Director of Development

About the Opportunity

Jacob Burns Film Center, one of the most successful suburban art house film centers in the country, seeks a thoughtful, committed, and driven new Director of Development, as the organization prepares to celebrate its 25th year of achievement and impact. A cultural arts and educational center inspired by the power of film, the Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC) has accomplished a significant amount in its first twenty-five years, establishing pioneering 21st century education programs, offering professional development resources for teachers and local and international mediamakers, and welcoming more than two million people through its doors for films. The organization has claimed a beloved and substantial role in the Pleasantville, NY community, within Westchester County.

Now, as the organization takes steps to launch a campaign in honor of its 25th Anniversary, and reaches a new level of maturity as an organization, the JBFC Board of Directors and leadership team are ready to usher in a new chapter that honors their previous accomplishments, and yet finds new paths toward greater sustainability through increased contributed revenue. The Director of Development will be a key leader in the organization, reporting to the Executive Director, collaborating with fellow senior staff members, and mentoring and guiding a dedicated team of four in the development department. They will work closely with the Board of Directors, strengthening their abilities to be active fundraisers and advocates, and instilling in them an enthusiasm for the organization’s valuable mission. A natural communicator and strategic thinker, the Director of Development will draft detailed annual development plans to help the organization elevate its annual contributed revenue goal of from $3.1 to $4 million in the next three years.

Joining a dedicated team, this leader should have a passion for film as a vehicle for storytelling and an awareness of the philanthropic landscape of film and festival supporters. In addition, they will have a keen understanding of the important role JBFC has had in the Westchester community and a commitment to strengthening that position. They should be a storyteller, ready to craft messaging for this moment in the life of the organization. This chapter will require tenacity, ingenuity, and strategy from an individual, and concurrently, strong team leadership and a collaborative spirit to bring the important and varying forces around the organization–leadership, staff, and board–toward greater financial stability.

About Jacob Burns Film Center

In the late 1990s, when many said it couldn’t be done—that a nonprofit cinema dedicated to the art of film would never survive in the suburbs—a community believed otherwise. They imagined something bigger than a building. They envisioned a gathering place where the lights would dim, strangers would become neighbors, and the power of film would spark conversations that rippled far beyond the screen.

That audacious idea became the Jacob Burns Film Center.

Since opening our doors in 2001, we’ve proven that people hunger for more than streaming algorithms and isolated viewing. They crave the electric experience of laughing together in the dark, of gasping in unison, of staying in their seats as the credits roll because they’re not ready for the spell to break. They want to look a filmmaker in the eye and ask, “How did you do that?” They want their children to discover that they, too, can tell stories that matter.

Today, the Jacob Burns Film Center stands as one of the most successful suburban art houses in the country—not because we defied the skeptics, but because we listened to what our community needed: a cultural and creative hub where film becomes a bridge between people, between ideas, between who we are and who we might become.

To read more about the history of the organization, click here (https://burnsfilmcenter.org/about/history/).

Job Description

The Director of Development is responsible for overseeing the overarching development strategy for the organization’s annual operating needs, capital plans, and programmatic ventures. The Director of Development supervises a full-time staff of four, including the Donor Engagement Manager, the Special Events and Projects Manager, the Donor Database Administrator, and the Institutional Giving Manager. In addition to managing relationship-building efforts for board members and individual donors, they will direct donor research and identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. The position works closely with the Executive Director to set goals and manage major gift relationships. Committed to exploring additional funding sources, they will build on the organization’s established relationships with foundations, corporations, and public agencies and seek out potential new partnerships. They also engage with several committees of the Board of Directors. In partnership with the department and the board, the Director of Development will lead the planning and execution of fundraising for the organization.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership
⦁ Develops and executes a strategic, comprehensive fundraising plan that supports the annual operating and capital needs of the organization for the present and the long term.
⦁ Leads and directs the implementation of the organization’s fundraising efforts to build relationships with individuals, corporate entities, foundations, and government agencies.
⦁ Serves on the Senior Leadership Team of department heads, collaborating with internal stakeholders to set mission-based goals and strategies for the organization.
⦁ Collaborates and partners with JBFC’s Director of Film Curation and Programming and the Director of Education to understand the full dynamism of the organization’s programming goals and educational initiatives and to set strategy for specific program-related fundraising efforts.

Board Development
⦁ Motivates and strengthens the board in its role in development; expands, manages, and coordinates the directors’ and other volunteers’ involvement in fundraising activities; takes an active role in supporting and partnering with the board as they share JBFC with their networks.
⦁ Serves as the staff liaison for the Development Committee. Works with the Development Chair to set the agenda for the quarterly meetings, develops support materials, and follows up with development committee members to implement cultivation and solicitation strategy.
⦁ Serves as the staff liaison for the Nominating Committee. Develops board prospect profiles, works with the Nominating Committee Chair to set the agenda for quarterly meetings and supervises new board member orientation sessions.
⦁ Helps identify, cultivate, recruit, and onboard new JBFC board members; acts as a strategic thought partner for board governance policies and protocols.

Fundraising
⦁ Develops donor cultivation/engagement and sponsorship opportunities for upcoming anniversaries; sets fundraising goals and strategies that will support all upcoming anniversary programs and activities; prepares for a possible campaign.
⦁ Leads the process of articulating major gift goals; building relationships with new and longstanding donors, and soliciting gifts of all levels.
⦁ Maximizes the effectiveness of the organization’s diverse special events, which range from small cultivation events and opening night receptions to an annual gala, in order to help develop, attract, retain, and further engage donors.
⦁ Supervises and manages the research, writing, and preparation of all foundation, corporate and government grant proposals/sponsorships, and oversees grant administration and reporting.
⦁ Manages and oversees the formation and maintenance of necessary development reports and records; prepares and manages the department’s financial reports and budget; monitors budget and control expenditures.
⦁ Works with the Marketing/Communications and Membership departments on complimentary strategies and initiatives for sponsorship, member, and donor engagement, including, but not limited to, advancing audience members through the member/donor ladder.
⦁ Oversees member and prospect research to identify individuals for cultivation/solicitation; develops a comprehensive fundraising plan to move donors up the ladder of engagement.
⦁ Conceives and oversees the creation of the annual report with the development staff.

Departmental Leadership
⦁ Builds, trains, mentors, and guides an effective and professional development team and support staff; recruits and replaces team members as necessary, in consultation with senior leadership.
⦁ Fosters ongoing, collegial relations among the development department and other departments of the organization and helps integrate fundraising into the culture of the organization.
⦁ Takes an active role in the community and cultivates key relationships and associations with centers of influence within the county, state, and region.
⦁ Attends all mandatory training and workshops, as required.

Qualifications
⦁ Strong background in the cultivation and solicitation of individual, corporate, foundation, and government donors, and a demonstrated track record in the management of successful development programs, including staff and volunteer management.
⦁ Effective leader and administrator, with solid experience in managing, mentoring and motivating staff, and the ability to inspire those working with them toward accomplishing common objectives.
⦁ Extremely well-organized, able to plan strategically, set priorities and focus on details while not losing sight of the big picture, with the flexibility to welcome and embrace change, and the ability to balance the many challenges inherent in an active and lively environment.
⦁ Highly personable and positive; committed to operating with integrity, a strong work ethic, and a sense of humor; enjoys participating in social events, works effectively with board members, donors, volunteers, and inside staff, and who relishes taking an active, public role in the cultivation and solicitation of donors, and as a representative of Jacob Burns Film Center.
⦁ Possesses excellent verbal and written communication skills, knowledge of the operations and organization of a not-for-profit.
⦁ High level initiative, creativity, and ingenuity; low ego, but high energy; eager to be a team player, but also has the capability to work independently and as a self-starter.
⦁ Genuine interest in the arts and education, understands and supports the organization’s mission, appreciates the important role cultural institutions play in the life of a vibrant community, and has the ability to articulate this mission and role to others.
⦁ Keen awareness of philanthropy and funding opportunities in film, cultural education, and around Westchester County.
⦁ Extensive knowledge of fundraising strategies and principles; experience setting the strategy for and executing a major capital campaign is a plus.
⦁ Knowledgeable about how the film industry is shifting and changing at the moment.
⦁ Excellent management and supervisory skills.
⦁ Ability to work evenings as needed to manage and attend donor cultivation, special fundraising events, and receptions before or after film programs.
⦁ Seven to ten years of experience in fundraising for a nonprofit organization is highly preferred.

Compensation
The salary for this position is $175,000-200,000. Jacob Burns Film Center employees are eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage starting on the first day of employment (and generously sponsored by JBFC). If medical coverage is elected through the JBFC plan, the employee receives $3,000 in a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) and is eligible for an annual FSA (Flexible Spending Account). JBFC also offers its employees an employee funded employer-matching 403(b) retirement annuity plan, which can be funded through pretax and/or Roth payroll deductions.

Employees are eligible to enroll in and contribute to the 403(b)-retirement plan beginning on the first day of employment and the employer-matching funds vest immediately. JBFC also provides for generous vacation, personal, sick, and other paid-time-off. Parking is on-site.

The Jacob Burns Film Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in hiring and employment on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, sex, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, pregnancy, genetic predisposition and/or carrier status, disability, age, religion, marital status, national origin or citizenship status, veteran status, or any other classification as protected by law. We hire and promote individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job.

The Jacob Burns Film Center strives to achieve and actively maintain diversity among all staff and to foster a spirit and practice that promotes inclusion and mutual respect, thereby freely allowing for enhanced creativity, new ideas and approaches to problem-solving, and access to different perspectives.

Application Instructions
The Director of Development search is being conducted on behalf of the Jacob Burns Film Center by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by Consultant Brenna Thomas, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.

To apply, visit the online application (https://tocartspartners.com/jobs-listing/jacob-burns-film-center-director-development) and submit your materials. Your cover letter should include any training or experience relevant to the job profile that you would like to highlight, why you consider yourself a good fit for this opportunity, and anything else you’d like us to know about your qualifications that may not be present in your resume.

For general questions or nominations of prospective candidates, please contact searchteam@tocartspartners.com. We kindly request no phone calls.

Specific questions about the position may be directed to:

Brenna Thomas
Consultant, Search & Strategy
brenna@tocartspartners.com

Applications will be accepted until this role is filled. We encourage you to apply by January 16, 2026, for priority consideration. Interviews may begin at any time, and we encourage you to apply as early as possible for best consideration. Please note that applying before the priority deadline does not guarantee an interview, and all applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy.

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? Research shows that cis men apply for jobs when they fulfill an average of 60% of the criteria, while others tend only to apply if they meet every requirement. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.

We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates, including those with diverse workplace experiences and backgrounds. So, whether you’re returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or taking the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar.