Director of Advancement

Director of Advancement

PRIMARY PURPOSE:The Director of Advancement & Communications leads The Music Settlement’s donor development efforts and oversees a fully integrated cultivation communications strategy that moves prospects, donors, patrons, and community members through a clearly defined engagement funnel; from brand awareness to active engagement, to philanthropic investment, and loyal stewardship. This role unites fundraising strategy with mission-aligned marketing communications, ensuring external and internal channels and touchpoints advance donor cultivation and deepens community investment in TMS.

REPORTS TO: President & CEO
CLASSIFICATION/PAY: Full time, exempt, salaried. Pay: Salary range: $92,000-95,000, with the opportunity for performance-based bonus.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - LEADERSHIP:

Develop overall Advancement strategic plan with all donor tiers mapped to the cultivation funnel, operational goals, budget, and policies and procedures; lead the development calendar and FY planning across appeals, events, and mailings; ensure efficient operations of the department.

Directly supervise the Advancement team.

Skilled in leadership, coaching and mentoring, as an emotionally intelligent professional and communicator.

Build cross-functional relationships with Center and Bop Stop leadership and executives to align programs, advancement priorities, and funding opportunities, and translate program needs into compelling cases for support.

Set and maintain standards for the Advancement department.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - DONOR DEVELOPMENT:

Develop, lead, and execute an organization-wide, comprehensive donor development strategy that grows individual giving, grant applications and yield major gifts, planned giving, endowment giving, financial aid fundraising, monthly/recurring giving, and donor retention.

Success in role will be measured using annual development outcomes toward budgeted and stated goals.

Identify, qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward a personal portfolio of top-tier major gift prospects and donors, and conduct face-to-face solicitations for transformational gifts in coordination with the President & CEO and Board.

Plan and execute strategic Annual Appeal campaigns, setting strategy, segmentation, and ask amounts.

Role is responsible for success of the appeals, to be tracked and measured including increased donor engagement and in campaign success.

Lead donor strategy for capital campaign and milestone events, working with campaign consultants and internal stakeholders to advance prospect cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Lead the planned giving and legacy program, including program structure, prospect identification, donor conversations, gift documentation, and estate administration for realized planned gifts.

Direct endowment giving, including cultivation, negotiation, and ongoing fund stewardship and reporting.

Lead corporate sponsorship and stewardship operations, steward top-tier foundation, government, and corporate funder relationships in partnership with the President & CEO and lead transformational sponsorship outreach.

Define donor segmentation and giving tiers (e.g., Friends, Patrons, Benefactors), and set application of gift acceptance, in-kind gift, restricted/unrestricted handling, and valuation policies.

Lead strategy for donor cultivation events and cultivate donors at events.

Set strategic direction for alumni relations and engagement, in partnership with internal staff.

Lead the Advancement Committee and donor-facing Board engagement, and meet regularly with leadership, and Board Committee members to report on development progress, pipeline movement, and revenue performance.

Engage and support Board members and stakeholders in cultivation activities with briefings, materials, and coaching, including onboarding new Board members on their Advancement support responsibilities and expectations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - COMMUNICATIONS:

Direct strategy of paid, owned, and earned marketing channels (e.g., media, website, social media, email marketing, public relations) to build top-of-funnel awareness and feed qualified prospects into the donor pipeline.

Lead creative vision for donor-centered storytelling, photography, video, and campaign messaging that supports cultivation, recruitment, fundraising, and community engagement.

Lead branding initiatives and marketing and public relations strategy.

Set strategy for recruitment and community engagement marketing in partnership with internal staff.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in nonprofit management, journalism, communications, marketing, English, or related field required. Eight (8) years of experience in fundraising, donor development, or integrated nonprofit marketing communications preferred. CFRE certification is preferred. .

QUALIFICATIONS:

Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual and major gift donors, with measurable revenue results.

Expertise of donor pipeline development, prospect research, annual fund strategy, capital campaigns, planned giving, and donor recognition.

Proficiency with donor CRM/database systems, Raiser's Edge experience preferred.

Proficiency and proven success with face-to-face solicitation, with the ability to articulate a compelling case for support and ask for transformative gifts.

Understanding of fundraising ethics and compliance standards.

Demonstrated ability to plan and execute integrated marketing communications through a cultivation funnel lens, designing each channel and touchpoint to move audiences toward a defined next action.

Skilled at donor-centered storytelling that translates program impact into content that inspires giving.

Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Highly organized self-starter with strong follow-through, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Resourceful and professional with a commitment to excellent customer service.

This position is required to be primarily onsite for collaboration and leadership and must be available to regularly work evenings and weekends to support strategic advancement, marketing, and engagement goals through event planning and attendance at organizations; performances, donor cultivation events or meetings, and community engagement opportunities.

Must possess a valid driver’s license and the ability to travel to meetings, events, and production locations as needed. Position may also require the ability to safely lift and transport marketing materials and event equipment, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Physical requirements include the ability to sit, stand, bend, crouch, and transport to move oneself around the various TMS and other job locations and from one to another, including driving oneself and transporting AV equipment, laptop, cameras, and materials such as boxes of brochures or other printed or recording supplies. Lifting, pulling and pushing up to 25 pounds consistently. Vision to include near and far visual acuity, including for the use of creating work product materials using computers, cameras, video and sound recording equipment, in various settings with various human subjects including individuals and ensembles. The ability to see to collect, design and capture photography, video and audio content, including video recording, editing, creating, planning content, creating brand aligned design materials, and other deliverable content described herein. The ability to hear and speak, including in person and other remote speech, to communicate with outside and internal customers to impart oral information to the public and coworkers when communicating in creating and capturing content, as well as planning and designing to execute job duties.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit a resume, cover letter, list of three references, and at least two writing samples (preferably a capital campaign strategy, annual giving plan, or general donor engagement plan). Samples may be uploaded with your materials (in a combined document), or submitted via email to [email protected].

The Music Settlement is an equal opportunity employer and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, and genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation for the application process or at any time, and if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability, you can request reasonable accommodations by contacting [email protected], or call 216-231-5035.

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