Chief Development Officer

Chief Development Officer
Position Profile

About the Opportunity

Bay Street Theater seeks an experienced and dynamic Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead development efforts and serve as a key member of the senior management team. This leadership position offers significant growth potential and the opportunity to shape the fundraising strategy of a prestigious regional theater at a pivotal moment in its evolution.

Reporting to the Executive Director and working closely with the Artistic Director, Deputy Director, and Board of Trustees, the CDO will drive revenue growth, deepen donor relationships, and build sustainable funding streams to support a $6 million annual budget and ambitious artistic vision. The CDO role will have a significant impact on the organization in a time of growth and change, while having the exciting opportunity to shape the fundraising strategy of a nationally recognized regional theater. As Bay Street Theater looks to a bright future, there is significant opportunity for professional advancement within the organization, while offering a lifestyle that allows for living between NYC and the beautiful East End of Long Island (where summer housing is provided). The next CDO will join a collaborative and passionate team of theater professionals, dedicated to artistic excellence in the work, and to quality engagement within the community. The results of successful leadership from the CDO will be key to the mission of Bay Street Theater, supporting groundbreaking new works, transformative education programs, and meaningful partnerships throughout the community.

About Bay Street Theater

Bay Street Theater is a year-round, not-for-profit LORT C professional theater and community cultural center in Sag Harbor, New York. Since 1991, Bay Street Theater has been recognized as “one of the country’s pre-eminent regional theaters” (CBS Sunday Morning), producing world premieres, developing new works, and creating transformative theater experiences. The company’s 299-seat theater serves as a cultural beacon on the East End of Long Island, offering a Mainstage Series, new works development, extensive education programming, and meaningful community partnerships.

The Mainstage Series is the cornerstone of Bay Street Theater’s offerings, presented in a summer season (May-September) and featuring three to four fully staged Equity productions, typically including one new work, one classic, and a musical. Bay Street has produced over two dozen world premieres since 1992, with productions moving to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theaters nationwide. The annual Title Wave: New Works Festival provides playwrights with professional directors, actors, dramaturgical support, and staged readings before live audiences. Among the education offerings at Bay Street Theater are Literature Live!, bringing curriculum-based classics to life for school groups (free for all students); Writing the Wave creative writing competition for teens; Theater Camps for youth during school breaks and in the summer; and adult education classes in acting, playwriting, improvisation, and more.

As a community hub investing in the cultural life of the region, Bay Street Theater provides its stage to organizations without physical spaces, including Hamptons Doc Fest, Shinnecock Nation, Black Film Festival, Butterfly Effect Project, OLA, East End Special Players, and others. Bay Street’s home in the heart of Sag Harbor is a 17,000 sq ft building featuring a 299-seat theater with 3/4 thrust stage, lobby with bar, box office, production offices, costume shop, and dressing rooms.

Job Description

Overall CDO Strategic Leadership role
Develop and execute a strategic, comprehensive advancement strategy that supports the annual operating and capital needs of the organization for the present and the long term, with particular focus on major gifts ($25,000+)
Create a robust individual giving program, identifying prospects and moving donors through the cultivation pipeline while establishing and deepening relationships with individual donors, business entities, foundations, and government agencies.
Build year-round giving campaigns including membership, special events (Gala, cultivation events), and annual appeals
Mentor and lead the development team to create a culture of collaboration and innovation in philanthropic efforts ( team includes the Director of Sponsorships and Associate Director of Development)
Serve as a strategic collaborator with executive leadership and the Board to further the successful realization of Bay Street’s mission and vision in serving its community

Key Responsibilities

Donor Relations & Major Gifts
Personally manage a portfolio of major donor prospects and current supporters
Partner with the Executive Director on principal gift strategies and solicitations
Identify and re-engage lapsed donors while upgrading current supporters
Cultivate meaningful relationships between donors and Bay Street’s mission and impact

Institutional Giving
Oversee foundation and corporate giving strategies
Guide grant applications and reporting (working with staff and contract grant writer) – Identify new funding opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government sources

Development Operations
Oversee management of Tessitura CRM system, ensuring data integrity and strategic reporting
Oversee gift processing, donor acknowledgment, and stewardship communications
Create financial projections and track fundraising metrics
Ensure proper donor recognition across all platforms (Donor Wall, Playbill, website, etc.)

Special Events
Lead planning and execution of high-level donor cultivation events
Collaborate across departments to create memorable donor experiences

Qualifications

Required
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.
Possesses excellent verbal and written communication skills, knowledge of the operations and organization of a not-for-profit.
High level initiative, creativity, and ingenuity; 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
Proven track record of securing major gifts and building donor relationships
Experience managing and mentoring development teams
Strong analytical skills with ability to balance data-driven strategy and compelling storytelling
Proficiency with donor CRM systems (Tessitura experience strongly preferred)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work collaboratively across departments in a small, mission-driven organization
Willingness to be based in Sag Harbor during summer season (May-September) and flexibility for day trips to the East End or NYC for meetings and cultivation activities year-round
Minimum seven-10 years of development experience with at least five years in management role

Preferred
Higher education degree
Experience with endowment or capital campaign fundraising is a major advantage
Established relationships with individual donors, foundations, or corporate funders
Knowledge of and passion for theater and the arts

Compensation
The salary for this position is $150,000 – 175,000 (based on experience). Bay Street Theater offers a health plan, a generous holiday and PTO policy, and summer housing provided while in residence for the mainstage season.

Application Instructions
The Chief Development Officer search is being conducted on behalf of the Bay Street Theater by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy aligning strategies, structures, and leadership toward a thriving cultural sector. The search is being led by VP, Executive Search Cynthia Fuhrman, in consultation with and support from the TOC Arts Partners search team.

To apply, visit the online application 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. Applications will be accepted until this role is filled, but for best consideration we encourage you to apply by March 10.

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:

Cynthia Fuhrman
VP, Executive Search
cynthia@tocartspartners.com

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.