Dance Place is hiring! We are seeking a dynamic, motivated, and talented individual to join our team as the Development & Communications Manager for our nationally recognized cultural arts center in Washington, DC. This full-time, exempt position will bring support to our passion for building a sustainable community of artists, audiences, and students through high-quality performances, commissions, training, and educational programs. This is an onsite work opportunity with an annual salary range of $60,000 – $75,000.
Heralded as the “hub of dance activity in Washington, DC”, Dance Place is an equal-opportunity employer and strongly encourages qualified applicants from underrepresented communities to apply. We believe that people of color, people in the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and women must be centered in the work we do. Hence, we strongly encourage people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities to apply to our openings. Come enjoy an exciting and inclusive team environment of movement artists who share a common goal of strengthening the dance field by investing deeply in artists and centering those who have been systemically excluded from such opportunities. For more information on our amazing organization, please visit our site at https://www.danceplace.org.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Development & Communications Director is responsible for designing and coordinating grantmaking processes and practices that are aligned with Dance Place’s development and fundraising strategies. Reporting to and working closely with the Executive Director, the Development & Communications Director collaborates with the entire Dance Place staff and Board of Directors. This role leads all aspects of fundraising and communications, from prospecting to project management, grant writing, stewardship, and reporting and compliance monitoring. The portfolio of grant writing currently fluctuates between 40-60 submissions annually to foundations, government, and corporations. It is an ongoing goal for the Development & Communications Director to identify innovative ways to secure new and maintain existing donor relationships by building a robust, institutional pipeline and growing the volume of submissions and awards.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
At a minimum, the Development & Communications Director role will be responsible for successfully carrying out the following essential functions and duties:
Project Management
- Serve as Dance Place’s chief major gifts officer, consistently prospecting for new supporters, including individuals, foundations, government agencies, and corporations.
- Develop and manage a comprehensive grants program to meet annually determined funding goals.
- Create measurable goals for the fundraising program, including the number of individuals reached, proposals submitted, awards received, and dollars raised.
- Maintain a calendar to ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposals, and reports.
- Develop and maintain individualized strategies of solicitation, cultivation, and stewardship for each contributed revenue stream.
- Manage and collaborate with the Individual Giving manager in developing creative strategies to expand individual giving patrons and target goals.
- Ensure that systems of data management, collection, reporting, and program evaluation capacities are effective within the organization.
- Keep the Executive Director current on and prepared for all upcoming applications, reports, meetings, and information needs, and "manage up" by supporting the Executive Director and Board of Directors in fundraising.
- Design and update a progress-to-goal report and dashboard for the Executive Director.
Grant Prospecting and Writing
- Prospect research to ensure Dance Place has a robust pipeline of local, regional, and national grant opportunities to pursue.
- Conduct research on funding opportunities with an emphasis on new sources of revenue for both general operating support and priority projects.
- Evaluate each funding opportunity to ensure Dance Place is deliberate and selective in what it applies for and when.
- Lead staff teams to develop concepts for new and ongoing funding opportunities.
- Develop highly competitive foundation, government, and corporate grant proposals and concept papers, and produce customized letters of inquiry and reports.
Marketing Strategy and Management
- Lead the Communications Manager and development team to create institutional marketing initiatives and materials that transcend into organizational marketing and fundraising materials.
- Collaborate with the Communications Manager to design and execute marketing and PR strategies that increase brand awareness while supporting successful programming outcomes.
- Refine and implement a communications plan that defines, amplifies, and unifies the full organization.
Stewardship
- Build strong relationships with the organization's portfolio of current and potential institutional funders.
- Monitor the progress of grant-funded projects to ensure successful implementation in accordance with grant contract terms.
- Track and report on grants that have been awarded by working closely with the program staff to ensure the necessary data is accurately collected to complete grant reports on schedule.
Development Operations
- Work in collaboration with the Individual Giving Manager and the Development Assistant to create and maintain a fundraising calendar, write solicitations, plan events, and create special materials.
- Ensure that an organized filing system is in place and effective to support easy retrieval and streamlined reporting.
- Manage grants in Patron Manager to ensure all grant opportunities and tasks are current and well-detailed.
- Provide accurate and timely documentation of grants income and work with financial staff to provide reports and information for accounting and planning purposes.
- Oversee the operations of the Development & Communications team, including establishing plans for effective and efficient meetings, records keeping and gift tracking, data management, events, and team member workflow and collaboration.
- Participate in Director-level input and decision making for the entire organization.
*These lists are not all-inclusive, as other duties may be assigned as needed.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
The Development & Communications Director carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Dance Place’s policies and all applicable laws. This role has oversight and is responsible for managing the overall direction, coordination, assignment of tasks, and performance appraisal for the following positions: Individual Giving Manager and Communications Manager. Additional supervisory responsibilities may include interviewing, hiring, training, rewarding, and disciplining direct reports as well as addressing complaints and resolving problems within the Development Department.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: EXPERIENCE AND OTHER SKILLS & ABILITIES
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Relations, Communications, Journalism, Marketing, or related field.
Experience:
Minimum of 3 – 7 years of grant writing experience in a nonprofit organization is required. Prior experience with writing 6- to 7-figure grants. Demonstrated experience in writing all types of grants, with an emphasis on those that are program-restricted. Experience in marketing and external communications, including a high-level understanding of a variety of marketing strategies and tactics such as social media, email and direct mail, and branding. Excellent team building, facilitation, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Other Necessary Skills and Abilities:
- A born project manager with a knack for working backward from a deadline to create a work plan.
- Diligently mindful of deadlines.
- Accustomed to working on multiple projects with different deadlines simultaneously.
- An independent worker, self-starter, self-initiator, and self-manager.
- A succinct and directive communicator who responds readily and closes loops.
- A natural information-sharer so that everyone is always looped in.
- A fanatic for follow-up so that you get what you need, when you need it.
- A writer by heart and interest who can tailor tone, voice, and style as needed.
- A collegial editor, who can offer specific, encouraging feedback to bring a piece of writing to its best iteration.
- Writing style should be dynamic, reader-friendly, and high-quality, free of typos, jargon, and lackluster prose.
- Knowledge of current trends, resources, and information related to fundraising and philanthropy.
- Keen attention to detail with a focus on producing high-quality work products.
- Proficiency with Google Suite and Microsoft Office products.
- Familiarity with using PatronManager CRM platform.
- Strong collaboration skills to work seamlessly across all departmental groups.
Computer/Technology Skills:
Google Suite (Google Docs, Google Sheets, Gmail) or similar web applications for day-to-day office administration tasks.
Physical Demands:
This position requires the ability to sit and stand for prolonged times; walk moderate distances; frequently lift/carry up to 25 lbs.; occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, or crouch; frequently communicate verbally with others; view a computer screen for prolonged periods; and repetitive motions with wrists, hands, and fingers due to typing.
DESIRED SKILLS, QUALITIES, AND ABILITIES (not required)
An appreciation for the art of dance and Dance Place’s mission.
Positively contribute to Dance Place’s workplace culture and values.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
Our staff is diverse, small, lively, and highly collaborative. We have frequent interactions with visiting teachers, artists, and students of all ages. While some of Dance Place staff currently work a hybrid schedule, splitting time between our main office in Washington, DC, and remote work, the Development & Communications Director is primarily an onsite position. Due to the in-person aspects of the position, all employees are required to adhere to Dance Place’s current COVID-19 policy.
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