce database and oversee staff to maximize the capabilities of the Salesforce database in both individual and institutional fields.
• Provide timely revenue projections for agency planning.
• Ensure all development systems are adequate to meet the Center’s development needs.
• Provide quarterly written report to the Board on fundraising progress and variance to annual goals.
• Perform all other duties and tasks as assigned, “all hands-on deck” mindset.
• Maintain best practices in all areas of Advancement.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree, advanced training or certification (CFRE, CAP, etc.) Master’s degree a plus
• Seven (7) years of progressive fundraising experience in the nonprofit sector
• Demonstrated experience raising major gifts from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other revenue sources
• Ability to write and support creation of successful, high-quality grants, reports, and fundraising collateral
• Ability to demonstrate success and evidence of ability to plan and execute fundraising strategies with multiple priorities
• Event planning experience
• Strong intrapersonal skills, aptitude for building relationships
• Ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively about to varied audiences
• Ability in and dedication to fostering an organizational culture that values high-performance, high-quality services, successful and measurable outcomes, and rigorous evaluation
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Must have leadership skills, collaborative approach to work, and commitment to ethical fundraising practices rooted in generosity, community, and respect
• Ability to be flexible and work in a fast-paced, collaborative work environment
• Ability to hold sensitive information confidentially
• Comfortable working in an anti-racist organization with a diverse group of external visitors and internal staff at all levels, committed to Center’s vision of Justice, Equity and Belonging.
• Passion for and dedication to the mission of the Center
• Passion for advancing East Bay Center’s commitment to racial equity and cultural pluralism, building awareness of these important issues in the youth development field

SALARY OR SALARY RANGE

The salary range for this position is $115,000 to $ 130,000 plus full benefits.  Full Covid-19 vaccination is a requirement of all staff members.

To demonstrate our commitment to equity and equal pay for all, Cook Silverman Search will continue to post salary ranges on all of its job descriptions moving forward. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender wage gap and discriminates against people of color by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

TO APPLY

To apply for this position, or for additional information on the opportunity, please send a copy of your resume with a cover letter to Victoria Silverman at apply@cooksilverman.com.

All applications and inquiries will receive a response and be kept strictly confidential.

East Bay Center for Performing Arts is an Equal Opportunity Employer.