Director of Development

Cora Dance; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

403b plan with employer match

Flexible spending account

Paid time off

Job summary

Ballet Hispánico in New York City is seeking a Director of Development to lead and grow all facets of the organization’s philanthropy. You will build empowering donor relationships, guide a small team, and collaborate with leadership and the board to advance our ambitious fundraising goals.

The role emphasizes strategic planning, major gifts, and a commitment to engaging diverse communities through education, performances, and partnerships.

Qualifications

• Progressively responsible leadership experience in nonprofit institutions.
• Proven ability to cultivate and solicit major gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations.
• Experience working with boards and senior leadership to advance fundraising goals.
• Strong strategic planning and budget oversight across development programs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Spanish language ability preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive development plan to expand philanthropic support.
• Lead donor cultivation, stewardship, and major gifts from individuals and organizations.
• Oversee special events, including the annual gala and New York City season.
• Manage development budget and systems, and supervise a small team.
• Collaborate with executive leadership and the board to advance fundraising strategy.

Skills

Leadership

Fundraising

Major Gifts

Donor Relations

Strategic Planning

Team Management

Board Relations

Communication

Spanish (optional)

Job description

Director of Development

About the Opportunity

Ballet Hispánico, the nation’s leading American Latino dance company, seeks a new Director of Development. This is an exciting opportunity for a fundraising leader who has an abundant passion for dance and the performing arts, a deep appreciation of Latine culture, and an inherent understanding of philanthropy to inspire a wide range of individuals in their commitment to the organization. While the Director of Development will be a capable team leader and project manager, they will also be adept in communicating the value and impact of an organization as unique as this one.

Based in New York City, Ballet Hispánico maintains a facility on the upper west side of Manhattan that encompasses a School of Dance, offering more than 100 classes each week, and rehearsal studios, utilized by the Company and a wide variety of artists through a rental program. At the same time, the Company captivates audiences across the U.S. and beyond, through its extensive touring calendar, which includes a season at New York’s City Center each spring. Through its Community Arts Partnerships, Ballet Hispánico reaches close to 30,000 community members via 200+ educational programs and offering 1,100 free tickets to New York City performances each year. The incoming Director of Development will have the opportunity to celebrate and harness the power of these accomplishments and Ballet Hispánico’s local and global impact. Gaining a department of three under them, and a strong collaborative partnership with the executive team, this leader will arrive eager and energized to advance institutional and individual philanthropic relationships.

Ballet Hispánico is the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. For over five decades, it has been a beacon of artistic excellence, celebrated for its bold repertory and exceptional training programs. The Company has commissioned over 100 original works, performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, and inspired generations through performances, education, and community engagement. Recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation, Ballet Hispánico continues to redefine what it means to be an American dance company.

At the helm is Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro, a former Ballet Hispánico dancer and acclaimed choreographer who assumed leadership in 2009. Under his dynamic guidance, the Company has entered a new era—broadening its artistic scope, deepening its repertory, and elevating its distinctive movement language. Vilaro carries forward the founding vision of Tina Ramirez, who launched Ballet Hispánico in 1970 to celebrate the beauty of Latino cultures through dance. Today, Ballet Hispánico stands not only as a cultural institution, but as a movement—pushing the boundaries of performance while honoring the traditions that shaped its legacy.

The Director of Development will direct and expand all aspects of Ballet Hispánico’s development activities, including donor cultivation and stewardship, annual and special gift campaigns, the annual gala, and institutional giving from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. They will be an organized communicator and manager, comfortable partnering with leadership to move strategies forward, and knowledgeable about working with boards. Individual Giving and major gift solicitations will be central to their responsibilities and skill set. However, overseeing institutional giving processes, furthering event strategy, and building an annual development plan will be integral components of this position. While they will have the chance to honor the historic legacy of this important company, they will also need to be forward-thinking, curious about alternate methods to attract a wider circle of donors and engage the community in meaningful ways. They will oversee an Associate Director of Institutional Advancement, Associate Director of Individual Giving, a Special Events & Development Associate, and part-time major gifts officer.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Leadership

• Partner with the Chief Managing Director and the Artistic Director and CEO in their vision for the future of Ballet Hispánico, to be another resonant advocate for the organization’s mission
• Develop a keen understanding of the organization, its programs, priorities, and strategic direction
• Construct a comprehensive and compelling development plan that promotes a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization, engages a variety of team members and stakeholders, and ultimately expands support for the organization
• Participate as an active contributing member of the Senior Management Team and steward of the organization's resources
• Identify opportunities to leverage Ballet Hispánico’s uniqueness and expand its traditional base of philanthropic support, employing the entire range of development tactics and strategies
• Serve as a visible representative for Ballet Hispánico at performances, showings, industry events, and other gatherings

Fundraising

• Lead strategic planning for the 60th Anniversary Campaign in 2030 and work closely with the Chair of the Board of Directors, Chief Managing Director, and Artistic Director and CEO to cultivate relationships with and secure gifts from prospects and donors
• Develop and implement strategies that maximize productive relationships with current and new donors and grow all sources of funding in support of Ballet Hispánico’s ambitious vision for the future
• Build the individual giving program, cultivating relationships with existing donors as well as identifying, cultivating, and soliciting new individual donors
• Maintain a portfolio of major gift prospects, identifying, managing, cultivating, and soliciting gifts
• Develop strategies to expand the planned giving program
• Elevate institutional funding relationships, overseeing certain funding communications, meeting with funders, and identifying new and prospective private foundations and public funders
• Cultivate and secure corporate sponsorships for the organization’s activities, special events, and program development initiatives
• Oversee the planning and execution of special events, including the annual gala, the New York City performance season, and smaller events throughout the year
• Remain informed about trends in philanthropy and ensure best practices are adopted by the organization

Board Relations

• Partner with the Artistic Director and CEO, Chief Managing Director, and Chair of the Board of Directors on board development, while maintaining positive relationships with the board that further philanthropic partnerships
• Collaborate with Ballet Hispánico’s various board committees to maximize their involvement with the organization and its development programs

Management and Operations

• Assess, support, and motivate the development team, providing inspiration and self-confidence, encouraging professional development, and serving as a mentor
• Create short- and long-range plans and set clear, ambitious, but attainable performance goals for the development team and individual team members
• Develop and oversee the development budget, track revenue, and manage expenses
• Ensure that software systems are in place and optimized for donor and prospect tracking, research, reports, acknowledgement, and stewardship

Qualifications

• Progressively responsible leadership experience in non-profit institutions, preferably in the performing or visual arts
• Confidence in working collaboratively with passionate, driven, and creative senior leaders
• A track record of setting goals and achieving them, while driving philanthropic growth
• Strategic planning experience including an ability to craft, drive, and implement philanthropic strategic plans, while obtaining consensus from multiple stakeholders
• Effective management skills with an ability to lead, motivate, and mentor a team focused on ambitious fundraising goals
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to influence, inspire, and build productive relationship with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Experience as a successful frontline fundraiser, including comfort and confidence working with major donors and high-net-worth individuals
• Knowledge of working with boards and an ability to leverage the time, talent, and resources of board members
• Strong listening, verbal, written, and public speaking skills and an ability to articulate Ballet Hispánico’s mission across platforms to diverse audiences
• Fluency with technology and an ability to analyze trends and adapt as needed
• Comfortable working within a fast-paced environment, while effectively managing multiple complex projects
• Familiarity with the metropolitan New York City philanthropic and business communities
• An ability to communicate in Spanish is preferred, but not required

Compensation

The salary for this position is $150,000-170,000. Employees have access to generous health insurance plans, a 403b plan with an employer match, a flexible spending account, and substantial paid time off.

This position is in New York City. As a community connector, Ballet Hispánico is an organization built on access to the arts with person-to-person interactions in its facilities at 167 West 89th Street. This Upper West Side location serves as Ballet Hispánico's cultural, historic, and institutional home. All Ballet Hispánico staff members have roles requiring in-person attendance on Monday through Thursday. Employees may work remotely on Fridays as part of the organization's hybrid work policy.

Ballet Hispánico is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.