Description

The Director of Development leads CYT Dallas’s fundraising and donor-engagement efforts in support of the organization’s mission, programs, and long-term sustainability. This position is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive fundraising strategy that includes individual giving, major gifts, annual campaigns, corporate sponsorships, grants, donor stewardship, and fundraising events.

The Director of Development serves as a key relationship-builder for the organization and works closely with the Executive Artistic Director, Development Coordinator, Director of Operations, Marketing Manager, Board of Directors, and volunteers. While the Director leads the development strategy, fundraising at CYT Dallas is a shared organizational responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and lead an annual fundraising plan with clear goals, priorities, timelines, and performance measures.
• Work with the Executive Artistic Director and Board of Directors to establish realistic contributed-revenue goals.
• Evaluate fundraising performance and adjust strategies based on results and organizational priorities.
• Supervise the Development Coordinator and provide clear priorities, direction, and support.

Donor Development and Stewardship

• Identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors and major-gift prospects.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective donors and funding opportunities.
• Create personalized cultivation and stewardship plans for key donors.
• Partner with the Executive Artistic Director and board members on major-donor meetings, asks, and follow-up.
• Develop strategies to improve donor retention, recurring giving, and donor upgrades.
• Create meaningful opportunities for donors to experience and understand CYT’s impact.

Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships

• Identify and cultivate relationships with businesses, sponsors, and community partners.
• Develop sponsorship opportunities and customized partnership proposals.
• Lead sponsor solicitation, renewal, and stewardship efforts.
• Work with the Development Coordinator, Marketing Manager, and Director of Operations to ensure sponsorship benefits are fulfilled.

Grants and Foundation Relations

• Develop and manage a focused grant strategy aligned with CYT’s priorities.
• Research and qualify foundation, corporate, and community grant opportunities.
• Lead the preparation of grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports.
• Coordinate with program, operations, and finance staff to gather accurate information and supporting documentation.
• Maintain positive relationships with foundation and funding partners.

Campaigns, Events, and Communications

• Lead the fundraising strategy for annual campaigns, special appeals, donor initiatives, and fundraising events.
• Establish goals, audiences, messaging, sponsorship strategies, and follow-up plans.
• Partner with the Director of Operations, Marketing Manager, Development Coordinator, volunteers, and event committees on execution.
• Develop donor-centered messaging, appeals, proposals, newsletters, and impact stories in collaboration with marketing.
• Evaluate campaigns and events based on revenue, donor engagement, and return on investment.

Data and Reporting

• Oversee the effective use of the organization’s donor-management and CRM systems.
• Ensure accurate tracking of donor relationships, gifts, sponsorships, grants, pledges, and stewardship activity.
• Prepare regular fundraising reports and dashboards for leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Monitor donor retention, recurring giving, major-gift activity, sponsorship renewals, and campaign performance.
• Partner with leadership and finance support on revenue forecasting, gift reconciliation, and restricted funding.

Shared Organizational Responsibilities

The Director of Development leads CYT Dallas’s development program but works in partnership with:

• The Executive Artistic Director on organizational vision, major-donor relationships, and significant solicitations.
• The Development Coordinator on donor records, communications, research, scheduling, campaign execution, grant execution, and follow-up.
• The Director of Operations on event logistics, financial coordination, contracts, and internal systems.
• The Marketing Manager on campaign design, digital communications, social media, photography, video, and fundraising materials.
• The Board of Directors on giving, introductions, donor engagement, sponsorship recruitment, advocacy, and stewardship.

Requirements

Required

• Three or more years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, development, advancement, sales, business development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success cultivating relationships and generating revenue through donations, sponsorships, grants, or partnerships.
• Experience developing fundraising plans and managing donor or prospect pipelines.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and storytelling skills.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and project-management abilities.
• Experience using donor-management or CRM systems.
• Ability to work effectively with executive leadership, staff, board members, volunteers, donors, and community partners.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Commitment to the mission, values, and Christian identity of CYT Dallas.

Preferred

• Knowledge of the Dallas–Fort Worth philanthropic and business community.
• Experience working with nonprofit boards and volunteer committees.
• Experience supervising staff or coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Experience with youth, theater, education, ministry, or family-serving organizations.
• CFRE credential or relevant fundraising education.