Chief Development Officer

Agupdate; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

National Theatre in America (NT in America) seeks a Chief Development Officer to oversee nationwide fundraising, prioritizing major gifts from individuals, corporations, and foundations. You will lead a diverse team, manage operations, and work closely with the Board and Executive Director to grow annual philanthropic support.

You’ll report to the Executive Director and drive strategy across USA fundraising activities, ensuring rigorous governance, inclusion, and high-impact donor engagement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years fundraising experience.
• Proven track record in senior leadership within a fundraising department.
• Significant line management experience (4+ direct reports).
• Strategic thinker with financial and risk management skills.
• Experience as a frontline fundraiser with $100k+ gifts.
• Proven ability to cultivate high-net-worth donors and board members.
• Deep experience in individual giving programs including events and membership.
• Strong leadership, communication, and inclusivity skills.
• Experience overseeing nonprofit operations (501(c)(3), HR, finance).
• Ability to meet demanding deadlines in a complex environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversee nationwide fundraising strategy and major gifts cultivation.
• Lead and manage the NT in America team of development staff.
• Develop relationships with high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and foundations.
• Collaborate with Board and leadership to achieve fundraising goals.
• Direct Operations including 501(c)(3) management, finance, legal, and HR.
• Represent NT in America at high-level philanthropic and theatre events.

Skills

Major gifts

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Donor relations

Board engagement

Financial management

Frontline fundraising

DEI

IT literacy

CRM tools (e.g., Tessitura)

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

Tessitura

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY: The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for overseeing a comprehensive strategy for National Theatre in America’s (NT in America) fundraising throughout the United States in support of the National Theatre’s (NT) mission to offer the widest access to high-quality theatre in the world.

Working closely with the NT in America Executive Director, who is the lead fundraiser within the organization, the CDO oversees all fundraising efforts and manages the NT in America team, including Individual Giving, Events, and oversees the Operations function which includes infrastructure, administration, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit management, and HR.

The role’s primary focus is active solicitation of major gifts from individuals, as well as from companies and foundations, as needed. The CDO is responsible for developing and implementing a strategy to grow relationships with these donors as well as identifying new donors in the US, with the aim of increasing philanthropic funds, and works closely with members of the NT in America Board and the NT Development team and leadership to achieve this. NT in America currently generates up to $10 million gross income each year in the US (representing at least 20% of the National Theatre’s philanthropy annually), with significant potential for growth moving forward. The Chief Development Officer position is a new role that has been created in order to facilitate this growth.

The CDO reports to the Executive Director, Kirsten Hughes (based in Los Angeles). Direct reports include the Associate Director of Development (based in NYC; line manages Senior Manager, Events and Communications), Senior Manager, Individual Giving (based in NYC), Senior Manager, Development Operations (based in Edinburgh and London; line manages Development Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, who is based in NYC), and Manager, Finance and Operations (based in Laguna Beach, CA).

ABOUT THE NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREAT BRITAIN: The National Theatre of Great Britain (NT) offers the widest access to high-quality theatre in the world. It creates work that entertains and inspires, drawing on world-class artistry, deep expertise, and an unparalleled global reach. It tells big stories in bold new ways, bringing exceptional theatre to millions on its stages in London, on tour across the UK, in the US and around the world, in schools and communities, and worldwide through NT Live cinema broadcasts and a digital streaming platform, National Theatre at Home, last year engaging with a global audience of 30 million. For more information, please visit About Us | National Theatre.

ABOUT NATIONAL THEATRE IN AMERICA: National Theatre in America (NT in America) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization based in New York that promotes and supports the work of the National Theater (NT) in both Great Britain and America. Since 2005, NT in America has granted nearly $60 million to the NT, providing essential funding which supports the NT’s mission.

NT in America secures the majority of its income from individual donors through major gifts, appeals, and a nationwide membership program of over 250 supporters with levels from $1,000 to $20,000+ but also includes corporate sponsorship and grants from US foundations.

The NT is three years into a five-year £125 million fundraising campaign. NT in America has contributed nearly 30% of the £100 million raised to date and continues to focus on this critical fundraising. For more information, please visit NTinAmerica.org.

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree is required, advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years fundraising experience.
• A proven track record of having successfully delivered in a senior leadership role in a fundraising department.
• Significant line management experience of running teams with 4+ direct reports.
• A strategic thinker with sound business planning skills including experience with financial and risk management.
• Experience as a frontline fundraiser with a proven track record of personally soliciting—and crucially—closing gifts at the $100,000+ level.
• Proven experience in identifying and maintaining external relationships with high-net-worth individuals and board members.
• Deep experience in individual giving programs including membership, major gifts, and planned giving.
• Robust experience with corporate, foundation, and special events fundraising.
• An inspirational leader who is able to communicate vision and purpose to promote collaboration across a team of highly professional staff and command respect across the organization.
• Highly developed people management skills and a track record of developing high-performing individuals and teams, with a demonstrable commitment to benchmarking, transparency, and accountability.
• Proven ability to oversee the Operations function of an organization, including 501(c)(3) not-for-profit management, administration, finance, legal, and HR.
• Able to deliver to demanding deadlines in a complex environment.
• The maturity, gravitas, and presence to represent the NT in the US at the highest level and command respect within the philanthropic and theatre communities.
• A strategic approach to fundraising with excellent attention to detail.
• Outstanding organizational skills.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• IT literate with knowledge of relationship databases, ideally Tessitura.
• A commitment to and understanding of the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the ability to create a positive and inclusive working environment.
• An interest in and commitment to the overall aims of the National Theatre.

The annual compensation range for this role is $200,000-$250,000 commensurate with experience and accomplishments plus attractive benefits.