Vice President of Development

POSITION SUMMARY

The Vice President of Development is responsible for all annual fundraising activities for the Charleston Gaillard Center. With a staff of three full-time employees, the Vice President of Development will report to the President/Chief Executive Officer of the Gaillard and will work closely with members of senior management and the Board of Directors. By developing innovative fundraising strategies and fostering a culture of philanthropy, this leader will play a pivotal role in elevating Charleston’s artistic and cultural landscape.

Responsibilities

Strategic Fundraising Leadership

• Champion the mission, vision, and values of the Charleston Gaillard Center, driving strategic fundraising efforts that support the performing arts in Charleston and the Lowcountry.
• Design and execute a comprehensive Annual Fund strategy, ensuring alignment with the strategic growth plan to achieve revenue goals identifying a minimum of 10% in new funding.
• Lead the development of organizational and project budgets related to fundraising initiatives, ensuring financial goals align with strategic priorities.
• Serve as a visible and engaged leader in Charleston, participating in Gaillard Center performances, Charleston Symphony, Spoleto Festival, and other community arts programs to strengthen donor and sponsor relationships.
• Provide leadership in public relations and media outreach efforts that enhance the Gaillard Center’s visibility and reinforce its role as a premier cultural institution.

Fund Development

• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of development programs to the Gaillard Center President & CEO and Board members.
• Establish and grow a high-level sponsorship program, cultivating partnerships with leading businesses and corporate donors across South Carolina.
• Develop and implement a national foundation fundraising strategy, expanding the Gaillard’s portfolio of foundation relationships and securing major institutional support.
• Ensure strategic stewardship activities are integrated into events and performances to maintain donor engagement.

Major Donor & Individual Giving

• Manage a personal portfolio of key prospects and donors, leading cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Leverage relationships with high-net-worth individuals, utilizing knowledge of tax reduction strategies, intergenerational wealth transfer, and wealth management trends to optimize philanthropic giving.
• Develop and expand planned giving opportunities to secure long-term financial sustainability.

Board Engagement

• Serve as the staff liaison for the Board Development Committee, providing strategic insight and direction for fundraising initiatives.
• Actively engage in key organizational committees, including the Strategic Planning Committee, to ensure fundraising strategies align with broader institutional goals.
• Work closely with Board members and CEO to develop a Gala Committee and fundraising strategy for the 10-year anniversary of the Gaillard Center in October 2025.

Talent & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, guide, and manage a team of three direct reports focused on Annual Giving, Membership, Foundations, and Sponsorship fundraising.
• Cultivate a collaborative and donor-centric culture, ensuring best practices in donor engagement, solicitation, and stewardship including a presence and meaningful engagement at events and performances.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships across the Gaillard team, Rivers Performance Hall Foundation, and Board Committees, ensuring seamless coordination of fundraising efforts.

Marketing & Communications

• Develop and oversee comprehensive donor communication strategies, ensuring consistency across all fundraising platforms, including digital, print, and event-based campaigns.
• Work closely with the marketing team to create engaging fundraising collateral, donor impact reports, and compelling storytelling that highlight the Gaillard Center’s artistic and educational mission.
• Implement targeted email and social media campaigns to enhance donor engagement, cultivate new prospects, and increase participation in annual giving initiatives.
• Ensure strong event-based fundraising messaging, coordinating with communications and marketing teams to align sponsorship and donor engagement strategies.

Qualifications

• Development professional in a non-profit cultural center, arts festival, symphony orchestra, festival, or presenting hall.
• Experience working with current information technology to manage fundraising database (Raiser’s Edge experience a plus).
• Demonstrated leadership ability, team management, and interpersonal skills.
• Deep regard for the Charleston and Lowcountry community, knowledge of its history and its current arts and cultural organization and the philanthropic landscape of Charleston and the surrounding area is a plus.
• Experience working with high-net-worth individuals, a working knowledge of tax reduction strategies, intergenerational transfers of wealth and current issues in tax and wealth management fields.
• Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills, plus excellent organization skills.
• Flexible and a self-starter; able to multi-task while also being detail-oriented.
• Ability to professionally interact with the Board Development Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee and the Board of Directors.
• Experience in organizational and project budget development, administration, and monitoring.
• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with a Board of Directors, senior management, and staff.
• Innovative thinker, with a track record for translating strategic thinking into action plans and output.
• Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Superior management skills.

Personal attributes

• A passion for the arts and arts education.
• Strong Leadership.
• Collaborative and Creative Spirit.
• Strategic Focus and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Visionary thinker combined with a practical approach to problem solving.
• Impeccable personal ethics.
• A belief in and alignment with the Gaillard Center’s values of access and relevance.