Director of Development | Austin, TX

Job Announcement  

Director of Development 

Position: Director of Development

Department: Development 

Reports to: Executive Director

Schedule: Full-time, exempt  

Pay Range: $100k - $120k 

The Contemporary Austin is seeking a seasoned and strategic fundraiser with 8+ years of professional fundraising experience and experience managing a team. The Director of Development oversees all development department functionality including institutional fundraising, major donor and membership programs, planned giving, endowment campaigns, and galas/fundraising events. Strong leadership, organizational skills, and the ability to motivate, inspire, and keep people on track are a must as this role supervises and leads a capable and effective team of both staff and volunteers. The director of development works closely with the executive director and board leadership to achieve the organization’s fundraising goals.  

The successful candidate is passionate about philanthropy, has a keen understanding of donor motivations, can seamlessly align donor interests with organizational need and priorities, and is entrepreneurial and forward thinking about the intrinsic value of the arts. They are hyper-organized, love systems, and are focused on both efficiencies and relationships. They also stay current with trends in fundraising both locally and nationally and relish the opportunity to create sustainable non-profit models.  

Responsibilities:  
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions. 

• Sets annual fundraising goals and budgets based on short, medium, and long-term organizational goals 
• Oversees the donor relationship journey – from research to prospecting, cultivation, asking, thanking, and stewarding – and ensures that relationship-building and transparency are core to the fundraising program 

• Oversee institutional giving strategy and execution, providing guidance on grant opportunities, development and maintenance of corporate relationships, and oversight of large-scale sponsorships 
• Works closely with the executive director, board leadership, and the development committee to develop and meet fundraising goals 
• Serves as primary liaison to the resource development committee and other event and income oriented committees and volunteers 
• Manages department staff, serving as direct supervisor to Individual Giving Manager, Institutional Giving Manager, and Development Coordinator; thought partner and leader to the team across corporate, foundation, government, individual, and special event giving.  
• Oversees fundraising events that are on brand and achieve their fundraising goals. 

• Ensures that all supporters are well stewarded and maintains their own portfolio of supporters 
• Envisions the strategy for and implementation of fundraising strategies, key data tracking, reporting, storytelling, and case making   
• Collaborates with the communications team to develop comprehensive and compelling print and digital fundraising collateral  
• Ensures that the administrative and operational aspect of the department is high functioning and efficient including gift acknowledgements, records of receipts, and disbursements of funds, close restricted gift tracking, data entry, grant reporting and so on are all properly administered 

Qualifications:  

• 8+ years of experience working in major gifts and/or institutional giving 
• Knowledge of local and regional philanthropy landscape 
• Clear and compelling verbal and written communication skills 
• Keen ability to communicate and serve as an ambassador for the organization’s mission and vision 

• Experience strategizing annual fund, capital campaigns, and special events 
• Strong and clear supervisory/leadership capabilities to align the various aspects of the organizations fundraising and contributed income channels 
• Ability to think tactically/operationally to support and advise on “back of the house” functions and a true commitment to the processes and systems needed for a strong fundraising program 
• Understanding of/appetite for creative/entrepreneurial approaches to fundraising 
• Experience working with volunteer committees and maximizing ROI on networks and relationships 

• An energetic, graceful, and inspiring asker 

Context: 

In 2011, The Contemporary Austin was born from a merger between two existing entities, Arthouse and The Austin Museum of Art. Over the past 10 years, The Contemporary has had several significant milestones, among them securing a $9M+ foundation gift that enables the development of its Laguna Gloria sculpture park and a capital campaign to create the welcome center at Laguna Gloria. Now, under new executive leadership the organization seeks to grow its annual fundraising program by formalizing and professionalizing its major donor program, focusing on impact and storytelling and taking a more audience centered approach to its work. With Austin’s rapid growth  and new residents arriving from other cities where the arts are a key component to a healthy civic fabric, The Contemporary seeks to deepen its donor base and expand its audience and supporter reach. Our future senior director of development will be a key leader in this work.  

Annual Budget: $8.2M 

# of Trustees: 35 

# of Staff: 75 

Development department positions: Individual Giving Manager, Institutional Giving Manager, Development Coordinator, Membership Coordinator 

Physical Locations: Gallery space: Jones Center (Congress & 7th Street); Sculpture Park, historic buildings, and Art School: Laguna Gloria (35th Street) 

Income by %:  55% development, 30% earned income, 11% endowment, 4% other   

How to Apply:   

Send cover letter and resume to hr@thecontemporaryaustin.org with subject line “Director of Development” by April 30, 2022.  Due to the high volume of applications, we will only contact candidates who are strong candidates for the position.  Thank you for your interest in The Contemporary Austin and please keep an eye on our careers page for current opportunities.  

Our Mission  
We invite you to discover contemporary art in settings that provoke thought and joy. Our programs join art with place in a pursuit of a deeper experience, a bigger conversation, and a closer community.  

Our Vision   
We believe in the capacity of art to transform lives. We dream of a future where more eyes, ears, hearts and minds are opened by contemporary art in all of its forms.   

Our Values  

• Extending the Welcome – We want every person to feel like they belong here. Our invitation is completely open and inclusive. 
• Always Caring - We know that details matter. We care deeply about the quality of our work and about the experiences of our guests, the artists we collaborate with, our staff, and all those we have yet to meet. 
• Socially Mindful - We believe that contemporary art is a way for people to connect their personal experiences with the broader social and cultural dialogues of our place and time.  
• Staying Curious - We observe closely, listen intently, and inquire sincerely because we have a boundless fascination with people, art and ideas.  

• Making Progress - We always want to be better—to inspire more deeply, to engage more openly, and to serve more joyfully. We are mindful of feedback and committed to ongoing reflection and iteration.  
• Being Here - A place can transform your experience of art, and art can transform your experience of a place. We activate our downtown exhibition space and our lakeside sculpture park in imaginative ways to serve Austin.  
• Trying New Things - We believe in the importance of experimentation, play, and the surprise that often results from trying something new. We know that progress comes through both bravery and vulnerability.  

About The Contemporary Austin   

As Austin’s only museum focused on contemporary artists and their work, The Contemporary Austin offers exhibitions, educational opportunities, and events that start conversations and fuel the city’s creative spirit. Known for artist-centric projects and collaborations, The Contemporary invites exploration at both its urban and natural settings—downtown at the Jones Center on Congress Avenue, lakeside at the Laguna Gloria campus (including the Betty and Edward Marcus Sculpture Park, the Art School, and the historic Driscoll Villa), and around Austin through the Museum Without Walls program.   

Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA)  

The Contemporary Austin values a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace and we seek to model these values in our hiring and engagement practices for all our artistic and educational programs. We welcome applications by BIPOC candidates as well as individuals who bring new perspectives in a host of ways. It is the policy of The Contemporary Austin not to discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status and to take action to ensure that those seeking to do business with the Contemporary are treated fairly. The Contemporary Austin aims to create a safe, welcoming working environment and doesn’t tolerate discrimination of any kind.  The organization is currently pursuing a multi-year DEIA effort and seeks individuals who share our commitment to this work.