How to Apply
Send your resume and cover letter to [email protected].
We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
Job Openings
Development Director
Gray Area is a 21st-century countercultural hub catalyzing creative action for social transformation. Our mission is to cultivate, sustain, and amplify a community of creative practitioners who apply antidisciplinary practice — including art, technology, science, and the humanities — towards engaging with the complex challenges facing our world. Through public events, education, and incubation we maintain a platform that enables creators of diverse backgrounds and perspectives to transcend boundaries within deep artistic collaboration and gain agency to impact the world through category-defying work.
Gray Area’s Development Director is responsible for designing and implementing a
vision for the organization's overall approach to donor cultivation, strategic partnerships, and institutional sustainability, both on an annual and long-term basis. This person will first audit existing giving and non-giving communities around Gray Area, and from there establish priorities, objectives, and strategy for an institutionally specific development program. Day-to-day work from there will comprise implementing that vision, identifying and profiling prospective individual and institutional supporters, developing and supervising fundraising events, and directly soliciting support. While grant writing isn’t a part of this position, foundation support should be included in the overall strategy.
This position will report to and work closely with Gray Area’s Executive Director, as well as collaborate with our Communications Director and Community Manager to implement the development program. The ideal candidate will be a true relationship-builder who believes in Gray Area’s work and mission, able to meet internal and external stakeholders on their own terms and direct their engagement towards mutually beneficial ends.
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to building a culturally diverse team, candidates from groups generally underrepresented in our field are especially encouraged to apply.
Duties & Responsibilities
Development leadership
- Working closely with the Executive Director and other relevant staff, the Development Director will lead the strategy and execution of development initiatives supporting both programs and operations, including but not limited to: Individual Gifts, Corporate Contributions, Membership, Board Giving, and Special Events
- Raise $600,000 - $1,000,000 annually in foundation and government grant revenue
- Raise $500,000 - $750,000 annually in individual donations, corporate donations, and corporate sponsorship revenue
- Create and manage annual donor and funder stewardship and communication plan in coordination with the Communications Director
- Role may evolve as needed
Annual Fundraising
- Develop the pipeline for individual giving, cultivate and solicit support
- Develop strategies to support donor prospecting and ongoing donor engagement
- Work with Community Manager to oversee monthly giving/membership program
Special Events
- Develop and coordinate an annual benefit
- Develop and coordinate semi-regular cultivation programming
Management & Administration
- Maintain advancement policies and procedures, ensure data integrity of all donors, gifts, pledges, and files, and accurate acknowledgment of all gifts and grants
- With the Executive Director, develop a fundraising budget, then manage this budget to ensure fundraising goals are met
- Support the Executive Director with necessary information, meeting coordination, and follow up of major donors and new relationships
- Guide development-related content for the website and related materials
- Oversee the management and reporting of institutional and government grants
- Oversee the benefit management for corporate sponsors
Qualifications
Required criteria
- A genuine passion for Gray Area’s mission and the ability to hold meaningful conversations and foster relationships with prospective donors, curators and others
- A track record of maintaining and growing relationships with individual supporters in a professional context
- The ability and willingness to attend evening and weekend events in support of the fundraising plan and to travel, when required
- Prior exposure to budget creation and management, and the ability to create, manage, and present budgets
- Strong oral, written, analytical, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to take initiative while working individually and collaboratively
- Knowledge of, or interest, in the field of art and technology a major plus
- Experience at a nonprofit organization, art venue, or higher education a major plus
Additionally beneficial
- Familiarity with communities around Gray Area, including relevant artists and professionals, leaders in art and technology worlds, institutions, business models, etc.
- Experience developing and hosting well-run and engaging events
Benefits and Salary
Full-time Period
- Full-time salary dependent on experience
- $400 a month toward company offered health plans
- Unlimited vacation policy in collaboration with team
- Monday - Friday work schedule
- Paid holidays
Gray Area is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by federal, state or local laws. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Gray Area requires those hired into this position to provide proof that they have received the
COVID-19 vaccine. Any individuals subject to this requirement may submit for consideration to be exempted from the requirement (based on a valid religious or medical reason) on forms to be provided by Gray Area. Such requests will be subject to review and approval by the
Organization and exemptions will be granted only if the Organization can provide a reasonable accommodation in relation to the requested exemption. Note that approvals for reasonable accommodations are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis and availability of reasonable accommodation is not guaranteed. This vaccination requirement is based, in part, on recently established government requirements.
