Urbanity Dance Inc. Director of Development Boston, MA · Full time

Apply for Director of Development

Founded by Director Betsi Graves, Urbanity Dance was created in 2011 in the spirit of three goals: 1) to propel contemporary dance to the forefront of Boston’s cultural landscape; 2) to serve an unmet demand for access to affordable and accessible dance training; and 3) to leverage dance as tool to foster bodily autonomy and creativity in local schools and community spaces. Through three interconnected pillars of Company, School, and Community, the organization offers a resilient, powerful community platform that builds synergy, investment, and connection.

Urbanity Dance is currently seeking a full-time Director of Development to energize and lead the organization into its next phase of growth. Reporting to Founder & Director Betsi Graves and supported by a Development Assistant and Grant Writer, the Director of Development will oversee, manage, and implement all fund development activities of the organization, including individual giving, foundation and government grants, corporate sponsorships, special events, and more.

The ideal candidate is a strong leader who is passionate about the arts and attentive to the local and national dance community. This position is a great fit for someone who is a positive, entrepreneurial, solution-oriented strategist.  A development professional, this candidate will implement appropriate systems and policies to ensure maximum ROI and be creative and authentic in how they meet fund development goals and objectives. This key senior manager is someone who takes initiative to accomplish goals thoughtfully, with attention to detail, while efficiently and effectively using time and resources. This leader excels at identifying organizational revenue opportunities and brokering them with engaged and well-matched supporters. This individual commits to using a social justice lens of equity, inclusion, and access in all aspects of their work. They are an experienced relationship builder and excellent listener, who believes that fostering community is a crucial element of overall success.

Urbanity Dance is committed to empowering individuals and strengthening diverse communities through dance. We aim to engage people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, both in their own communities and in our own studio space, by helping them discover or rediscover the joy of movement. Through our Company, School, and Community work, Urbanity Dance serves over 10,000 individuals throughout the Greater Boston community each year.

Responsibilities

Leadership

• Work closely with the staff Directors and Board of Directors to lead the organization towards its mission, vision, and strategic goals
• Reflect the organization’s values in daily management, strategic planning, and communication
• Ensure all programmatic and management decisions are carried out with a DEI lens
• Serve as an external representative of Urbanity Dance, alongside the Founder & Director
• Be an active participant in the local and national dance community

Development

• Create, Oversee, and Implement the Development Plan at Urbanity Dance by managing the following:

Individual Giving

• Work with Founder & Director, board members, and other leadership volunteers to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward supporters/donors as appropriate.
• Develop and execute ongoing strategy for qualifying and cultivating donor prospects
• Personally, solicit donors, including preparation of personalized cultivation and solicitation materials when needed.
• With Development Assistant, maintain organizational donor records through Salesforce database.
• Schedule and lead development-related and staff meetings, as required.
• Develop and implement a planned giving program and identify potential planned giving prospects.

Institutional Giving

• Collaborate with and supervise the grant writer to research and identify compatible sources of private foundation and institutional grant opportunities. Shepherd proposals from the application to stewardship process. Additionally, ensure fulfillment of grant requirements.
• Establish and maintain relationships with institutional funders.

Board Management

• Support Board of Directors’ individual giving and steward connections
• Along with Development Chair, manage the Development Committee, including scheduling meetings, preparing and distributing materials, attending meetings, and assisting with follow up
• Support Quarterly Board Meetings by attending, reporting, and representing Development

Volunteers

• Strategize plan for participation of volunteers.
• Engage, recruit and involve members of Urbani-Fam parent circle to support expansion of existing volunteer base.

Marketing

• Contribute content for direct mail and electronic media that is appropriate for the marketing of fund development programs, from conception to production.
• Provide substantive development program content to Director of Marketing for website, online giving, acknowledgements, and donor relations efforts.

Special Events

• Conceptualize and execute the annual fundraising gala, as well as other special events geared toward cultivation and engagement of individual and institutional donors.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• At least five years of experience, preferably in a non-profit environment
• Leadership and management experience within a Development Department, with a focus on major gifts 
• Demonstrated fundraising experience and success
• Proficiency with MS Office/Google Apps
• Excellent people skills
• Passionate about Urbanity’s mission
• Proactive, solutions-based problem solver
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Aptitude for prioritizing tasks to meet programmatic and organizational goals
• Ability to engage in dialogue with internal team members to ensure work is balanced and adequate support is available to complete tasks
• Commitment to Urbanity’s vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and community
• Appreciation for/interest in dance and the arts

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a related field
• Significant expertise with the Boston area's funding community
• Experience with Salesforce
• Multi-lingual (Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin/Cantonese)

Schedule

This is a full-time, hybrid position with a flexible working schedule within a “regular” 40-hour work week. The candidate must be able to readily commute into Boston, as needed, for in-person staff and donor meetings.

Salary

$65,000-$75,000 commensurate with experience

Benefits Include

• 10 paid vacation days per year, plus generous paid personal and sick leave
• Employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
• 19 paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• 8 weeks paid parental leave, after one year of employment
• Professional development and mentorship opportunities
• Free access to all Urbanity Dance programs, including events, classes, camps, intensives, seminars and workshops 
• Private studio rental at a discounted rate of $5 per hour 
• 2 complimentary tickets to each Urbanity Company / Underground performance during the year
• One piece of Urbanity merch each year
• Eligibility for a subsidized $25 BDA Associate Membership under Urbanity’s organizational umbrella.

Urbanity Dance is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We prioritize sustainable organizational practices that support balance, boundaries, and rest for all of our team members. Urbanity Dance is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How to Apply

Please email a cover letter and resume to Betsi Graves, Founder & Director, at [email protected] with “Director of Development" in the subject line. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a preferred submission by November 1, 2022.

Please note that contact information for up to 2 references will be requested during the hiring process, and employment is contingent on results of criminal record information (CORI) and sex offender registry (SORI) background checks.