Development Manager

Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 37,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision benefits

Paid PTO

Job summary

Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy (FPCTA) in Huntsville, AL, seeks a Development Manager to lead fundraising strategy, donor engagement, and grant writing, reporting to the CEO and Communications Director.

You will manage donor records, secure annual gifts and sponsorships, craft stewardship and cultivation materials, coordinate events like Cocktails Under the Stars, and collaborate with FPCTA departments to sustained financial health.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in marketing, business, journalism, communications, or public relations.
• 2+ years of fundraising, grant writing, and/or donor advancement.
• Willingness to learn new technology platforms (Ludus, Levitate, etc.).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Donor stewardship: maintain updated donor records and manage acknowledgments.
• Secure annual gifts and corporate sponsorships; coordinate donor recognition.
• Coordinate donor communications and grant writing with CEO and staff.
• Develop donor leads and cultivation efforts; support committee activities.
• Lead and support fundraising events and logistics.

Skills

Communication skills

Team player

Time management

Self-motivated

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, journalism, communications

Tools

Ludus

Levitate

Job description

Salary Range $37,000 - $42,000 annually depending on capabilities and experience + health/dental/vision BCBS &

Paid PTO benefits package

Development Manager: Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater & Academy (FPCTA), a leader in theater arts education in Alabama, seeks a motivated, relationship-driven Development Professional to manage the organization's fundraising and donor engagement strategy. This role is central to FPCTA's financial sustainability; managing grant writing, corporate sponsorships, donor relations, and multiple annual fundraising events. The ideal candidate is a strong writer and organized project manager; someone who thrives on building relationships with donors, sponsors, and community partners. This position works directly with FPCTA's CEO and the FPCTA Communications Director to implement fundraising requests that support all FPCTA Departments.

Key Job Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Donor Stewardship:Maintain updated donor records and manage the donor acknowledgment process, including regular communications and preparing thank-you letters for the CEO's signature. As the major gifts program grows, help design and execute thoughtful, personalized stewardship experiences for individual and corporate supporters.
• Sponsor and Annual Gift Relations:Coordinate activities to secure and steward annual gifts and corporate sponsorships through personalized, high-touch gestures- such as dropping off tickets, preparing recognition items, and coordinating donor/sponsor appreciation efforts.
• Internal Communication & Donor Awareness:Ensure the CEO is kept informed of donor activity, especially corporate sponsorships, major gifts or unexpected contributions. Timely updates are essential, particularly before performances or public events.
• Writing & Donor Communications:Execute grant writing in conjunction with FPCTA's CEO and support a wide range of written communications with donors and prospects, including acknowledgment letters, stewardship notes, and cultivation materials. May be asked to source and/or draft donor-focused stories or newsletter content; all content is subject to approval and final crafting by supervisory staff.
• Prospect Development:Generate donor and sponsor leads from a variety of sources, including the Development Committee, community networking events, and research. Assist in qualification and cultivation efforts to deepen engagement.
• Development Committee Support:Serve as the lead staff person for activities of the FPCTA Board of Directors' Development Committee, including supporting meetings, tracking follow-up, and collaborating with volunteers on donor and sponsor engagement efforts.

Planning, Project Management, and Deliverables: This position is responsible for:

• Gift Processing & Data Integrity: Maintain clean, accurate donor records across software-based platforms. Monitor for data hygiene - duplicate entries, formatting inconsistencies, and missing data. Track pledge status and support the fulfillment process in coordination with administrative and accounting staff.
• Grant Proposal Support: Manage internal deadlines and execute and contribute to proposal development with FPCTA's CEO. Collaborate with staff and partners to complete grant proposals; may take the lead on selected submissions as assigned.
• Communications & Content Workflow: Coordinate the production of donor-facing communications such as acknowledgment letters, donor stories, and other cultivation materials. Track deliverables to ensure consistent and timely execution.
• Automation & Systems Improvement: Identify and implement technology-based solutions to streamline data entry and integration across FPCTA's systems. Manual entry should never be a bottleneck; the Development Coordinator is expected to think creatively and act decisively to free up time for donor-facing work.
• Event Management: Lead the planning and execution of key fundraising and stewardship events, including Cocktails Under the Stars, FPCTA's Annual Fundraising Event. Responsibilities may include developing event materials, coordinating logistics, tracking timelines, and managing follow-up. Adaptability will be key as event formats evolve.

Qualifications and Requirements:

The ideal candidate for FPCTA Development Manager-

• Is a team player committed to the mission and values of FPCTA with a growth mindset, and always striving for excellence.
• Possesses a Bachelor's degree, preferably in marketing, business, journalism, communications, or public relations.
• Has 2 or more years of experience in fundraising, grant writing, and/or profit advancement.
• Possesses a willingness to learn new technology platforms relevant to the role (Ludus, Levitate, etc.)
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Brings a self-motivated, proactive approach with the ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Can multitask, prioritize responsibilities, and maintain a high attention to detail.
• Displays enthusiasm, professionalism, and a collaborative spirit.
• Possesses a passion for theater for young audiences.
• Values and contributes to a welcoming, strengths-based work culture that reflects values, the representation of our community, or the arts in general.
• Exhibits strong self-awareness and a willingness to grow professionally as an individual and alongside our growing organization.
• Is familiar with or has knowledge of the local community (preferred).
• Holds a valid Driver's License.

Other Duties: Key job duties listed herein are not designed to cover a comprehensive listing of activities or responsibilities required for this position. Responsibilities and activities may change at any time and include other duties as assigned.

Employment Status: This position shall be classified as full time non-exempt for Fair Labor Standards Act purposes. Daytime, weekend, and evening hours may be required, depending on FPCTA's programming calendar. FPCTA offers full-time employees health dental, and vision benefits, a generous earned time off package, flexible work schedule, discounted programming for family members, including the opportunity to enroll children/grandchildren in daytime camp/class programming to offset childcare needs.

Working Conditions:

Physical Demands - sedentary to moderate physical work depending upon assignment; may require the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, regular standing, and walking; may require bending, stooping, pushing, or pulling; eye/hand coordination for operation of computer and other office equipment; may require eye/hand/foot coordination for operation of a motor vehicle; vision to read reports and other written material; frequent speech and hearing to maintain communication with colleagues and constituents. Hazards of the job may include exposure to glitter, singing children, and moderately heavy materials such as boxes of brochures or items for special events.

Equipment Used - standard and specialty business and professional equipment and tools.

About Us

Fantasy Playhouse Children's Theater and Academy (FPCTA) provides theatre arts access through production, education and outreach, reaching tens of thousands of residents annually, the majority of whom are children and youth. FPCTA enriches the lives of children and families through theatre and arts education, encouraging students to become self-confident, academically successful, creative-thinking citizens who are more likely to invest in their communities as adults. FPCTA's core programs include live children's theatre productions, classes, camps, workshops, private lessons, and educational outreach through after-school classes, touring programs and a workforce development partnership with Alabama A&M University. Recognizing the transformative power theatre arts can have in the life of a child, FPCTA prioritizes theatre arts access for all by engaging local under-resourced and differently-abled communities.

FPCTA is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services.