Development & Communications Director

The Rome Group; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Retirement match

Studio access

Professional development

Job summary

Craft Alliance seeks a Development & Communications Director to lead fundraising and external storytelling from our St. Louis base.

As a senior leader on the Leadership Team, you will shape strategy, systems, and culture to drive philanthropic growth and brand impact. You will manage major gifts, annual giving, institutional grants, and donor relations, while guiding development operations, analytics, and board partnerships.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of fundraising experience with major/annual gifts
• Experience managing donor pipelines and CRM systems
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Experience with boards and cross-functional teams
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in relevant field

Responsibilities

• Develop annual development plan and revenue goals
• Lead major gifts and donor engagement activities
• Oversee institutional giving and grant management
• Manage development operations and analytics
• Collaborate with marketing for messaging and campaigns
• Represent Craft Alliance at events and in the community

Skills

Fundraising

Donor management

Communication

Leadership

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Arts/culture background

Tools

DonorView CRM

Dashboards

Job description

Development & Communications Director

About Craft Alliance

Founded in 1964 and located in St. Louis’ Delmar Maker District, Craft Alliance is a nationally recognized nonprofit visual arts organization dedicated to advancing contemporary craft through exhibitions, education, artist residencies, community programs, and a gallery shop. Our specialized studios support ceramics, metals, blacksmithing, fibers, glass, wood, and print and paper arts. We believe creativity enriches lives, strengthens communities, and connects people.

The Opportunity & Position Summary

Craft Alliance seeks a Development & Communications Director to serve as our senior fundraising and communications leader. As a member of the Leadership Team, you will shape the strategy, systems, and culture driving our next chapter of philanthropic growth. This role provides strategic leadership for comprehensive fundraising—including major gifts, annual giving, institutional grants, corporate support, membership, stewardship, special events, and campaign initiatives—while partnering closely with marketing and communications to align messaging, storytelling, and brand impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Fundraising Strategy & Revenue Growth: Develop and execute an annual development plan, establish revenue goals and KPIs, build a diversified funding model, and create long-term financial sustainability.
• Major Gifts & Donor Engagement: Personally manage a major donor portfolio, lead identification through stewardship, partner with the Executive Director and Board on cultivation, and strengthen donor acquisition and retention.
• Institutional Giving & Grants: Cultivate foundations, corporations, and government agencies; oversee compelling grant proposals and reports; and align fundable priorities with organizational needs.
• Development Operations & Analytics: Maintain disciplined systems, oversee the DonorView CRM for accurate tracking and moves management, and generate dashboards to monitor revenue and pipeline progress.
• Board & Executive Partnership: Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Board Development Committee, engage leadership in donor outreach, and collaborate across departments.
• Team Leadership & Communications: Provide supportive management to the development team, oversee departmental budgets, and partner with communications staff on annual appeals, impact stories, cases for support, and digital campaigns.
• Events & Community Representation: Provide strategic oversight for cultivation and fundraising events, build community relationships, and represent Craft Alliance externally.

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience: 5+ years of progressively responsible fundraising experience with proven success in major/annual gifts, institutional giving, and campaign strategy.
• Core Skills: Demonstrated ability to secure philanthropic gifts, manage donor pipelines, utilize fundraising CRMs, and analyze donor data.
• Leadership: Experience working with nonprofit boards, supervising staff, and collaborating across cross‑functional teams.
• Communication: Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills; strong project management abilities.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant professional experience. (Arts/culture background, St. Louis philanthropic network, and planned giving knowledge are valued).

Measures of Success & Leadership Attributes

• Success Metrics: Growth in contributed revenue, major‑gift pipeline expansion, donor retention and upgrades, institutional support, grant management, and the establishment of scalable fundraising systems.
• Attributes: Strategic and entrepreneurial, relationship‑centered, results‑oriented, collaborative, an exceptional communicator, operationally disciplined, and mission‑driven.

Work Environment & Benefits

• Environment: Full‑time, exempt, based in St. Louis, MO, requiring an active community presence and occasional evening/weekend hours for events and board activities.
• Benefits: Generous paid time off; medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; retirement plan with employer matching; class/purchase discounts; studio access; and professional development support.

Craft Alliance is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive organization where diverse backgrounds and perspectives thrive. Candidates who do not meet every preferred qualification are still encouraged to apply if they believe they can contribute meaningfully.