Development Manager

Creative Capital’s Development Department leads the vital fundraising strategy for Creative Capital Foundation, the leading national nonprofit founded to defend freedom of expression through funding the creation of new artistic works by individual artists. The organization is widely known as “the gold standard in artist support” and provides artists with unrestricted project grants, professional services, and community-building support.  

Creative Capital seeks a dynamic Development Manager who will support the expansion of Creative Capital’s portfolio of grants and donors across the Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Film/Moving Image, and Literature. The Development Manager is a lead administrator in development with responsibilities ranging from working in partnership with our national and international board and advisory council members, implementing fundraising systems, to daily project management of fundraising initiatives and campaigns. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Development Manager provides administrative and programmatic support to ensure Creative Capital’s fundraising success. The Development Manager will work closely with the Director of Development to cultivate new donors through artist-centered events and programs, research new donors and manage the donor database in Salesforce; oversee the department’s priority-setting event calendar; provide support with campaigns and giving activities; handle gift processing and acknowledgements; and coordinate and produce special fundraising events with board members, patrons, and artists. Related tasks will include managing external outreach, such as fundraising communications (print and electronic). 

The Development Manager is also a key liaison to, and will work closely with, the President and Executive Director, and other senior leadership, and will interface and work with philanthropists and philanthropic organizations across the country to support Creative Capital’s mission of serving artists.

Responsibilities

●      Work to ensure the achievement of all aspects of the organization's fundraising goals and initiatives

●      Attend Creative Capital Awardee performances, exhibitions, and events to support cultivation efforts and to develop relationships with Creative Capital artists and projects across disciplines

●      Manage fundraising events including galas, regional events with artists, cultivation events, and patron trips 

●      Help foster relationships with both existing and new grantmakers and patrons, including managing general operating support and programmatic funding, income tracking, drafting interim and final reports, and managing the stewardship process 

●      Maintain donor records and electronic files, process incoming contributions, grants and gifts, donor materials using Creative Capital’s CRM (Salesforce) and Classy

●      Share weekly contributed income reports for followup and reconciliation with President and Chief Operating Officer

●      Provide income and expense reports related to appeals and campaigns as needed and assigned

●      Assist with donor engagement by responding to inquiries, facilitating donor fulfillment and recognition logistics

●      Manage cultivation and special fundraising events, including list generation and reports (from Salesforce), invitations, gift processing, meeting agendas, minutes, followup tasks, acknowledgements, and maintaining detailed activities and records

●      Draft communications for events, and stewardship mailings for patron acquisitions and renewals

●      Assist with prospect research, donor analysis, and other duties as assigned 

Qualifications

●      B.A./B.S. degree, preferably in an arts-related area, the performing arts, film, or business

●      At least 5 years of progressive experience in a high-profile and fast-paced fundraising environment

●      Strong background in fundraising administration, including development office responsibility and management

●      Exceptional written and oral communications skills, reflecting clear, critical, and creative thinking

●      Outgoing personality with an interest in connecting with donors locally in New York, nationally and internationally; and has passion and energy for meeting artists, patrons, and colleagues working across disciplines, including performing arts, film/moving image, visual arts, literature, etc.

●      Experience with project management from ideation to evaluation, including experience working on budgets and providing tracking/oversight for project deliverables

●      Immaculately organized with strong attention to detail

●      Ability to collaborate efficiently and creatively, and effectively operationalize broad directives while working both independently and with teams

●      Ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects under pressure of deadlines

●      Expert-user in a constituent relationship management software, ideally Salesforce, MSOffice and GSuite programs, especially MS Excel

The position is full-time, exempt (40 hours/week with ability to attend special events and travel nationally and internationally, if needed, outside of M–F 10:00 AM–6:00 PM). Ideally, candidates are based in New York City.

TO APPLY: Please send a resume and a professional cover letter in one PDF attachment, and describe how your skills and experience meet the qualifications, to [email protected], using the following conventions:

Subject Line: Development Manager 

One PDF attachment: yourfirstname_yourlastname_coverletter and resume.pdf 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. NO CALLS, PLEASE. Only applicants who meet our requirements for this position will be contacted. 

05/01/2025