Vice President of Development

Description

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 VP is expected to raise the ambitious annual fund goal for the Gaillard Center in FY25, including identifying a minimum of 10% in new funding as the Center enters into year three of a four-year strategic growth plan.  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. 

Qualifications

• Understand, support and promote the mission, vision and values of the Charleston Gaillard Center
• Create, execute and achieve Annual Fund Goals and the initiatives and activities that support goal attainment
• Develop high level sponsorship program including identifying and cultivating new donors and creating relationships with at the highest level in the SC business community
• Develop high level foundation program with a focus on developing the Gaillard’s portfolio of national foundation relationships
• Manage a personal portfolio of prospects and donors both for cultivation, solicitation and stewardship
• Oversee a staff of three including Annual Giving, Membership, Foundations and Sponsorship staff
• Lead, support and mentor this annual fund team in donor-centric cultivation, solicitation and stewardship activities including presence at events and performances and prospect and donor activities
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships across Advancement team, Rivers Performance Hall Foundation and Gaillard Boards and Board Committees
• Develop communication and marketing strategies to support annual giving across all platforms
• With Board Members, and the CEO create a Gala Committee and a strategy for raising funds for the 10-year anniversary of the Gaillard Center in October 2025
• Be a visible presence in Charleston at many of the Gaillard Center, Charleston Symphony and Spoleto programs as well as others in the community
• Monitor and report regularly on the progress of the development program to the Gaillard President & CEO and Board members
• Serve as the staff liaison with the Board Development Committee

Martha & John M. Rivers Performance Hall Foundation

The Rivers Performance Hall Foundation and its Board of Directors created a permanent endowment to promote and support the Charleston Gaillard Center, including the Martha & John M. Rivers Performance Hall, the charitable, educational, and artistic programs conducted therein, including programming dedicated to symphonic music, dance, opera and musical theatre.  Promoting the growth of the Martha & John M. Rivers Endowment for the Performing Arts and Education is at the core of the Foundation’s mission.    Both the Charleston Gaillard Management Corporation and the Rivers Performance Hall Foundation are 50l(c)3 public charities registered in the State of South Carolina. A key function of the Vice President of Development will be to remain in close-contact with the Foundation to ensure that both organizations are coordinating donor outreach and communication.  The Gaillard Center and the Foundation share access to a Raiser’s Edge database and continue to share plans and information across that platform.

Key Selection Criteria

Potential candidates will have ten (10) or more years of related experience, with a career track that demonstrates increasing levels of tenure and job status from one or more of the following roles:

• Ability to take a leadership role as an active partner in creating new fundraising strategies and building new relationships in the fundraising community;
• 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);
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• 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
• 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.
• Bachelor’s Degree is required; Master’s Degree in related field is preferred