Chief Development Officer

The Woodruff Arts Center•Provo, UT

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Alliance Theatre seeks a high-performing, collaborative, and enthusiastic Chief Development Officer who will be an active participant on the senior staff of the organization. The Chief Development Officer is responsible for all areas of fundraising, working closely with the Managing Director, Artistic Directors, Board of Directors, and staff across the theater and larger Woodruff Arts Center to plan, solicit, and steward donations of all sizes, including major and principal gifts. With the end goal of not only growing philanthropic commitments across all giving categories-- broad-based, major gifts, board giving, foundation & government grants, and corporate funding—the successful candidate will also be willing to constantly gather information from all areas of the theatre in service of designing messaging and giving opportunities spanning the full breadth of the Alliance’s mission, productions, and programs. The Chief Development Officer will possess team management experience, fundraising thought leadership, and a successful track record of leading annual fund programs. This individual will have experience collaborating across multiple departments in high-performing organizations and will be willing to act as an ambassador for the Alliance Theatre to internal Woodruff Arts Center stakeholders, as well as external donors, funders, and community leaders. The Chief Development Officer will thoughtfully and confidently lead a highly skilled, eight-member development team consisting of the following (with the first four being direct reports): Director of Individual Giving Associate Director, Strategic Institutional Advancement (foundation and government grants) Associate Director, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Board Relations & Special Events Manager, Individual Giving Manager, Annual Fund & Donor Relations Manager, Development Operations & Institutional Giving Major Gifts Officer (to be hired in 2026 after Director is in place) Principal Duties and Responsibilities: Serve on Senior Staff of the Alliance Theatre Actively participate in growing and maintaining internal and external cultures of belonging Serve as an ambassador for the Alliance Theatre to internal Woodruff Arts Center stakeholders, as well as external donors, funders, and community leaders Actively participate in cross-campus Development thought leadership and planning for cross-campus fundraising activities, including coordinated annual corporate campaign Constantly and consistently evaluate trends in giving across all Alliance Theatre campaign verticals Actively participate in conferences and on-going industry trend analysis with fellow development directors across the country Lead Fundraising & Stewardship Activities Working closely with Development Staff, ensure constant progress to meet or exceed all fundraising campaign goals Collaborating with Woodruff Central Services Corporate Philanthropy team, identify, cultivate, solicit, and ensure proper stewardship for all Alliance Theatre corporate funders Working with Development Staff, ensure all Opening Night and final preview pre-show donor events, and other donor events throughout the season are refined, inspirational, and mission-focused Serve as primary point person for all activities related to planned giving including overseeing new strategies and execution for soliciting and stewarding planned gifts Working with General Counsel of the Woodruff Arts Center, write and execute formal gift agreements for capital, endowment, and planned gifts Perform annual evaluation and refinement of donor benefits offerings and administration In collaboration with Artistic Staff and Managing Director, provide fundraising planning expertise and leadership for any capital, endowment, or special project campaigns which may arise Working with Development and Marketing Staff, create, refine, and maintain promotional materials for all Alliance Theatre funding opportunities—annual, long-term, capital, endowment, and planned gifts Working with Marketing department, help lead strategy for growing Alliance Membership and Subscriber patron base and pipeline to donor programs Oversee development operations, including improvement of moves management processes in CRM, consistent practices of prospect research, and accurate and efficient gift entry and tax acknowledgements Maintain weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly 1:1 check-ins with four direct reports Perform annual, or more frequent, performance reviews for direct reports Serve as Primary Staff Liaison with the Alliance Theatre Board of Directors Act as lead planner and solicitor for all board of directors’ annual giving through dedicated Philanthropic Planning Meetings (“PPMs”) Working closely with Managing Director, ensure proper planning and execution of all Board Governance & Nominating Committee activities and meetings Working closely with Managing Director and Board Governance & Nominating Committee Chair, provide thought leadership on Board composition and serve as primary staff lead for new Board member recruitment and related on-boarding activities Working with Managing Director and Management Assistant, ensure all board meetings and events are professionally and elegantly planned and executed Maintain active schedule of communications and stewardship with all board members throughout the year Oversee Development Budget Working with Chief Financial Officer and Development Staff, track and reconcile all revenue lines and expenses related to development activities Working with Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, develop and maintain fundraising goals and expense budgets Other responsibilities as assigned Reporting Relationships Reports directly to: Managing Director WORK SCHEDULE: • Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. • Some early mornings, evenings and weekends are required for special events and donor stewardship QUALIFICATIONS: At least 5 years’ experience building, leading, and maintaining a successful, multi-member fundraising team Passion for the arts and their impact in the community Commitment to the Alliance Theatre’s Mission, Vision, Values, and staff culture Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic gifts of 5- and 6- figures on an annual basis Demonstrated success growing an annual fund across all campaign verticals (annual, foundation, major gift, board giving) Demonstrated track record of evaluating and refining development activities across all campaign verticals Comfortable communicating with high-level executives, donors, board members, and community leaders Willingness to problem-solve in a collaborative leadership environment Knowledge of Atlanta’s funding community is a plus, especially with an emphasis on arts and education PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Necessary accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Frequent use of hands and light lifting (at least 25 pounds) is needed. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Willingness to work some weekends, late evenings and early mornings. The Woodruff Arts Center is one of the largest arts centers in the world, home to the Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre, the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and the High Museum of Art, the leading art museum in the Southeast. Over 800,000 patrons travel to The Woodruff for outstanding theatre, music and exhibitions each year. Employment Woodruff Arts Center employees play an integral role in creating and supporting great art and education initiatives at the nation’s third largest arts center. Comprised of three Art Partners—Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and High Museum of Art—there’s a role for everyone at The Woodruff. Benefits

Requirements

At least 5 years’ experience building, leading, and maintaining a successful, multi-member fundraising team
Passion for the arts and their impact in the community
Commitment to the Alliance Theatre’s Mission, Vision, Values, and staff culture
Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic gifts of 5- and 6- figures on an annual basis
Demonstrated success growing an annual fund across all campaign verticals (annual, foundation, major gift, board giving)
Demonstrated track record of evaluating and refining development activities across all campaign verticals
Comfortable communicating with high-level executives, donors, board members, and community leaders
Willingness to problem-solve in a collaborative leadership environment

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Atlanta’s funding community is a plus, especially with an emphasis on arts and education

Responsibilities

Serve on Senior Staff of the Alliance Theatre
Actively participate in growing and maintaining internal and external cultures of belonging
Serve as an ambassador for the Alliance Theatre to internal Woodruff Arts Center stakeholders, as well as external donors, funders, and community leaders
Actively participate in cross-campus Development thought leadership and planning for cross-campus fundraising activities, including coordinated annual corporate campaign
Constantly and consistently evaluate trends in giving across all Alliance Theatre campaign verticals
Actively participate in conferences and on-going industry trend analysis with fellow development directors across the country
Lead Fundraising & Stewardship Activities
Working closely with Development Staff, ensure constant progress to meet or exceed all fundraising campaign goals
Collaborating with Woodruff Central Services Corporate Philanthropy team, identify, cultivate, solicit, and ensure proper stewardship for all Alliance Theatre corporate funders
Working with Development Staff, ensure all Opening Night and final preview pre-show donor events, and other donor events throughout the season are refined, inspirational, and mission-focused
Serve as primary point person for all activities related to planned giving including overseeing new strategies and execution for soliciting and stewarding planned gifts
Working with General Counsel of the Woodruff Arts Center, write and execute formal gift agreements for capital, endowment, and planned gifts
Perform annual evaluation and refinement of donor benefits offerings and administration
In collaboration with Artistic Staff and Managing Director, provide fundraising planning expertise and leadership for any capital, endowment, or special project campaigns which may arise
Working with Development and Marketing Staff, create, refine, and maintain promotional materials for all Alliance Theatre funding opportunities—annual, long-term, capital, endowment, and planned gifts
Working with Marketing department, help lead strategy for growing Alliance Membership and Subscriber patron base and pipeline to donor programs
Oversee development operations, including improvement of moves management processes in CRM, consistent practices of prospect research, and accurate and efficient gift entry and tax acknowledgements
Maintain weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly 1:1 check-ins with four direct reports
Perform annual, or more frequent, performance reviews for direct reports
Serve as Primary Staff Liaison with the Alliance Theatre Board of Directors
Act as lead planner and solicitor for all board of directors’ annual giving through dedicated Philanthropic Planning Meetings (“PPMs”)
Working closely with Managing Director, ensure proper planning and execution of all Board Governance & Nominating Committee activities and meetings
Working closely with Managing Director and Board Governance & Nominating Committee Chair, provide thought leadership on Board composition and serve as primary staff lead for new Board member recruitment and related on-boarding activities
Working with Managing Director and Management Assistant, ensure all board meetings and events are professionally and elegantly planned and executed
Maintain active schedule of communications and stewardship with all board members throughout the year
Oversee Development Budget
Working with Chief Financial Officer and Development Staff, track and reconcile all revenue lines and expenses related to development activities
Working with Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, develop and maintain fundraising goals and expense budgets
Other responsibilities as assigned