Associate Director of Grants and Corporate Relations

Description

Position:              Associate Director of Grants and Corporate Relations

Reports to:         Vice President of Development

Location:             Downtown Charleston, SC

Hours:                   Full-Time, Salary, Exempt

Organization Background

A leader in the performing arts in the Southeast, the Charleston Gaillard Center commissions, supports, and presents ambitious, multidisciplinary cultural programming and provides access to the best local, national, and global artists and companies on its stage. Through programming on its public campus and extensive arts education initiatives, the Gaillard Center serves as a platform to participate in community building and essential dialogue.

The Gaillard Center was established as a non-profit in 2015. Its campus includes the world-class 1,818-seat Martha and John M. Rivers Performance Hall, a 26,000 square-foot Exhibition Hall that includes the Grand Ballroom and Salons, and a Terrace Lawn.

 For more information about the Charleston Gaillard Center, please visit https://www.gaillardcenter.org.

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Grants and Corporate Relations is responsible for strategically managing and growing the Charleston Gaillard Center’s current portfolio of corporations, foundations and government funders to sustain and increase support. The Associate Director of Grants and Corporate Relations will work to secure corporate gifts, sponsorships and grants. This position assists with the strategic plan for grant-funded programs, writes grant proposals, builds relationships with corporate and foundation contacts, collaborates with finance to develop program budgets and collaborates with the Charleston Gaillard Center staff and the Rivers Performance Hall staff to report outcomes to funders, internal and external audiences. The Associate Director of Grants and Corporate Relations will be the first line of writing about the Charleston Gaillard Center’s artistic and education programs that will be used by marketing and the President’s office to advance the Gaillard’s programs. This position will report to the Vice President of Development.

Responsibilities

Responsible for all Corporate Gifts, Sponsorships and Grant Applications:

• Working in collaboration with the Education department, the Programming department, the Vice President for Charitable Giving and CEO, this position will assist in developing and implementing the strategic plan for a comprehensive Institutional funding program
• Develop and manage the Corporate Gifts, Sponsorships and Grant application and reporting calendar, as well as managing the revenue pipeline
• Research and write foundation grant proposals, including budgets and all related materials
• Proactively build relationships with vendors to secure mutually beneficial relationships

Responsible for Institutional Reporting and Stewardship:

• Manage reporting process for grants received, prepare timeline and tracking system for proposals, prepare and distribute status reports
• Ensure gift and sponsorships agreements are fulfilled including gift restrictions, budget and outcomes reporting, recognition, donor benefits, and any other agreed upon criteria
• Draft routine and complex correspondence to corporate contacts and foundation program officers, including acknowledgements, letters of inquiry and follow up if an application is declined
• Working collaboratively with the Associate Director of Advancement Services, create tools and mechanisms to measure the impact of existing and future programs
• Ensure that current evaluation methods and data systems accurately capture impact and allow for growth              Responsible for Institutional Prospecting to Grow the Prospect Pipeline:
• Identify funding needs by seeking input from key stakeholders, such as Directors and Leadership Team
• Engage key non-profit partners in the region to maximize selected opportunities for increased impact
• Examine the national landscape for potential funders – private and public
• Respond to potential leads in a timely manner

Responsible for Donor Engagement:

• Cultivate foundation supporters (such as foundation officers, foundation trustees, program officers) and other prospects through phone calls, email communication, handwritten notes, face-to-face meetings, and onsite tours

• Working with Marketing, seek opportunities to share and present finding of the Gaillard’s impact on the community

Responsible for Building a Collaborative Working Culture across the Charleston Gaillard Center and the Rivers Performance Hall Foundation

• Demonstrates leadership in department meetings, ensures team members are following departmental procedures and practices including data entry into Raiser’s Edge and Spektrix.
• Participate in overall strategic planning and support achievement of goals for all Gaillard Center fundraising, program marketing, public relations and communication efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• 4 - 6 years of experience in successfully securing funding for a performing arts organization
• Organized and motivated self-starter and team-player with proven gift management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication/presentation and interpersonal skills; close attention to details. A writing sample will be required before the interview process.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products – specifically, Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook. Experience or ability to learn Raiser’s Edge and Spektrix Databases

Skills and Knowledge Required

• Expertise in grants management
• Strong writing, analytical, and organizational skills
• Knowledgeable of current grant lifecycle management best practices
• Proficient in building and managing budgets effectively
• Strong relationship and collaboration skills
• Thrives in a metrics-driven environment.
• Possess the highest standard of personal and professional integrity
• Ability to initiate, grow and sustain meaningful professional relationships among colleagues and constituents to maximize philanthropic support and fulfill agency’s mission.
• Trustworthy/able to maintain confidence in all matters
• Ability to prepare and present motivational, informational and successful presentations to various organizations and individuals

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Must submit to a criminal background check.
• Applicant must be eligible to work in the U.S.

Physical Requirements

• Work may include prolonged periods of sitting, typing, or looking at a computer screen.

Pay and Benefits

Pay is commensurate with experience. Please state your wage requirements in your cover letter.

The Charleston Gaillard Center provides a competitive benefit package that includes:

• Fully paid medical, vision, and dental insurance at the employee level
• Optional life and disability insurance
• 4 weeks of paid time off
• 403(b) with a company match
• Free and/or discounted tickets to performances
• Employer paid parking

The Gaillard is an equal opportunity employer. Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Gaillard is critical to our mission. To be a leading performing arts center in the Southeast, we need to have a highly diverse staff, a workplace where individuals are encouraged to retain their uniqueness and can feel a sense of belonging. For us, equity means that our staff members, our patrons, and our clients can experience the transformative power of the arts, no matter their starting place.

Qualifications