About DC Jazz Festival
DC Jazz Festival (DCJF), a non-profit organization located in the Southwest Wharf neighborhood of Washington DC with an annual budget of $1.9 million, is conducting a national search for an experienced, dynamic development professional.

DC is one of the major hubs for jazz in the world and DCJF is a leading contributor to the cultural ecology here in the District. Our signature programs include the annual DC JazzFest, the year-round DC Jazz Festival Education program, and the Charles Fishman Embassy Series. Our annual DC JazzFest is the largest jazz festival in the Mid-Atlantic region and a premier destination on DC's cultural calendar. An invaluable festival asset to the District, the annual DC JazzFest, ―which takes place over Labor Day―, offers live experiences with broad appeal, stimulates local business, attracts tourists, and enhances DC’s image as a world-renowned cultural destination. In addition, DCJF nourishes the DC community with year-round education programs mostly in underserved communities enhancing the quality of life for DC school students. Our focus is to evolve into the leading year-round presenter of live jazz in Washington while continuing to invest in the growth of the annual DC JazzFest.

About the role - Development Manager, Stewardship and Operations
The Development Manager will support our fundraising activities, including managing our fundraising schedule, drafting new and renewing donor solicitations, maintaining accurate records, and researching fundraising opportunities. In this role, you will leverage a variety of skills, from developing creative engagement solutions to attracting prospective supporters to creating a communications system to ensure ongoing touchpoints with our existing base of supporters. Your attention to detail also gives way to high emotional EQ as you pick up on the small things, knowing that it goes a long way to be personable and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

Reporting to the President and CEO, the position works with all members of the development team to make sure DCJF has the funds to continue to advance its strategic goals and vision.

Your responsibilities will include

• Develop and manage the fundraising schedule, including work-plan, deadlines, and follow-up of development activities, including the anniversary campaigns, annual gala, and circle of friends.
• Proactively research, identify, and pursue new opportunities for funding from foundations, corporations, and individuals.
• Oversee stewardship for all annual donors, including acknowledgment and renewal correspondence and benefits administration.
• Serve as the primary point person for all $1,000+ funders, including stewarding current donors through planned giving, forecasting, tracking, and evaluating development activities.
• Support ad hoc research and content development for fundraising proposals and other collateral.
• Manage, refine, and upkeep systems to support the overall fundraising goals of the department.

We’re looking for someone who is

• A Relationship Builder: You thrive on meeting new people and like to foster relationships. You like learning what motivates people, what inspires their giving, and what makes them feel appreciated.
• An Effective Writer: You write well and take pride in your ability to do so, especially when given the opportunity to communicate an idea, topic, or vision that you are passionate about.
• Meticulous: You’re highly organized, with an eye for details, and excellent proofreading skills.
• Resourceful and Adaptable: You’re at ease with ambiguity and rapid change. You possess a positive attitude and identify creative solutions to obstacles. You can juggle many important responsibilities at once and you’re rigorous about prioritizing.
• A Humble Teammate: Nothing is beneath or above you. You are quick to always lend a hand or two! You are able to earn influence without authority and naturally seek to support small projects or large strategic goals.
• Organized: You’re a strong project manager, capable of driving multiple work streams toward deadlines and juggling changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated: You proactively take the initiative, identifying problems and opportunities across your portfolio, developing recommendations, and taking action on those recommendations.
• Visual Creativity: You might not be a designer by training, but you have an eye for design and can create effective visual media.

What you'll need

• 5+ years of overall professional experience (we are background agnostic and are excited by candidates with unique and different work histories; with that said, you need to be able to confidently attract and secure dollars).
• Ability to handle multiple deadlines and complete assignments with minimal supervision in a fast-paced workplace.
• Impeccable organization; you are highly detail-oriented and someone who gets a real sense of satisfaction from producing polished work and managing smooth and orderly processes.
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion. You're always asking: "whose voice is not at the table?" You have experience working with diverse teams and successfully navigating cross-cultural communication in both local and global contexts, and you deeply value creating a workplace that is supportive of difference.

Compensation and Location
DCJF provides a comprehensive benefits package, including fully paid health insurance for individuals and competitive rates for families/dependents, generous leave and all federal holidays, and a collegial office environment that supports professional development, wellness and flexible telecommuting options.

This is a full-time position based in the DC metro area. It is currently customary for team members to come to the office about 2-3 times a week.

Compensation for this role starts at $80K and can increase based on the candidate’s level of experience.

The Application Process
DCJF has engaged Equitable Hiring Group to support this hiring process. To apply, please complete the short form to the right.

Individuals who apply by Tuesday, May 16th, will be given priority; therefore, we encourage you to submit yours soon!

When you apply, we kindly ask you to remove your schools from your resume. There is no need to reformat your resume and leave your degree as is; simplify it to “B.A. Economics,” for example. Just remember to remove any undergraduate and graduate school name references where possible. This “bias-reduced” process is aimed at opening this opportunity to more candidates, reviewing applicants on performance assessments instead of resume proxies (e.g., where you went to school).

This evaluation process will follow practices shown to reduce bias in decision-making and may be different from other application processes you have experienced.

The overall evaluation process will look to follow this anticipated timeline:

• Early May: Select candidates asked to complete short answer questions
• Mid-May: Initial interview with DCJF staff
• Late May: Finalist candidates will be asked to complete a timed trial assignment
• Early June: Finalists will participate in a multi-team member panel interview
  • Candidate references will also be checked at this step
• Mid-June: Offer extended

If you have any questions about the opportunity, please feel free to email abe@equitablehiringgroup.com.

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