Development Manager

Porchlight Music Theatre; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Job summary

Porchlight Music Theatre in Chicago seeks a Development Manager to advance the Annual Fund and oversee two direct reports. This role focuses on managing 50–75 mid-level donors with a Moves Management approach, driving annual giving, and supporting grant submissions.

You will partner with leadership to plan campaigns, engage institutional funders, and coordinate major fundraising events, while ensuring data integrity for reporting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• 3–5 years of nonprofit development experience; arts background preferred.
• Experience managing a portfolio of 50–75 donors.
• Experience liaising with volunteers, Associate Boards, or event committees.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement annual fund plans to meet revenue goals.
• Lead donor acquisition, retention, and upgrades; manage LYBUNT/SYBUNT.
• Collaborate on grant submissions and reporting with staff writers.
• Plan and execute major fundraising events with cross‑department teams.
• Maintain data integrity and generate donor activity reports.

Skills

Moves management

Donor relationship management

Campaign planning

Grant coordination

donor communications

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Salesforce

PatronManager

Raiser’s Edge

Job description

About Porchlight Music Theatre

Porchlight Music Theatre is the award-winning center for music theatre in Chicago. Dedicated to setting the stage for the future of the American musical, Porchlight celebrates the past, present, and future of this unique art form through live performance, youth education, and community outreach. As a leader in the Chicago arts community, we are committed to looking at the musical theatre canon through a modern lens, offering intimate and powerful theatrical experiences that inspire and connect our audiences.

Position Overview

The Development Manager is a critical position responsible for the financial sustainability of Porchlight Music Theatre, overseeing the Annual Fund strategy and serving as the key operational hub for the entire development department, including managing two direct reports. The role involves substantial direct fundraising, including managing a personal portfolio of 50-75 mid-level donors using a "Moves Management" approach. Key duties include leading annual giving campaigns, collaborating on institutional grant submissions, and serving as the staff liaison for the Porchlight Young Professionals Associate Board. Additionally, the Manager provides planning and logistical support for major fundraising events, while maintaining strong data integrity for all financial reporting.

Key Responsibilities

Annual Fund Strategy & Execution

• Support the Director of Development in creating, executing, and evaluating annual fundraising plans to meet revenue goals.
• Lead and implement strategy for the Theatre's annual fund, including segmentation, messaging, and upgrade pathways
• Develop robust and innovative targeted strategies for donor acquisition, retention, and re-engagement, including LYBUNT and SYBUNT initiatives
• Partner with the Development Operations Associate to execute appeals and campaigns while maintaining ownership of strategy and outcomes
• Analyze campaign performance and adjust strategies to maximize participation, retention and revenue growth
• Write, develop, and manage compelling annual giving direct mail solicitation campaigns in collaboration with the Director of Development, Development Operations Associate, and Executive Leadership

Individual Giving & Donor Management

• Manage a portfolio of 50-75 mid-level donors, actively moving them through the donor pipeline using a "Moves Management" approach (Qualify / Cultivate / Solicit / Steward).
• Develop and implement individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies tailored to each donor
• Conduct regular donor outreach, including in-person meetings, calls, and written communications
• Solicit annual gifts and upgrades to increase donor retention and overall revenue
• Maintain consistent, thoughtful engagement with donors to strengthen long-term relationships and increase lifetime value
• Identify and qualify donors with capacity and inclination for major giving
• Partner with the Director of Development to move donors through the donor pipeline into major gift portfolios
• Track donor movement and progression across giving levels to ensure a strong and active pipeline
• Proactively identify opportunities to deepen engagement and increase giving across the portfolio

Institutional Giving

• In collaboration with the Director of Development, engage in the creation of annual institutional giving strategy and relationship management each fiscal year
• Manage a portfolio of select institutional giving prospects and current funders, deepening relationships between funders and Porchlight Music Theatre
• Oversee the outsourced grant writer(s) in writing and submitting select letters of inquiry, applications, and reports by established deadlines.
• Write specific proposals and reports for select funders
• Ensure up-to-date grant calendar, case for support and other key data.
• Initiate cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship meetings with existing and prospective funders/sponsors.

Events & Volunteer Engagement

• Support the planning, execution, and logistical management of major annual fundraising events (e.g., Gala, Chicago Sings) to ensure exceptional donor experiences and goal achievement, collaborating with departments, vendors, venues, and volunteers.
• Support the Development team and Board committees as requested to ensure smooth departmental operations.
• Act as the staff liaison for the Porchlight Young Professionals (PYP) Associate Board; work closely with the PYP Executive Committee to organize meetings, drive recruitment, support fundraising efforts and PYP events.
• Serve as a knowledgeable and enthusiastic representative at performances and events.

Reporting, Data, & Operations

• Reporting & Analysis: Generate reports that track progress toward development goals, assisting the Director of Development in analyzing current donor activity to project future trends.
• Data Integrity: Track and maintain accurate donor listings for all show/event programs and the website.

Qualifications & Requirements

Professional Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience: 3-5 years of progressive experience in nonprofit development. Background in arts administration or at performing arts organizations is strongly preferred.
• Portfolio Leadership: Experience managing a portfolio of individual donors, with specific experience in face-to-face or verbal solicitation of gifts ranging from $500 to $2,500+.
• Volunteer Management: Experience acting as a liaison to volunteer leadership groups, Associate Boards, or event committees.

Fundraising & Solicitation Strategy

• The "Ask": Demonstrated comfort and confidence in discussing financial support with donors. Must possess the persistence to follow up and the savvy to close gifts.
• Campaign Logistics: Strong understanding of direct mail and digital appeal cycles, including list segmentation, merge/purge processes, and production timelines.
• Moves Management: Practical knowledge of "moves management" principles (identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship) and how to apply them to a mid-level portfolio.
• Grant Support: Experience collaborating with grant writers and drafting narrative content for select proposals and reports.

Technical & Operational Skills

• CRM Mastery: Advanced proficiency in donor databases (e.g., Salesforce, PatronManager, Raiser's Edge). Must be comfortable entering data, running simple queries, and maintaining data hygiene.
• Digital Fundraising: Hands-on experience with online fundraising platforms and email marketing tools.
• Data Analysis: Intermediate-to-advanced Excel skills to track campaign performance, reconcile financials with Finance, and analyze donor trends.
• Research: Ability to navigate prospect research tools (iWave, WealthEngine, Foundation Directory) to identify capacity and affinity.
• Writing: Strong persuasive writing skills that can be adapted to a variety of tones.

Core Competencies & Attributes

• Project Management: Superior organizational skills with the ability to manage a mid-level gifts portfolio, as well as strict deadlines for grants, appeals, and events simultaneously without losing attention to detail.
• Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, capable of shifting tone from formal grant reporting to enthusiastic donor stewardship.
• Financial Acumen: Comfort with numbers and budgets; ability to work closely with Finance to ensure accurate income and expense reconciliation.
• Mission Alignment: A deep appreciation for music theatre and the ability to serve as an enthusiastic ambassador for Porchlight's mission, productions, and educational programs.

Working Conditions

Hybrid work environment (3 days onsite)
Flexibility to conduct donor and prospect meetings to accommodate donor schedules
Ability to work evenings and weekends as required for opening nights, the Gala, Chicago Sings, PYP meetings and events, and other events as they arise

Salary Range

$60,000-$70,000, commensurate with experience