Director of Development

About Hubbard Street Dance Chicago

Recognized as a world-class contemporary dance company and a cultural icon in Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (HSDC) is home to some of the most incredible dancers and is a place where inclusion is the engine that drives the company. With a first-rate artistic product and a new strategic plan, Mission, Vision and Values, HSDC is experiencing rapid growth and is looking for a charismatic and results-driven Director of Development to lead its fundraising efforts.

Moving and inspiring audiences for nearly 47 years, HSDC’s evolution of growth and change is now on the cutting edge of dance. To date, the main company has performed globally in 19 countries and 44 US states.

Off the stage, Hubbard Street delivers education programs through dance in classrooms, hospitals, and other communities that crave and learn from artistic expression.

• Private support to Hubbard Street directly impacts:
• Students in 50 classrooms across 17 Chicagoland schools
• Partnerships with Special Olympics and Lurie Children’s Hospital
• Innovative educational programming that uses choreography and dance to reach struggling students

Hubbard Street’s next Director of Development will have the unique opportunity to:

• Collaborate with passionate artists and educators
• Engage with a diverse donor base, from corporate sponsors to individual patrons
• Craft compelling narratives that showcase the transformative power of dance
• Ensure that everyone has access to world-class dance and instruction

HSDC is currently working with TWB Fundraising, a Chicago-based fundraising consulting firm, to evaluate its fundraising program and build a fundraising plan. The new DOD will walk into a role with the draft of a solid plan to make their own and execute. The TWB consultant will continue to work for several months after the DOD is hired to ensure a smooth transition and to support the success and professional growth of the selected candidate.

HSDC’s mission is to awaken the human spirit though contemporary dance, envisioning a dance landscape that is relevant and accessible to all.

Position Overview

Seize Your Chance to Shape the Future of a World-Class Dance Company

The Director of Development role at Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is a breakout opportunity to leave an indelible mark on the world of art and culture. Join a passionate team that not only strives for excellence in everything they do, but also recognizes the inherent value in each and every person they meet. HSDC is seeking an experienced and motivated professional who is confident in their ability to grow a fundraising program and lead a small and talented development team.

As a key member on HSDC’s senior leadership team, the successful candidate will report directly to the Executive Director and collaborate with the Artistic Director, the Director of Marketing and Communications, and the Director of Education. The DOD will serve as part of the senior leadership team and as a fundraising thought leader, mentor, and true partner in HSDC’s mission.

We’re looking for someone passionate about the transformative power of dance as art and a way to bring together people from all walks of life. The Director of Development will be highly skilled at building relationships, will recognize growth opportunities, and will have the drive to seize them with creative solutions.

The Successful candidate for this position will:

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive fundraising program, building donor and prospect portfolios that focus on major gifts, and includes special events, annual fund, corporate and foundation support, and grants
• Inspire, support, and motivate a development team of 2-3 people
• Demonstrate a breadth of hands-on fundraising experience that will support successful implementation across all areas of development and oversight of staff responsibilities
• Build genuine relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders, knowing how to draw people in and engage them in the work of Hubbard Street
• Provide leadership and support for Board members in fundraising activities, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of donors
• Be an open communicator, ready with ideas while remaining open to other possibilities
• Embrace Hubbard’s brand awareness as an extension of development strategies to broaden the donor base and expand partnerships

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Resource Development

• Maintains ultimate responsibility for all contributed revenue-generating activities including major gifts; develops strategies to increase annual fund gifts and upgrade donors; identifies opportunities to increase corporate and foundation giving
• Creates an aggressive, multi-faceted annual fundraising plan that will support HSDC’s future growth
• Provides leadership and management of the development team to achieve annual fundraising goals through effective planning, communications, and implementation
• Staffs the Executive Director in fundraising activities, including developing strategies and tactics for their cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship efforts.
• Develops and manages a personal portfolio of prospects, actively building relationships and tracking steps to secure support from prospects and donors
• Works collaboratively with the senior leadership team to develop strategies to ensure that financial and fundraising goals are met
• Partners with the Board of Directors and staffs the Board Development & Membership Committee to maximize board member giving potential and develops targeted fundraising strategies to engage board members’ relationships as potential new donors for HSDC
• Oversees all fundraising-related special events and projects to ensure that financial goals and objectives are met
• Fosters collaborative partnerships between development and education staff to develop strategies to ensure that financial and fundraising goals are met
• Directs and evaluates the effectiveness of all fundraising programs utilizing established metrics

Development Team Leadership and Operational Responsibilities

• Supervises, mentors, and inspires the Development team which comprises a Development Coordinator and Development Storyteller, with plans for future expansion
• Ensures the Development team’s timely completion of proposals, documentation of individual prospect strategies, cultivation and stewardship plans, and qualification efforts utilizing the Tessitura database
• Oversees all data input, report generation, and prospect and donor tracking
• Directs the preparation of all budgets under the development function and monitors them on an ongoing basis to ensure expenditures are in line

Qualifications and Requirements Desired of Candidates

• Demonstrates steadfast confidence in the mission and work of Hubbard Street and alignment with the vision to create dance that is relevant and accessible to all
• Possess a minimum of seven years of leadership experience in nonprofit fundraising
• Holds bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience
• Has achieved successful, verifiable major gift results (six-figure level gifts and above) with experience in broadening a donor pool and executing traditional moves management
• Experience managing a small staff
• Exhibits exceptional communication and relationship building skills
• Demonstrates aptitude as a confident, self-directed leader, sound decision maker, innovative thinker, and detail-oriented professional
• Possesses strong Board development skills
• Displays a clear understanding of how to navigate
• Chicago’s corporate/foundation landscape

Key Qualities and Competencies of an Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrates an Inclusive, creative, and positive approach to collaboration and team building across all levels of the organization
• Is adaptable and comfortable being part of a small team where everyone does what is needed to be successful
• Possesses the ability to mobilize and engage both internal and external stakeholders
• Embodies collaboration as a core value
• Exhibits strong listening skills and ability to delegate effectively
• Maintains diplomacy in all interactions
• Enjoys mentoring and growing a team of young professionals
• Functions as an organized and strategic facilitator who can leverage available resources
• Shows a drive to succeed and desire to take ownership of achieving goals
• Demonstrates thoroughness, thoughtfulness, and strong logistical skills
• Is comfortable with a self-reflective approach
• Acts as a go-getter who is not afraid to speak their mind

Compensation is commensurate with experience.

HSDC is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or marital status.

Increasing diversity of all kinds at the staff and board levels is an organizational priority.