Employment

DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Full time, exempt position

Reports to Managing Director
Requires night and weekend work as is customary with the position
Compensation: $95,000-$110,000, or commensurate with experience

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Director of External Affairs (DoEA) is a key member of The Vineyard’s core leadership team, reporting to the Managing Director. Responsible for all patron generated and contributed revenue for the $3M-$4M annual budget, the DoEA is a strategic revenue generator focused on creating a pathway for individuals to grow in loyalty from single ticket buyers into members, major donors, potential Board members, and advocates for the organization. This individual will guide coordination across marketing and development functions leading a team of seven individuals (5 full time and two consultants) including a grant writer, single ticket marketing consultant, Manager of Individual Giving, Marketing Manager, Audience Services Manager, Digital Marketing Associate and Development Fellow.

After over 30 years in its home on 15th Street in Union Square, Vineyard Theatre’s Board of Directors have embarked on a 40th Anniversary Capacity Building and Capital Campaign which is currently in its silent leadership phase and will launch publicly in late 2024. The campaign will support artistic opportunity and innovation, audience experience and expansion, as well as human capital and financial capacity building – including the transformation of the organization’s facility, which it owns outright. The DoEA will partner with the Managing Director, Artistic Directors, and the Board’s Development Committee to champion this campaign within the Vineyard’s rapidly growing community of funders.

Responsibilities

Manage a cross-functional development and marketing team including grant writer, single ticket marketing consultant, Manager of Individual Giving, Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing Associate, and Development Fellow and Intern(s) to

• Develop and implement loyalty programs designed to engage patrons from their first interaction to move them up a loyalty ladder

• Integrate a culture of philanthropy into interactions with patrons at all levels by encouraging giving in sales communications and box office interactions

• Sustain data integrity, utilize moves management tools to grow loyalty across giving levels, and identify major gift prospects with executive leadership

Create and execute annual strategy to raise $2 Million+ in annual contributed revenue by

• Facilitating professional growth of direct reports 

• Breaking down large department goals into achievable milestones across a portfolio of funder types and annual campaigns – including but not limited to individual annual fund appeals, special events including the annual Gala, and foundation and government support

• Prepare annual Development plan, creating and maintaining department budget and cash flow documents

• Solicit patron gifts and other major gift asks in person, through proposals, direct mail, phone, email

• Develop and execute fundraising event strategy with Manger of Individual Giving and Development Fellow, from intimate cocktail receptions and talkbacks through the annual Gala of 250+ guests

• Lead all Development efforts with Board of Directors, including regular updates on give/get requirements, solicitations and collections of annual Board gifts, management of Development and Gala committees, and encouraging peer-to-peer fundraising during events and annual fund campaigns

Develop, execute and communicate the overall marketing strategy and budget for single ticket, membership, and rental income incorporating strategies in response to data analysis and current conditions.

• Hire and manage single ticket marketing consultant to create written marketing plan for three mainstage productions, digital programs and special events. Includes key messaging, targeting customer segments with media mix, and dynamic pricing plan.

• Analyze sales pacing data prepared by Marketing Manager for current productions to adjust marketing plan strategy in real time

• Maintain style guide for all written communications across media to accurately represent the brand and mission of The Vineyard

Create a welcoming and anti-racist environment for all External Affairs team members, box office and front of house staff and audiences

• Oversee overall lobby and audience experience in partnership with Audience Services Manager and Marketing team

• Develop personal relationships by greeting patrons at performances at all performance venues, and through individual cultivation including some night and weekend hours

Competencies & Qualifications:

• Bachelor or Masters degree in theatre, economics, English, arts administration or a related field or equivalent experience and 7+ years of progressive responsibility and leadership roles with success in fundraising

• A successful applicant will be able to demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in their work and willingness to contribute to department-specific and organization-wide anti-racism efforts at The Vineyard

• Track record of team-building, high level of detail and project management in past work

• Evidence of strategic thinking and strategy implementation, the ability to look ahead and craft a larger narrative that tells the story of the organization and its programs in an accessible way

• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills

• Strong empathy skills and the ability to easily connect to others

Compensation Range: $95,000-$110,000 annual salary, or commensurate with experience

This is a full time exempt position. Full time benefits include health insurance (95% covered by Vineyard Theatre), vision and dental insurance (employee contributes), 15 days paid vacation plus, 5 days full office closure around July 4 holiday (does not count towards vacation), 11 staff holidays, 401k plan with 1% match after one year of service, life insurance, and commuter benefit packages. Current Vineyard staff policy includes working 3 out of 5 days in the office when not in production and 4 out of 5 days in the office during active producing periods, and remaining days from home.

Vineyard Theatre is an equal opportunity employer and encourages women, people of color, people with disabilities, transgender or gender non-conforming individuals to apply. All Vineyard Theatre staff members participate in weekly anti-racism work as individuals, and as a team in partnership with Peoplmovr.

Vineyard Theatre is a fully vaccinated workplace. Full vaccination is required of all employees with exemptions made for sincerely held religious beliefs and medical exemptions.

To apply: Send a cover letter, resume, a theatre-related writing sample, and contact information for three references to jobs@vineyardtheatre.org with the subject line: Director of External Affairs.