Director of Development, City Ballet of Boston

Opportunity

City Ballet of Boston (CBB) is seeking an inaugural Director of Development (Director), a new and exciting position that will be essential in bringing this successful and well-respected arts organization to its next level.  The Director will spearhead the organization’s development function and expand community presence in fundraising and building a corporate support strategy.  CBB is poised for growth, and the Director will play an integral role in developing the organization’s infrastructure and amplifying its programmatic impact.

Organization

History and Mission

Dance pioneer Tony Williams founded CBB in 2018 with the mission of Diversity Through Dance. CBB showcases diversity on stage through innovative, professional dance productions and trains and empowers young dancers with the confidence to succeed in the dance world.  To accomplish its mission, CBB provides the city of Boston with innovative performances and exceptional dance education for all, regardless of age, race, or background.

CBB believes that diversity heightens creativity, and that hard work, inclusivity, and love of the arts are key to both cultural education and excellence in dance. CBB is a celebration of Boston’s multicultural family and is a unique creative laboratory for talented performers, young people, and the city’s urban neighborhoods.

Programs and Performances

CBB is best known for its critically acclaimed and nationally known Anthony Williams’  Urban Nutcracker, a uniquely Boston story that merges classical ballet with urban tap, hip hop, swing, flamenco, step, and jazz.  With its founding almost 25 years ago, Urban Nutcracker is a revered pillar in Boston’s performing arts community.

CBB is a chamber–sized professional ballet company that rehearses and performs approximately 20 -25 weeks a year, presenting two full-length theatre engagements and four to five smaller performances annually.

CBB’s two youth training programs are Boston City Youth Ballet (BCYB), an intensive training program for dedicated students ages 8-18, and Y’ALL Can Dance!, a 10-week introductory dance residency program for third grade public school students.

CBB’s outreach program presents dance performances at local libraries, schools, children's museums, and municipal events. Both the professional ballet company and BCYB apprentices participate in these events.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

CBB’s internal and external practices reflect its values around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.  Performances are strategically offered at a variety of diverse urban communities of Boston and beyond to ensure that location is not a barrier to access to ballet, with tickets made financially accessible and distributed through community organizations and public schools. CBB’s youth education programs work to increase access to dance, and BCYB‘s scholarship program provides access to dance training, regardless of students’ socioeconomic status. 

Staff, production professionals, and performers are an intentionally diverse group of individuals and represent a variety of races, ethnicities, gender identities, and sexual orientations. CBB has created a supportive environment in which dancers don tights and shoes that match their skin tones and young students enjoy the support of experienced dancers and parent volunteers to help them style a variety of hair types and choose makeup for different skin tones.

Reflecting the diversity of the company, a wide-sweeping community comes together to enjoy CBB’s performances, representing a truly inclusive experience. 

Staff and Budget

CBB and its sister organization, Tony Williams Dance Center, employ four full- and 20 part-time staff members, supplemented by seasonal additions to the ballet company. Grounded in a rich, multi-racial history, CBB’s staff, dancers, leadership, and six-member board contribute to its thriving, culturally diverse community.   CBB is a nonprofit with an annual operating budget of approximately $1 million.

As a key member of CBB’s leadership team, The Director of Development will play an integral role with the organization as it solidifies its organizational infrastructure and amplifies its programmatic impact.  Reporting to, and working closely with, Tony Williams, the Director will have the opportunity to employ creativity and strategy to design and develop CBB’s fundraising function.

Donor Cultivation and Stewardship

• Build a vibrant, donor-centric development culture
• Effectively steward and communicate with existing donors
• Collaborate with board members and other stakeholders to identify and cultivate prospective donors
• Partner with leadership team and board to create and oversee highly valued donor events

Strategic Development of Fundraising Function

• Develop and execute CBB’s annual development plan to identify strategies to secure earned and contributed revenue
• Develop capacity building, restricted, and unrestricted funding support from individuals, foundations, and corporations
• Identify and employ tactics and strategies for growth and success across all areas of fundraising

Data Management

• Use quantitative and qualitative evaluation of fundraising outcomes to create informed, data-driven, and donor-centric strategies
• Create a streamlined development operations process to track proposals and reports

Leadership and Management

• Participate in strategic planning for long term initiatives
• Recruit and oversee a part-time Development Operations Associate responsible for grant submission and reporting, data entry and gift processing

Marketing

• Work with an external Marketing firm to promote performances and develop innovative and effective fundraising messages/materials that amplify brand, drive earned and contributed revenue
• Collaborate with the Operations Manager to attract corporate sponsorship/advertising for CBB performances

CCB understands that candidates rarely meet 100% of the qualifications. Candidates, both locally and from outside the region, in particular women and people from underrepresented backgrounds, are strongly encouraged to apply if they meet many of the qualifications.

The next Director will join a relatively small staff and the ideal candidate will thrive in a culture that values teamwork and collaborative planning.  An entrepreneurial leader with demonstrated successes in building processes and teams is highly desired. The next Director will be motivated by the opportunity to be a key contributor to a dynamic, growing organization.

Additional knowledge, skills, and personal attributes sought include:

• Minimum of five (5) years’ leadership development and/or philanthropy experience in a nonprofit
• BA (highly desired), MA (a plus), or equivalent experience
• Proven track record of fundraising success, meeting or exceeding annual targets, including individual gifts, grants, and sponsorships
• A creative, self-starter with experience in strategic planning and implementation
• Demonstrated excellence in organizational and managerial skills, including overseeing a small team
• Understanding of development operations best practices
• Technologically savvy and knowledgeable, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Office Suite and donor CRM software (Salesforce) and other tools
• Compelling written and oral communication skills and highly effective interpersonal skills; high emotional intelligence
• Demonstrated alignment with CBB mission and values around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• An interest in and knowledge of performing arts, ballet/dance culture a plus

How To Apply

This search is being conducted in partnership with TSNE.  All submissions receive an acknowledgement and are confidential within the hiring committee and TSNE.  Electronic submissions sent through the above link are preferred.

Candidates should include a resume or profile that displays their skills and experiences, as well as a cover letter describing their interest and how their qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of CBB.

The position will remain open and applications will be accepted until an offer is accepted; however, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply early and preferential consideration will be given to those who apply by Friday, November 15. The CBB hiring committee will review applications and candidates who are selected to move forward in the hiring process will be notified. Finalists will undergo referencing and background checks. Questions may be directed to TSNE Search Consultant Mimi Brunelle. 

The Director of Development position is a full-time exempt position with a hybrid work-environment based in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Salary is competitive with relevant experience, within the framework of the organization’s annual operating budget, and in the approximate range of $80,000 – 100,000.

City Ballet of Boston is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.