Director, Development and Institutional Events

The Juilliard School • New York, NY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Vice President and Chief Development Officer, lead and execute Juilliard’s Development and Institutional Events program—serving as the lead producer for two annual benefits and 30+ campus and signature events, while providing strategic oversight across Development, including Major Gifts, Campaigns, Membership, and institutional priorities. The annual salary for this role is $130,000-$150,000. Working at Juilliard Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. Excellence and professionalism are important guides in how we go about our work, but we also connect to the mission as individuals in the workplace. We thrive because of our variety of backgrounds and our ability to be open and honest, and we also thrive because we enjoy each other’s company. We believe that each employee has the responsibility to help shape the Juilliard organizational culture, and we provide opportunities to participate in team-building throughout the year. Our organizational values focus on community and culture. We encourage you to read more about how we achieve our mission on our website, juilliard.edu.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and 8–10 years of progressively responsible experience in special events, development, advancement, or a related field—preferably in higher education, the performing arts, or other mission-driven institutions.
• Demonstrated success producing high-profile events, including institutional celebrations, cultivation and stewardship events, and volunteer engagement experiences.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with trustees, donors, artists, faculty, and institutional leaders, and to navigate complex situations with professionalism and discretion.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and balance strategic thinking with execution.
• Experience leading teams, including goal setting, performance management, and fostering a collaborative and accountable culture.
• Strategic, proactive, and detail-oriented, with a collaborative approach and strong initiative.
• Availability to work evenings and weekends, with in-person presence required for events and key planning periods.

Nice To Haves

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and familiarity with CRM platforms such as Raiser’s Edge; experience with event and project management tools (e.g., Zkipster, Social Tables, Asana, or ClickUp) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Development senior leadership, artistic divisions, faculty, and the Office of the President to design and deliver events that are mission-driven, community-focused, and reflective of Juilliard’s artistic excellence.
• Lead all aspects of Juilliard’s annual Celebration Benefit, including hands-on production, the development of fundraising strategy, and honoree selection, in partnership with the Office of the President, Development colleagues, and a Benefit committee. Past Benefits have generated $2M–$2.4M annually while cultivating future major gift prospects.
• Develop and execute a second benefit event to expand Juilliard’s fundraising portfolio, generating new revenue in support of scholarships and institutional operations through ticketed and experience-driven opportunities.
• Lead the strategy and oversight of event invitation list development and management, ensuring data integrity, targeted segmentation, and tracking to inform engagement strategies and support prospect managers in advancing donors through the pipeline.
• Partner with Communications and Marketing to develop and align event messaging and positioning across digital and print platforms, ensuring consistency with Juilliard’s brand and institutional goals.
• Oversee event budgets and financial reconciliation in partnership with the Vice President and Chief Development Officer, ensuring revenue growth trajectory and fiscal.
• Partner with the Office of the President and campus colleagues to produce institutional events—including Convocation, Board meeting receptions, Commencement-related activities, and other school-wide events—ensuring alignment with institutional priorities while leveraging these opportunities to advance fundraising and engagement goals.
• Evaluate and communicate event performance and philanthropic impact—including revenue, donor engagement, and visibility—through post-event analysis and strategic debriefs to inform future planning.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director