Community Relations & Development Manager
Full time, remote, flexible hours
Salary: $60k-70k
Reports to:
Board President, collaborating with the Artistic Leadership Team on community relationship building and key communications.
About the Trinity Irish Dance Company:
The Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) is an international Irish-American performing arts company based in Chicago. TIDC has significantly changed the direction and scope of Irish dance, positioning the art form as a progressive, forward-looking, and dynamic dance genre. This cutting-edge nonprofit company was created in 1990 to celebrate the pioneering work of Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard. Howard’s uniquely Irish-American company was the birthplace of progressive Irish dance, an innovative movement genre which led directly to commercial productions such as “Riverdance.”
The reemergence of TIDC in recent years has led to critically-acclaimed performances at significant performing arts venues across the USA and Japan, new agent representation, increasingly diverse and committed artists, and fresh new repertoire that is relevant, accessible, and resonating with audiences and critics worldwide. In this energizing moment for TIDC, significant donors are coming forward to pledge their support, our board is enthusiastic and growing, and there is very strong momentum for the company. At this time, TIDC is in a transformative period of organizational growth with tremendous opportunity to expand its Board of Directors, operating budget, audience reach, and staff. This position will be our first full-time administrative staff since the company’s rebirth in 2014, and the person who fulfills this role has the potential to make a significant impact on the organization’s future.
Job Description:
TIDC would like to hire a key full-time community relations & development (CRD) manager to fortify the organization’s funding, improve external communications and become a significant part of the team to elevate this cultural institution to the next level. The CRD Manager is a critical member of the organization’s staff, reports directly to the Board President, and collaborates with the artistic staff, board of directors, volunteers, and interns accordingly.
The CRD Manager is responsible for driving the organization’s multiple contributed revenue streams, including individual giving and corporate sponsorship, pursuing an annual general operation fundraising goal of at least $300,000 outside of existing donor relationships, and building relationships to further board development. In addition, the CRD Manager will play a pivotal role in transforming the organization from a mid-size dance company into a cultural institution with significant organizational impact.
Primary responsibilities include but are not limited to:
STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP
- Work directly with TIDC’s Board of Directors, the Artistic Leadership Team, and outside counsel to establish strategies for securing the organization’s health and stability
- Serve as an ambassador of the organization by cultivating relationships with community members including supporters, potential donors/sponsors and board members in order to build awareness of and commitment to TIDC’s mission
- Create and manage pathways and goals for all sources of contributed income (individuals, foundations, corporations, and governmental)
- Build a strong culture of philanthropy through cultivation of solid relationships with current and prospective funders and supporters, especially individual donors
DONOR CULTIVATION AND STEWARDSHIP
- Manage relationships and communications with existing donors, maintain and expand connections
- Build new relationships with potential supporters, drawing upon pre-existing networks as well as cultivating new supporters/revenue streams
- Introduce new donors to the TIDC community through performances, events, galas, meetings, visits to TIDC rehearsals
- Create strong systems, policies, and procedures necessary to the development of a solid infrastructure for sustainable funding
- Build a new corporate sponsorship program
DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS
- Manage a donor database using Network for Good software, which may include: categorization of gifts, acknowledging gifts, tracking pledges, and providing monthly reports to the board
- Report regularly to the BOD on all fundraising activities including major giving, grants, special events, direct mail appeals, and corporate partnership initiatives.
- Create a strategic calendar of annual campaigns based on past rhythms and innovative ideas - execute campaign including e-blast communications, providing tools to TIDC artists and board of directors, tracking amounts, and achieving funding goals
- Align all development and communication initiatives with the organization’s marketing, messaging,and adhere to organizational branding guidelines
EVENTS AND GRANTS
- Work with the BOD to create a special event in conjunction with TIDC’s upcoming April 22, 2023 Auditorium Theatre performance, featuring Dorrance Dance and M.A.D.D. Rhythms
- Edit and approve grant applications written and organized by a contracted grant writer
BOARD DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONS
- Seek out and build relationships with existing and potential board members
- Actively participate in Board Development Committee meetings
- Participate in regular meetings of the Board of Directors (quarterly).
- Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual reports as requested by the Board President
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (required)
- Minimum of three years experience in development work (required)
- Proven track record of raising funds from diverse sources, including major gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations and government agencies
- Passion for the arts
- Flexible, self-starter, collaborative, attention to detail
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Confidence in and comfort with frequent in-person, phone, email, and video call communication with high level donors
- Knowledge of and connections to the funding community in Chicago, Milwaukee, the Midwest, and nationally
- Demonstrated commitment to accountability, measuring outcomes and a results-oriented culture
- Strong interpersonal, supervisory, administrative and management skills–entrepreneurial mindset
- Proficiency in Google programs and ability to learn other software tools (i.e., our donor management database Network for Good)
To apply:
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and complete resume via email to Shannan Bunting, Board President at trinityirishdancecompany1990@gmail.com and include “TIDC Development CRD Manager” in the subject line. No phone calls, please.
Trinity Irish Dance Company offers a welcoming, dynamic, and highly spirited environment and encourages people from all backgrounds to apply.