Director of Development

About Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Since 1968, Berkeley Repertory Theatre has created ambitious, innovative theatre that entertains and challenges its audiences, provokes civic engagement, and inspires people to experience the world in new and surprising ways. Over nearly six decades, more than 6 million people have enjoyed over 500 productions at Berkeley Rep, including 91 world premieres, and our work has earned eight Tony Awards, nine Obie Awards, fourteen Drama Desk Awards, a Grammy Award, a Pulitzer Prize, and the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre, among many other honors. To formalize, enhance, and expand the processes by which Berkeley Rep makes theatre, The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep’s Center for the Creation and Development of New Work was launched in 2012. Serving some 20,000 people a year, Berkeley Rep’s School of Theatre ensures broad access to dynamic arts educational activities, especially for Bay Area youth, and provides immersive training for current and future theatre makers. In 2021, Berkeley Rep launched In Dialogue, a program that places its theatre-making skills and resources in deeper service of the community through long-term collaborations with local, socially centered organizations, as well as educating and activating our audiences around organizations whose work aligns with the themes of our productions.

Berkeley Rep employs 74 full-time staff and engages 500+ artists, artisans, technicians, staff, and educators each year, operating on a ~$25 million annual budget and across a robust real estate portfolio that includes a four-building downtown Berkeley campus and a three-building production and administrative complex in West Berkeley.

The Opportunity

Berkeley Rep seeks a bold, strategic, motivated, collaborative, and deeply people-centered Director of Development to lead all fundraising efforts for the organization and serve as a key member of the senior leadership team. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role for a seasoned fundraiser who brings both the rigor to manage complex, multi-year campaigns and the warmth and emotional intelligence to build authentic, lasting relationships with donors, board members, and colleagues alike. In partnership with Berkeley Rep’s Artistic and Managing Directors and Board of Trustees, the Director of Development is responsible for developing and leading all fundraising efforts for Berkeley Rep and energizing community support for the organization. This is a role for someone who loves people, loves theatre, works hard and plays hard, and brings a spirit of innovation and genuine joy to the work of fundraising.

The candidate entering this role will strategically leverage significant institutional strengths and recent momentum, including:

– A visionary executive leadership team including Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer and Managing Director Tom Parrish who are deeply engaged in donor relationships and bring more than a combined half-century of experience in the American theatre.
– A committed, active Board of Trustees and a strong track record of impact spanning nearly 60 years.
– A reputation as a leading incubator of new theatrical work outside of New York City, with productions regularly moving to Broadway, the West End, and stages around the world.
– A $60 million 60th Anniversary Campaign with more than $32.5 million already secured, including the single largest gift in Berkeley Rep’s history.
– A loyal and growing patron base of approximately 9,000 season subscribers and 2,000 individual and institutional donors, with significant runway at the major gift level, and an annual fund that surpassed its pre-pandemic high watermark in FY25.
– A culture of innovation, risk-taking, and artistic ambition that gives donors a compelling and emotionally resonant reason to invest.

The incoming Director will have the opportunity to deepen the organization’s major gifts work, strengthen the culture of philanthropy across the institution, and play a central role in completing a campaign that will shape Berkeley Rep for decades to come.

Key responsibilities

Major Gifts & Institutional Giving (50%)

– Manage an active portfolio of 75-100 leadership donors and prospects, with particular focus on deepening relationships with the organization’s top donors and prospects in close partnership with the Artistic and Managing Directors.
– Support the Managing Director and Artistic Director in the development and management of their own donor portfolios.
– Create and execute personalized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for each donor, including meaningful engagement with the artistic process.
– Use wealth screening, prospect research, and data-driven analytics to identify new major gift prospects and expand the philanthropic pipeline.
– Partner with the Managing Director, Artistic Director, and Board leadership to plan, implement, and complete the $60 million 60th Anniversary Campaign.
– Supervise a comprehensive grants program spanning foundation, corporate, and government prospects, including proposal development and reporting.

Operations, Management & Strategy (50%)

– Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, shaping Berkeley Rep’s overall contributed income strategy and long-range development plans and partnering closely with the Managing Director.
– Develop and execute comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising plans encompassing major gifts, annual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation and government grants, planned giving, events, and in-kind support.
– Partner with the marketing team to leverage the pool of ticket buyers, subscribers, and volunteers, developing collaborative strategies to convert and cultivate them as donors.
– Lead, mentor, and develop a team of eight development professionals, fostering a collaborative, high-performing environment where people can take risks, learn, and bring their authentic selves to work.
– Partner with the Managing Director and Board President to energize board members in their individual fundraising roles and build a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
– Supervise all development operations, including gift processing, donor database management (Tessitura), acknowledgments, benefit fulfillment, and reporting.
– Partner with the finance department to reconcile expenses, forecast revenue, and manage the development budget.
– Align all fundraising strategies with Berkeley Rep’s values and equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism commitments, advancing equitable fundraising practices across the organization.

Qualifications

– Passion for the performing arts and genuine connection to Berkeley Rep’s mission and values.
– A minimum of seven years of direct nonprofit fundraising experience with a demonstrated record of cultivating and closing major gifts, preferably at the six-figure level or higher.
– A minimum of three years of team management experience, with demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop staff across multiple areas of focus.
– Proven track record as a relationship builder with donors, board members, executive leadership, and cross-functional colleagues.
– Experience with or deep understanding of comprehensive campaigns (capital, endowment, special projects, and programmatic).
– Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with high emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
– Data-driven approach to fundraising, with experience using analytics to inform cultivation strategy and portfolio management.
– Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism.
– Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
– A growth mindset, demonstrating adaptive capacity, coachability, and the ability to try new things and receive and integrate feedback from a variety of sources.
– Sound judgement and the ability to handle confidential information with sensitivity.
– Experience with Tessitura or a comparable CRM system.
– Ability to travel periodically and work occasional evenings and weekends for events and donor visits.

Our Team, Culture, Compensation & Benefits

Our values—storytelling, rigor, innovation, equity, discovery, and sustainability—shape everything we do, from the work on our stages to how we build our team and serve our community. We are committed to anti-racism, radical welcome, and creating a place where artists, audiences, donors, students, and staff of all backgrounds can belong.

The Director of Development is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $185,000–$200,000, commensurate with experience. Berkeley Rep offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a choice of two medical plans with Kaiser (a Traditional HMO and a High-Deductible HSA-eligible plan). Berkeley Rep currently pays 85% of the premium for employees and dependents, with the remaining 15% paid by the employee through pre-tax deductions. Additional benefits include a 403(b) retirement plan, generous paid time off, access to Berkeley Rep productions and events, and eligibility for Growth & Discovery Grants, which support staff in pursuing classes, conferences, and other learning opportunities for professional and personal development.

This role requires regular on-site presence and in-person interactions at Berkeley Rep’s campuses and throughout the community and may rarely be performed remotely. Occasional overnight travel is required for donor visits and sector convenings.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. We strongly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented communities to apply. Berkeley Rep is committed to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and anti-racism across all aspects of our organization.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to: Susannah Sallin, Search Consultant to Nonprofits at apply@sallinsearch.com with “Berkeley Rep Development Director” in the subject line.