Advancement Officer - Donor Development and Engagement

Olney Theatre Center; Olney (IL); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

403(b) retirement plan

Disability insurance

Life insurance options

Generous paid time off

Complimentary tickets to OTC produ ct?

Access to other DMV-area theatres

Job summary

Olney Theatre Center is seeking an experienced Advancement Officer to grow philanthropic support. You will manage a donor portfolio, conduct prospect research, write compelling appeals, and collaborate with leadership to meet annual revenue goals in a dynamic performing arts environment.

The role requires strategic fundraising, strong writing, and willingness to work evenings/weekends as needed. Competitive benefits are included.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of fundraising or related experience.
• Proven donor relationship management and frontline cultivation.
• Strong writing and communication skills, persuasive proposals.

Responsibilities

• Lead donor pipeline development and prospect research.
• Present research findings and prospect profiles to leadership.
• Manage a donor portfolio with cultivation and stewardship plans.
• Coordinate donor events and benefit fulfillment.
• Draft high-impact solicitation letters and proposals.
• Support institutional fundraising initiatives as needed.

Skills

Donor relations

Prospect research

Solicitation writing

Relationship management

Strategic fundraising

Tools

Tessitura

KindSight wealth screening

Job description

Advancement Officer - Donor Development and Engagement

Advancement Officer - Donor Development and Engagement

Position Type: Full-time

Department: Advancement

Reports to: Deputy Director of Advancement

Olney Theatre Center, a nationally recognized nonprofit regional theatre, seeks an experienced Advancement Officer to help grow the philanthropic support that makes our work possible. We’re looking for a creative, strategic fundraiser who can identify new donor prospects, craft compelling appeals, build lasting relationships, and inspire generosity in support of our mission and the future of the arts.

Position Summary

The Advancement Officer - Donor Development and Engagement generates philanthropic growth for a premier performing arts organization through pipeline development, dedicated portfolio management, and strategic cultivation and stewardship designed to increase annual contributed revenue. Combining frontline relationship-building with essential back-end research and writing, this role manages full-lifecycle donor engagement from initial discovery and prospect research to customized solicitations and thoughtful stewardship. While focused on individual donors, this role will also support the research and the cultivation of select corporate and foundation donors. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Advancement and collaborating closely with the Director of Advancement, the Advancement Officer serves as a pivotal member of a strong, five-person Advancement department, bringing both exceptional interpersonal skills and strong written communication to advance institutional goals.

The ideal candidate is a confident, collaborative fundraising professional who brings creativity, adaptability, and the ability to find the fun in their work and laugh with the team.

Key Responsibilities

The Advancement Officer leads pipeline development efforts, working collaboratively with the Director of Advancement and Deputy Director of Advancement to contribute to the team’s shared goal of driving annual revenue growth, while also supporting strategic capital and special project fundraising.

• Lead prospect research to grow the fundraising pipeline through both new prospect discovery and current donor gift upgrades, utilizing a range of resources including:
  • Subscriber and single-ticket buyer records.
  • Wealth screening software and data tools.
  • Audience feedback and patron interaction monitoring.
  • Professional networking, community connections, and direct recommendations.
• Present research findings and structured prospect profiles to the Director and Deputy Director of Advancement to determine strategic cultivation paths.
• Set donor cultivation and stewardship plans in partnership with the Director of Advancement.

Donor Engagement

• Manage a dedicated portfolio of donors and prospects as their primary point of contact, guiding them through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship while maintaining accurate CRM tracking and contact records.
• Implement donor cultivation and solicitation plans, including in-person meetings, phone, email, written communication, and proposal development, to inspire prospects to give and current donors to increase giving.
• Coordinate donor benefit fulfillment with the Associate Director of Advancement; Operations and Events to ensure exceptional donor experiences.
• Work with the Special Events Manager and Associate Director of Advancement to ensure that all advancement events serve as touchpoints to deepen donor and prospect connections to Olney Theatre Center.
• Draft high-impact solicitation letters, email appeals, and other donor communications in partnership with the Deputy Director of Advancement and Director of Advancement.
• Provides support for institutional fundraising initiatives as needed, including select research and proposal writing.

Desired Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations, or related fields, or an equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Proven track record of successful donor relationship management, frontline cultivation, and direct solicitation.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to turn prospect research and data analysis into actionable fundraising plans.
• Superior interpersonal skills, including the confidence to interact with donors and other VIPs with ease.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with particular strength in writing persuasively.
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to conduct and coordinate multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of Tessitura or other CRM software, as well as wealth screening tools (such as Kindsight), is preferred.
• Availability to work evening hours and weekends as needed to support a robust calendar of advancement department special events.
• Interest in theatre and the performing arts.

The salary for this position is $60,000 annually, commensurate with experience. This is a full-time, Exempt position in accordance with the Fair Labor and Standards Act.

Olney Theatre Center offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance; a 403(b) retirement plan; disability and life insurance options; generous paid time off; and complimentary tickets to OTC productions, with access to other DMV-area theatres.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan
• Disability insurance
• Life insurance options
• Generous paid time off
• Complimentary tickets to OTC productions
• Access to other DMV-area theatres

Olney Theatre Center is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and encourages individuals from historically underrepresented communities to apply. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.