WHO WE ARE | The Saugatuck Center for the Arts is a community center that transforms lives through innovative education, bold entertainment and unexpected engagement. We are a community asset, a collaborative partner, and are deeply committed to building a stronger, more vibrant regional arts & cultural landscape.

OPPORTUNITY | To build capacity and optimize our fund development work, we are hiring a Development Director with strong relational and organizational skills and a passion for the SCA’s vision and mission. The Director in this new position will expand the current fund development activities in support of our 5-year Strategic Plan including planning and implementing Annual Fund campaigns, building donor relationships, developing new corporate funding partnerships, conducting prospect and donor research, assisting with special event planning, and managing the donor database.

SKILLS + KNOWLEDGE that will help you succeed:

First and foremost, the Development Director must be passionate about the SCA’s vision and mission, serving as one of the key “faces” of the SCA.

• Strong emotional intelligence and highly relational with strong active listening skills.
• Natural connector and collaborator.
• Deeply curious; interested in getting to know donors & partners as “whole people”.
• Excellent problem-solver.
• Outstanding communicator across platforms; compelling personal presence.
• Can handle rejection (hearing the “no”), pivoting to resilience and moving on.
• Strongly self-motivated, achievement-oriented, and enjoys working in a fast-paced environment.
• Strategic – able to prioritize workload and self-manage. Ability to complete projects in a timely and efficient manner while delivering high-quality, consistent results.
• Savors working with people from diverse backgrounds.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING in the position:

DONOR MANAGEMENT | In collaboration with the Executive Director:

• Creating and executing an annual fund strategy for prospective, entry, and mid level donors, including building timelines, writing solicitation pieces, working with the marketing team, etc.
• Building and maintaining donor relationships at all levels.
• Identifying lapsed donors and creating a recapture strategy.
• Creating campaign and donor reports.
• Assisting the Executive Director in growing the major gifts program through materials, research, and support while building relationships with these key donors.

REPORTING & DATA BASE MANAGEMENT

• Overseeing the fundraising database and tracking systems.
• Managing donors/sponsors lifecycle; ensuring proper acknowledgment, recognition, and fulfillment of sponsor benefits; coordinating special donor appreciation and stewardship projects as assigned.
• Using data available in the donor database, providing h key reports and information, analysis and feedback regarding donors, activities, goals, and outcomes.
• Synthesizing and organizing gift information and providing impact reports for use in donor communications.

GRANT MANAGEMENT

• Administering grants received including promotional and reporting requirements.
• Maintaining the foundation roster to ensure timely grant applications.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Assisting with annual special events including a Summer Benefit plus 2-3 small events.
• Organizing, managing, and tracking donor/guest activity related to special events.

COMMUNITY BUILDING

• Networking at selected community and leadership events.

OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS

• Must be able to accommodate after-hours event attendance.
• Opportunities for flexible work from home.
• Bachelor’s Degree plus five years of professional fundraising experience preferred.
• Database management experience a plus.
• Proficient in MS Suite, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Google Drive and Google Calendar.
• Physical requirements: light physical effort equal to lifting or moving of materials up to 30 lbs.