EPACENTER
Job Description
Director of Advancement
Organizational Overview: EPACENTER (pronounced epicenter) is a hub of creative youth development that amplifies the creative potential in every young person. We harness the power of art, design and technology, and culture to accelerate positive youth development outcomes for vulnerable youth across the peninsula. EPACENTER envisions a future where all young people can become creative innovators and enjoy economic and social success in their community. We help youth discover and amplify their talents, realize their potential, and positively impact the world through creative expression. EPACENTER’s programs include classes in visual art, dance, music, and digital media during the school year and summer for youth ages 6-25. EPACENTER’s public programs and special projects include exhibitions, concerts, performances, festivals, public lectures, an artist-in-residence program, community art projects, and public art installations. The EPACENTER facility is a 25,000-square-foot facility with visual, dance and recording studios, a maker space, digital media labs, music practice rooms, a gallery, a black box theater, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Position Overview: Working in partnership with the Executive Director, the Director of Advancement (DOA) drives the organization’s fundraising goals from contributed income, and develops and implements EPACENTER’s communications and marketing strategies.
The DOA first serves as the lead on individual giving by identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding leadership, principal, major, and annual gifts from individuals, and managing relationships with prospects and current donors who have the capability of making leadership, principal and major gifts in the range of $5,000 to $1 million-plus. The DOA maintains and builds a portfolio of individual supporters, and conducts face to face-to-face solicitations, while also collaborating closely with board members and the Executive Director on the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors within their portfolios. The DOA also conducts and oversees the planning and implementation of annual fundraising events, including galas, luncheons, award ceremonies, and private dinners that engage donors and prospects, and raise funds for the organization.
The DOA also serves as the lead on foundation, corporation, and government giving and contracts, overseeing prospecting, cultivation, solicitation, grant writing, reporting, stewardship, and compliance. The DAO builds the organization’s capacity to secure and manage grants and contracts, to follow grant terms, and to comply with grant and contractual stipulations.
Lastly, the DOA serves as the lead on communication, marketing, and public relations efforts for EPACENTER. The DOA develops a comprehensive communications strategy for the organization on an annual basis, and implements strategies for printed materials, the website, the annual report, signage, videos, all social media, press releases, donor communications, online communications, and an array of digital communication tools. The DOA creates design standards, ensures adherence, and maintains a repository of images and videos. The DOA supervises the work of internal communications professionals and external vendors.
Key Roles & Responsibilities:
- Working in collaboration with the Executive Director to drive the organization’s financial growth and achieve fundraising goals
- Developing and implementing an effective annual fundraising strategy that includes prospecting and managing an active portfolio of individual, foundation, government and corporate donors, identifying and personally cultivating new sources of support, researching prospective donors, thanking and stewarding donors, creating and implementing robust engagement strategies, personally meeting with donors and prospects, ensuring high-quality fundraising data, and tracking, reporting and evaluating progress
- Supporting Board members and the Executive Director in developing effective relationships with donors and potential donors
- Cultivating and maintaining the DOA’s portfolio of prospects, including individual, foundation, government and corporate donors
- Overseeing and managing a slate of annual fundraising events, including galas, luncheons, award ceremonies, and private dinners
- Managing the donor relations database
- Working closely with the Executive Director to regularly oversee, track, and project the organization’s revenue projections and cash flow, and monitor and report on annual fundraising goals and annual expense budgets to the Board of Directors
- Overseeing donor communications, including donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and acknowledgments, ensuring consistent and effective messaging for fundraising letters, donor newsletters, fundraising donation pages and special campaigns
- Writing and overseeing the writing and production of effective proposals, reports, stewardship pieces, invitations, thank-you letters and other donor communications
- Ensuring the effective tracking and reporting of fundraising activities and donor information records
- Developing an annual communications plan and the development of subsequent materials that effectively promote EPACENTER programs, events, and activities to the general public and youth constituents
- Serving on the EPACENTER leadership team
- Supervising subordinate staff and related volunteers
- Ensuring effective working relationship with vendor(s) to achieve objectives
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS
- At least 15 years of demonstrated experience as a successful fundraiser in all fields of fundraising (individual and institutional giving)
- Experience securing lead and principal gifts from individuals and foundations
- At least five years of experience in personally soliciting individual gifts of $25K or more from high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, resulting in significant support for an organization
- Significant experience raising funds, preferably in the arts, culture and youth development fields
- Experience producing and managing fundraising galas and special events required
- Broad and deep knowledge of fundraising best practices, particularly as related to high net-worth individuals, and institutional giving.
- Proficiency with donor database software and donor screening resources
- At least 5 years of experience developing and implementing comprehensive communications strategies for organizations.
- Ability to work onsite and travel to meet in-person at various Bay Area locations routinely
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively to make both strategic and tactical decisions, with outstanding follow-through, attention to detail, and an understanding of stakeholder confidentiality
- Entrepreneurial outlook to initiate action and build successful relationships and results
- Excellent oral and written communication and listening skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to connect quickly and work effectively with a wide range of people
- At least 8 years experience managing professionals and successfully getting things done through others is preferred
Position Details
- Full-Time Work Week: 37.5 hours per week
- Work Mode: In-Person in the Palo Alto Area
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required
Work Environment/Physical Conditions
(include but are not limited to the following:)
- Office Environment with exposure to toner, whiteout, cleaning fluids, office equipment noise, and talking
- Prolonged periods of sitting
- Frequent periods of walking and standing
- Lifting and carrying 5-25 lbs
- Reaching at, above or below shoulder level for equipment, files, or materials
- Manipulation of computer keyboard
- Utilizing computer monitor, telephone, copier machine and other office equipment
- Pushing/pulling open and closed doors, cabinets and drawers
Disclosures
EPACENTER is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by EPACENTER’s nondiscrimination policy.
