Status: Full-time, Exempt
Reports to: CEO/Artistic Director
Supervises: Manager of Grants & Donor Communications; advancement contractors
Location: Boston, NYC, or remote in the United States with regular Boston travel
Salary: $105,000-$115,000
Target Start Date: December 1-15, 2025
The Opportunity
Arlekin Players Theatre seeks an entrepreneurial advancement leader to fuel our next chapter of growth and help us reach new heights of impact and sustainability.
You'll join a lean, high-impact leadership team alongside our visionary Artistic Director and Director of Operations & Finance. This is not a traditional development role. It is a chance to build and strengthen the advancement infrastructure for one of America's most innovative theatre companies as we scale from regional recognition to national prominence.
The Director of Advancement is responsible for leading the organization's comprehensive fundraising strategy to raise $600,000+ annually in contributed revenue from diverse philanthropic sources, including individual donors, major gifts, private foundations, government grants, and corporate partners. You will work closely with the Artistic Director and Board of Directors to ensure sustainable funding, robust community engagement, and long-term financial health.
This position will be instrumental in building and strengthening advancement infrastructure, including:
- Implementing and optimizing our CRM system (Copper) for donor management
- Establishing fundraising activity tracking and reporting protocols
- Creating donor cultivation and stewardship processes
- Developing prospect research and identification systems
- Strengthening gift processing and acknowledgment procedures
What You'll Own
1. FUNDRAISING STRATEGY & EXECUTION (50% of role)
Primary Responsibility: Develop and execute a comprehensive Annual Fundraising Plan that identifies what needs to be raised, when, from whom, and how success will be measured.
Target: Raise $600,000+ annually in contributed revenue
- Approximately $450,000 from individual donors (major gifts, annual fund, campaigns)
- Approximately $150,000 from institutional sources (private foundations, government grants, corporate partners)
- Major Gifts Portfolio: Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward a portfolio of 50-75 high-capacity individual and institutional prospects.
- Board Fundraising: Partner with board chairs to activate board giving, equip champions with solicitation tools, and drive 100% board participation
- Annual Fund: Design and implement segmented strategies for donor acquisition, retention, and upgrade across all giving levels
- Campaigns: Lead Giving Tuesday, year-end, and special campaigns with clear ROI targets and measurable outcomes
- Prospect Research: Conduct research and create profiles for high-capacity prospects, including wealth screening, relationship mapping, and gift capacity assessment
2. INSTITUTIONAL GIVING (25% of role)
Target: $150,000+ from private foundations, government grants, and corporate partners
- Grant Pipeline: Own the institutional giving calendar, strategy, and pipeline management across all sources—private foundations, government/public funding, and corporate partnerships
- Supervision: Guide Manager of Grants & Donor Communications in proposal development, reporting, and donor stewardship activities
- Relationship Building: Cultivate relationships and engage program officers at major foundations and institutional funders
- Compliance: Ensure 100% on-time reporting and grant compliance across all institutional funding sources
3. MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP (25% of role)
- Vendor Management: Scope, hire, and manage marketing/PR consultants within budget parameters
- Reporting: Provide weekly snapshots for leadership, prepare board packets, deliver quarterly deep-dives, and maintain regular direct contact with board chairs
- Cross-Team Collaboration: Weekly sync with CEO/Artistic Director and Director of Operations & Finance
- Policies & Systems: Oversee gift acceptance policies, naming opportunities, restricted funds tracking, and donor database integrity
- Team Development: Supervise and mentor Manager of Grants & Donor Communications, supporting their professional growth
Who You Are
Essential Experience:
- 5+ years in nonprofit development with demonstrated major gifts success
- Track record of personally closing gifts of $25,000+
- Proven success building and managing individual giving programs, with experience in institutional giving and particular strength in major gifts
- Success building and executing comprehensive fundraising plans
- Nonprofit arts experience strongly preferred
Critical Competencies:
- Builder Mentality: Create systems while executing—not waiting for perfect conditions
- Relationship Architect: Natural connector who builds authentic, lasting relationships
- Data-Driven: Use metrics to drive decisions, not just report outcomes
- Clear Communicator: Write compelling cases, deliver powerful pitches
- Collaborative: Work effectively across departments and with board volunteers
What We Offer
- Competitive salary: $105,000-$115,000
- Health Insurance Premium Stipend
- 3 weeks vacation annually
- Flexible hybrid work model
- Free tickets to all productions
- Direct partnership with visionary artistic leadership
To Apply
Complete the application form at the following link by November 30, 2025:
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
On the form you will be asked to provide:
- A Resume demonstrating measurable fundraising success
- A Cover Letter addressing:
- A major gift you closed and how
- Your approach to building advancement infrastructure
- Why Arlekin's mission resonates with you
- A Brief Writing Sample - a donor appeal or case statement you've written
Have any Questions? Email [email protected]