Director of Development & Communications

New York Classical Theatre is seeking a Director of Development & Communications.

ABOUT NY CLASSICAL
Our mission is to create and reinvigorate audiences for the theatre by presenting all-free productions of popular classics and forgotten great works in public spaces throughout New York City. Since 2000, NY Classical has presented over 800 free performances for more than 275,000 New Yorkers. We produce extensively in non-traditional settings: outdoors, our Panoramic Theatre productions put audiences in the center of the action in varying locations throughout Central Park, Carl Schurz Park, Brooklyn Commons, and The Battery as we involve each of our unique venues to build a total immersive experience. Indoors, our New Visions play development program hosts today’s historically under-represented writers reimagining source material from the past in approachable local landmarks like Brookfield Place, Fort Greene’s South Oxford Space, and the Tata Innovation Center on Roosevelt Island. Each season, both programs draw thousands to places they may not have visited before, for emotionally and intellectually stimulating professional Off-Broadway performances. Our “Season In Review” annual reports are available at https://nyclassical.org/annual-reports.

RESPONSIBILITIES
Fundraising (80%)

• Create and execute an annual fundraising plan for all individual contributions including prospecting, cultivation, acquisition, renewal, acknowledgement, and stewardship tasks
• Maintain and grow a robust pipeline of institutional support by writing and submitting award-winning grant proposals and prompt required reports
• Spearhead a gala benefit dinner and donor-engaging special events
• Serve as Board of Directors’ staff support, presenting on development topics at meetings and facilitating Finance/Audit Committee and Recruiting/Nominating Committee functions
• Participate in the creation of annual income budget.

Communications (20%)

• Promote performances to donors and prospects through NY Classical’s email newsletters and social media accounts in collaboration with freelance Graphic Designer and Publicist
• Ensure accurate event details and free reservations are available for all performances in AudienceView Professional (fka OvationTix) and on the NY Classical website
• Oversee Company Manager and/or House Management staff in designing and deploying “digital playbill” programs, rain cancelation notices, and audience feedback surveys
• Supervise paid, part-time administrative interns in accomplishing Community Outreach and Audience Development activities

COMPENSATION
$75,670 plus full-time employee benefits, which include: a retirement account; pre-tax commuter benefit; paid holidays, sick days, and vacation time; and hybrid in-person/remote scheduling.

We feel the world, our field, and our company leadership have been through some significant realization and reckoning in the midst of the #MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter demonstrations, and the unequal consequences of the public health crisis on women in the workforce and global majority communities. One of NY Classical’s responsive changes was to institute a Pay Equity Policy in October 2020, compensating everyone who works to produce our shows. Administrative office interns, run crew, and production assistants now earn a weekly paycheck, and they also start accumulating irreplaceable future benefits like unemployment insurance and social security payments. Our professional union artists—all actors, stage managers, designers, and directors—receive collectively-bargained wages with applicable pension funds and health coverage. Our incoming leadership-level staff and professional consultants are paid at the same hourly rate as the Founding Artistic Director. For the other six points in our initial Plan of Action, visit https://nyclassical.org/idea-plan-of-action.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 5 years of nonprofit administration education and/or professional experience, preferably in the arts, with a proven track record of successfully soliciting donations
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, etc.), a fundraising and/or box office CRM, basic accounting/bookkeeping, and desktop publishing/mass marketing software is required; Xero, SquareSpace, Canva, MailChimp, and AudienceView Professional programs are preferred
• Excellent written communication skills
• Strong organizational abilities with attention to detail
• Comfortable working independently, collaboratively, and multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment with myriad simultaneous projects
• Sincere interest in fulfilling New York Classical Theatre’s mission and commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) values