Development Director

About the project and the company

About the organization:

Based on Mercer Island at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Youth Theatre Northwest’s mission is to nurture children and youth’s intellectual, artistic, and personal development through drama education, performing opportunities, and live theatre experiences.   Through the magic of theatre, YTN helps young people “find their light” of self-confidence, sensitivity, creativity, and leadership.

YTN’s core staff is small but mighty, producing 10-12 shows per year and serving about 2,000 children across the Puget Sound. Additionally, YTN employs 60 individuals throughout the year as educators and theatre artists.

About the position:

This position is a full-time salaried position with benefits for someone with a strong background in event planning and donor relations. Working with the Board of Directors, the Managing Director, and the Executive Artistic Director, the Development Director is responsible for raising about $350k per year through various events.

Job Description

Details of the position are as follows:

Fundraising:
There are five fundraising events throughout the season. In every event, Development Director will help set the financial goal, oversee and manage each event, communicate the progress and the outcome with the staff and the board, and cultivate donations from new and regular donors.
• Annual Appeal (October 1-December 31): Asking for donations through mailing, emails, and social media, working with the marketing team.
• Holiday Alumni Faculty show (Mid December): an event to round out the annual appeal via Zoom. The event will be produced with The Executive Artistic Director.
• Annual Gala (late February or early March): YTN’s biggest fundraising event with 250 guests with a goal of $200k. Plan, delegate, and oversee every aspect of the event with a board committee, volunteers, and staff support. Responsibilities include ticket sales, procurement of silent and live auction items, strategies for raise the paddle, hiring event staff, organization of the day, entertainment, vendors, processing donations, and venue selection.
• GiveBIG (early May): help create the language and ways to advertise GiveBIG day.
• Spring Carnival (Early June): An event catered to younger families. The event will be produced with the Managing Director and Executive Artistic Director

Donor gifts/relations
• Maintain relationships with current donors.
• Seek and find new donors.
• Sponsorships: Recruit 6-8 local business or family sponsors for each show. Facilitate sponsor gifts and follow up.
• Send annual thank you cards to donor base.
• Maintain and update donor database (Little Green Light and QuickBooks).
• Manage donation processing including gifts, donation recordkeeping, and preparation of deposits

Grants
Support grant writer to apply for 10-20 grants (approximately $75,000) per year and manage all follow up on acceptance requirements. Work with the staff to identify new grant needs.

Board liaison:
Attend monthly board meetings and guide board members in fundraising efforts.

Required Qualifications

Requirements: • 2+ years in Nonprofit management, or similar field • Experience planning and organizing large events • Strong organizational skills • Ability to balance multiple projects and deadlines • Ability to work with volunteers and delegate appropriately. • A “think outside the box” attitude • Social, outgoing, and friendly • Able to utilize extreme discretion when discussing and communicating all pertinent information as it relates to donors

Other details

Salary and Benefits:
• Salary: $50,000-$55,000, based on experience
• Health benefits: full medical, dental/optical reimbursement up to $1,000, as well as disability and basic life insurance.
• Paid vacation/holidays (in the first year in the position, you will get one week of paid vacation plus twelve National holidays. The vacation time will grow each year as you accrue more hours).
• Flexible schedule, with the frequent opportunity to work remotely.
• Free tickets to all YTN shows
• Free tuition for your or a friend/family member’s child for any YTN programs.