Associate Director of Development - Individual Giving

Zach Theater•Austin, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Zach Theater, we believe in the power of light — to illuminate new ideas, spark imagination, and connect our community. As Austin’s premier professional producing non-profit theater, we create bold, intimate performances that challenge, delight, and inspire audiences. Our work extends beyond the stage, serving more than 100,000 Central Texans each year through performances, education programs, and community engagement initiatives. POSITION SUMMARY: Zach Theater is seeking an Associate Director of Development - Individual Giving to serve as a key leader on the Development team and a strategic partner to the Director of Development. This is a newly created role designed to build upon a strong foundation and scale Zach’s individual giving program, while strengthening the pipeline for mid-level, major, and planned gifts. As the second-in-command within the department, this position will oversee individual giving strategy and execution, manage a growing team, and directly contribute to revenue generation through their own portfolio of donors and prospects. Zach’s individual giving program currently generates approximately $1.38M annually, with significant opportunity for continued growth in the coming years. This role comes at a pivotal moment as Zach expands its fundraising capacity through recent investments in systems, strategy, and team growth. The Associate Director of Development - Individual Giving will play a critical role in growing individual giving at all levels, while strengthening the donor pipeline in support of Zach’s upcoming comprehensive campaign. This role is ideal for a results-driven fundraiser and leader who is both strategic and hands-on and can build on existing momentum, close gifts, develop people, and drive continued growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience (preferred)
Minimum of 3+ years of experience managing fundraising staff or teams, with a track record of growing contributed revenue
Minimum of 7 years of experience in individual giving, including personally soliciting and closing gifts and managing donor portfolios (preferred)
Proficiency in digital tools and systems, including Google Workspace, Tessitura CRM (or comparable CRM platform), Asana, Slack, and other collaboration and project management tools, with a willingness to learn new platforms as needed
Comfort working with donor databases and fundraising technology; Tessitura experience is a plus
Experience in a theater, performing arts organization, or related nonprofit setting (highly preferred)
Knowledge of the Austin community and giving landscape (preferred)
Experience using data, reporting, and analytics to inform fundraising strategy and decision-making
Understanding of donor pipeline development, moves management, and prospect qualification strategies
Experience with integrated fundraising campaigns and multi-channel donor engagement strategies is a plus
Experience or exposure to planned giving strategies (preferred)
Proven ability to build, manage, and motivate high-performing teams
Strong experience working collaboratively with boards, volunteers, and senior leadership
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to inspire, persuade, and build meaningful relationships
Strong organizational, strategic thinking, and project management skills
Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize competing tasks and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to troubleshooting and process improvement
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external partners
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and maintain professionalism under pressure
A proactive, goal-oriented mindset with the ability to balance long-term strategy and day-to-day execution
Personal warmth, emotional intelligence, curiosity, and a sense of humor
Commitment to upholding and reflecting the mission, vision, and core values of Zach Theater in all interactions and responsibilities

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
Minimum of 7 years of experience in individual giving, including personally soliciting and closing gifts and managing donor portfolios
Experience in a theater, performing arts organization, or related nonprofit setting
Knowledge of the Austin community and giving landscape
Experience with integrated fundraising campaigns and multi-channel donor engagement strategies
Experience or exposure to planned giving strategies

Responsibilities

Translate organizational priorities into actionable fundraising strategies, team objectives, and workflows that support departmental revenue goals
Serve as a strategic partner to the Director of Development and engage with the Senior Leadership team, contributing to long-range planning, policy setting, and organizational decision-making
Partner with and help activate Board members and volunteers in meaningful fundraising roles to support Zach’s current and long-term funding needs
Lead the continued evolution of an annual giving program that inspires increased support across all giving levels, including targeted initiatives such as production underwriting, educational programming, and financial aid
Strengthen a cohesive donor experience that clearly distinguishes annual fund support from leadership-level and project-based investments, while maintaining a strong focus on unrestricted giving
Partner with the Marketing team to develop a comprehensive, segmented communications strategy that engages donors across channels and clearly articulates Zach’s impact
Leverage performances, events, and engagement opportunities as strategic tools to deepen relationships, increase donor participation, and inspire giving across all levels
Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, with a focus on securing, renewing, and increasing annual gifts at the mid-level and leadership levels
Personally solicit and close gifts, demonstrating a high level of comfort and success in direct asks and donor conversations, serving as a model for best practices across the team
Support senior leadership and board members in donor cultivation and solicitation efforts for key donors and prospects
Partner with the Director of Development on strategies to align annual giving and comprehensive campaign efforts, supporting donor conversations that may include both annual and campaign investments
Collaborate with the Director of Development to build and grow Zach’s planned giving program
Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects within the existing donor base
Integrate planned giving strategies into donor conversations and long-term engagement plans
Oversee strategies that drive growth across all levels of individual giving, from broad-based participation to leadership and principal gifts, ensuring a strong and sustainable revenue pipeline
Lead an organization-wide approach to relationship management that ensures consistent engagement with new, renewing, and lapsed donors
Design targeted engagement and cultivation strategies that increase donor retention, upgrade rates, and long-term value
Lead the strategy and execution of broad-based fundraising campaigns, including end-of-year, fiscal year-end, and citywide initiatives such as Amplify Austin
Build on successful donor acquisition efforts and refine annual campaign strategies to increase participation, retention, and upgrade rates
Identify and implement innovative approaches to donor acquisition and conversion, including integrated giving opportunities tied to ticketing and membership experiences
Engage senior leadership and Board members in strategic prospect identification, cultivation, and relationship-building efforts to support donor growth and advancement
Identify and accelerate high-capacity prospects, strengthening the pipeline into major and transformational giving
Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop segmented donor engagement strategies that emphasize philanthropy, strengthen emotional connection, and integrate communications across channels
Collaborate across departments to align strategies, leverage audience engagement opportunities, and ensure a seamless donor experience
Ensure consistent tracking and documentation of donor interactions, preferences, and insights within the Tessitura CRM system to inform strategy and strengthen engagement
Implement and leverage prospect research and screening tools, including iWave, to identify and qualify new donor prospects
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of development professionals by providing clear direction, coaching, accountability, and alignment of team priorities, workflows, and performance expectations with departmental and organizational goals
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and results-driven team culture grounded in accountability, goal-setting, and continuous growth
Build upon established KPIs and performance metrics by strengthening reporting, dashboards, and analytics to more effectively track progress and inform strategic decision-making
Utilize data insights to identify trends, refine strategies, and drive continuous improvement across annual giving efforts
Lead continued refinement of development operations, including SOP development and process improvements that support consistency and scalability
Partner with internal teams on organization-wide technology initiatives, including Tessitura optimization, Asana adoption, reporting workflows, and data integrity practices that support effective collaboration, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making
Other duties as assigned