Senior Director of Development & Marketing

Reports To: Executive Director
Department: Development & Marketing
Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
Direct Reports: Development Director, Marketing & Creative Manager
In-Direct Reports: Development Manager, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Application: To apply please visit https://acadianacenterforthearts.org/careers/

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Senior Director of Development & Marketing leads and advances a high-performing development and marketing operation at the Acadiana Center for the Arts.

This position provides strategic direction, operational leadership, and hands-on execution across all fundraising and marketing activities, leading a currently four person team, and collaborating closely with the Executive Director and members of the AcA Board of Directors.

This is a builder’s role. The Senior Director will bring a strong command of development and marketing best practices and implement them across donor pipeline management, marketing strategy, prospect research, team leadership, communications strategy, and data-driven reporting.

The ideal candidate is energized by building systems, excited to work within AcA’s strong culture, and experienced in trust-based fundraising.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Focus Area 1: Fundraising Strategy & Campaign Leadership
Success Statement: AcA sustains and grows its strong Annual Fund while advancing the Let Culture Lead campaign and developing the next generation of fundraising strategy — including deeper cultivation of AcA’s expanding donor pool.

Performance Standards:
Review past and current strategies to then develop, own, and execute new comprehensive contributed and earned revenue strategies, in partnership with the Executive Director.
Lead the marketing and development team to meet and exceed annual revenue goals, bringing diligence, structure, and strategic ambition to AcA’s culture.
Manage and grow a diversified fundraising portfolio including individual donors, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants.
Lead strategy and day-to-day management of the $18 Million Let Culture Lead campaign — including the Louisiana Music Museum Capital Campaign ($10M) and ongoing stewardship of the fully-funded Vision for Education Campaign ($1.5M).
Partner with the Executive Director and board leadership in major gifts management, campaign volunteer engagement, and institutional relationship development.

Focus Area 2: Donor Engagement & Stewardship
Success Statement: AcA cultivates meaningful long-term relationships with donors and supporters who are deeply invested in the organization’s mission and who are inspired to deepen their engagement over time.

Performance Standards:
Cultivate, solicit, and steward a personal portfolio of major gift donors and prospects, capitalizing on AcA’s significantly expanded donor and audience pool.
Guide the development team in building and managing their own donor portfolios with clear goals and accountability.
Maintain a robust prospect pipeline with clear qualification criteria, and accountability, identifying major gift prospects, deepening mid-level donor relationships, and building pathways for donor growth.
Ensure donor stewardship reflects AcA’s culture of hospitality, gratitude, and authentic relationship-building including meaningful stewardship of campaign donors in both active and post-campaign phases.
Develop meaningful donor recognition and engagement experiences that deepen loyalty and inspire increased giving.
Ensure effective management of donor communications across the full giving spectrum, from annual fund donors to major gift and campaign investors.

Focus Area 3: Marketing Strategy & Institutional Communications
Success Statement: AcA communicates its mission, programs, and impact clearly and compellingly which strengthens its reputation, grows audiences, and supports donor engagement.

Performance Standards:
Share responsibility with the Executive Director to serve as a motivating public spokesperson for the AcA, and, where necessary, act as an effective crisis communicator.
Provide strategic oversight of marketing and active management of public relations to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and revenue goals.
Guide marketing team to develop and execute campaigns for performances, exhibitions, arts education, and institutional initiatives.
Oversee brand voice, institutional storytelling, and messaging consistency across development and marketing channels.
Ensure marketing strategies support audience growth and ticket sales as well as contributed revenue goals.
Review and guide communications including direct mail, email and social media campaigns, impact reports, and campaign materials.

Focus Area 4: Infrastructure & CRM Implementation
Success Statement: AcA operates with a professional-grade marketing and development infrastructure that enables efficiency, accountability, and data-driven decision making giving leadership real-time visibility into performance and opportunity.

Performance Standards:
Working closely with the Deputy Director, lead the modernization of AcA’s CRM system, establishing it as the authoritative platform for donor/customer records, pipeline management, and reporting.
Maintain best practices for marketing and development including message cadence and multi-platform strategy, donation receipt and acknowledgment timelines, pledge tracking, moves management, and audience segmentation.
Build a reporting framework that provides leadership and the board with clear, timely, and actionable visibility into fundraising and marketing performance, pipeline health, and revenue projections.
Identify and implement tools, integrations, and workflows that reduce administrative burden and increase team capacity.
Maintain a close working relationship with the finance team to ensure accurate tracking, reconciliation, and reporting of all contributed revenue, and to support budget management and revenue forecasting.

Focus Area 5: Team Leadership & Department Culture
Success Statement: The development and marketing teams operate with clear direction, strong accountability, and a culture that reflects AcA’s values and ambitions.

Performance Standards:
Directly supervise the Development Director and Marketing & Creative Manager; provide strategic oversight of all department staff.
Set ambitious, measurable goals for each team member and hold them accountable with clarity and support.
Build a team culture characterized by high standards, collaboration, continuous learning, and shared ownership of results.
Model and reinforce a donor-centered culture across the full department.
Ensure strong cross-departmental collaboration with program directors, finance, and the Executive Director’s office.
Invest in staff development through regular coaching, professional development opportunities, and mentorship.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required:
8+ years of progressive fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in individual giving, major gifts, and campaign leadership.
Proven track record managing a major gift portfolio and closing gifts at the six-figure level.
Significant experience implementing or managing CRM systems and development operations infrastructure.
Experience leading and developing teams with a coaching-oriented, results-driven management style.
Strong command of development best practices including moves management, prospect research, gift acknowledgment, and stewardship.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling public-facing materials.
High degree of organizational skill, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Genuine commitment to the arts and AcA’s mission to enrich and transform the Acadiana community through the arts.

Preferred:
Experience in the arts and culture nonprofit sector.
Familiarity with the Acadiana philanthropic community.
Experience with marketing strategy, brand communications, or integrated development/marketing programs.
CFRE or equivalent professional credential.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $80,000 annually
Employer Insurance Contribution: 80% of Health Insurance; 100% Dental and Vision
Retirement: Employer-matched SIMPLE IRA (3% contribution)
Membership: Complimentary Insiders Membership at Acadiana Center for the Arts including a NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association) Membership
Event Access: Free admission for you and a guest to AcA events, when space is available
Work Environment: Collaborative, fast-paced, mission-driven nonprofit

ABOUT ACADIANA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
The Acadiana Center for the Arts (AcA) is the region’s premier multidisciplinary arts center, dedicated to enriching and transforming the Acadiana community through the arts. AcA presents performing arts, visual arts exhibitions, arts education programs, and community engagement initiatives that serve tens of thousands of residents and visitors annually. Additionally, AcA is building the Louisiana Music Museum and growing the Louisiana Scoring program. With the Let Culture Lead campaign well underway and a donor community that has grown significantly over the past five years, AcA is building the development leadership to match that momentum and to shape what comes next.

AcA is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.