Director, Development & Advancement

Grand Rapids Ballet Company; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Grand Rapids Ballet Company in Grand Rapids seeks a strategic Director of Development & Advancement to lead fundraising, donor relations, and engagement with individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. Reporting to the Senior Director, Advancement, this role combines vision with hands-on cultivation, stewardship, and revenue growth within a dynamic performing arts environment.

The position is a key member of GRB's leadership team, guiding annual appeals, major gifts, and capital campaigns

Qualifications

• A passionate commitment to the Ballet's mission, vision, and values as well as the role of arts organizations in general.
• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of professional fundraising and development experience, including experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors.
• Proven success building and managing donor relationships and development strategies, including major gifts and annual giving programs.
• Experience working with a Board of Directors and/or a Development Committee (preferred).
• Strong financial management skills with experience in budget analysis, forecasting, and planning.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience with customer relationship management (CRM) platform(s).

Responsibilities

• Lead GRB's fundraising efforts and donor stewardship.
• Build and sustain philanthropic support with focus on individual giving, major gifts, and annual appeals.
• Develop and implement donor strategies in collaboration with the leadership team.
• Oversee relations with donors, foundations, and corporate partners.

Skills

Donor relations

Major gifts

Communication skills

CRM experience

Budget management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or related field

Tools

CRM platforms

Job description

Company Description Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB), founded in 1971, is Michigan's home for professional ballet and a recognized leader in contemporary and classical dance. Under the artistic direction of former San Francisco Ballet dancer James Sofranko, GRB has attracted world-class dancers and gained national and international visibility for its innovative repertoire. The Company presents a wide range of works from leading choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries, offering audiences diverse and dynamic performances. GRB's more than 30 professional dancers rehearse at the Meijer-Royce Center for Dance and perform at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre in the heart of Grand Rapids. The organization also operates a ballet school and Junior Company, providing high-quality dance education in a supportive environment for students ages 3 and up.

Role Description At Grand Rapids Ballet (GRB), the Advancement & Engagement Department is responsible for the revenue-generating and community-facing functions of the organization. The Director of Development & Advancement leads GRB's fundraising efforts, building and sustaining relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners that support the company's operating and capital priorities. Reporting to the Senior Director, Advancement & Engagement, the Director of Development & Advancement serves as a key member of GRB's leadership team and is responsible for building and sustaining philanthropic support, with a primary focus on individual giving, major gifts, annual appeals, and donor stewardship. The role requires a relationship-driven, detail-oriented, and entrepreneurial fundraising professional who brings both strategic vision and hands-on capability to a dynamic performing arts environment.

Qualifications

• A passionate commitment to the Ballet's mission, vision, and values as well as the role of arts organizations in general.
• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business, communications, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of professional fundraising and development experience, including experience cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors.
• Proven success building and managing donor relationships and development strategies, including major gifts and annual giving programs.
• Experience working with a Board of Directors and/or a Development Committee (preferred).
• Strong financial management skills with experience in budget analysis, forecasting, and planning.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience with customer relationship management (CRM) platform(s).