Development Manager

Hudson Valley Shakespeare (HVS) is a professional non-profit theater company that presents a rotating repertory season of both Shakespeare and more contemporary plays and musicals in an open-air theater from June through September. The company’s spectacular 98-acre campus serves as
a vibrant hub for the local community, a cultural and educational anchor for the region, and a national model for environmental sustainability in the performing arts. In the summer of 2026 HVS will welcome audiences to its first-ever permanent home – the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, designed by the celebrated architecture firm Studio Gang.

HVS seeks a full-time Development Manager to join its dynamic and growing fundraising program. This role is dedicated to supporting the organization’s contributed revenue goals, with a primary focus on annual giving, membership, donor pipeline growth, systems, and analysis. Reporting to the Director of Development, the Development Manager is responsible for translating strategy into action and ensuring that fundraising operations, communications, and stewardship are executed with rigor, clarity, and consistency. This role also supports the Managing Director, Artistic Director, finance team, and Board of Directors.

Key Responsibilities

Annual Giving & Membership

● Plan and execute annual fund, membership, and sustainer campaigns, including renewals, upgrades, and acquisition efforts.
● Manage recurring and multi-year annual gifts in coordination with the Director of Development.
● Implement audience-to-donor conversion strategies tied to performances and events.

Development Operations & Gift Management

● Serve as primary department administrator of the donor CRM, Spektrix, ensuring data integrity and consistency.
● Process and acknowledge gifts in an accurate and timely manner.
● Maintain gift coding, appeals, funds, and campaign structures in Spektrix.
● Oversee pledge tracking—including for the ROOTED Capital Campaign—and payment schedules, and conduct reconciliation efforts in coordination with Finance.
● Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for gift processing, acknowledgements, and data entry.
● Schedule key department meetings, including with the Board and leadership staff, and oversee the organizational calendar of events and stewardship opportunities.
● Provide administrative support for monthly Board Development Committee and quarterly Board meetings.

Analysis, Reporting & Forecasting

● Produce regular fundraising reports for Development leadership, Executive leadership, and the Board Development Committee.

● Track progress towards annual growth goals using dashboards and KPI reports.
● Analyze donor trends including retention, upgrades, lapsed donors, and ticket buyer-to-donor conversion.
● Support revenue forecasting, campaign analysis, and post-campaign evaluations.

Campaign Execution & Events

● Support the planning and execution of the annual gala, with emphasis on collateral, guest communications, vendor relations, and post-event donor conversion.
● Oversee the execution of member events throughout the season and implement strategies for event follow-up and evaluation.
● Assist with special campaigns, appeals, and targeted fundraising initiatives throughout the year.

Stewardship & Donor Communications

● Manage stewardship communications, acknowledgements, and donor touchpoints in coordination with the Director of Development, Marketing, and Box Office staff.
● Ensure timely, thoughtful donor recognition
● Draft or coordinate fundraising emails, appeals, and donor-facing content as assigned.

Qualifications

● Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in nonprofit development or fundraising operations.
● Demonstrated experience managing annual giving or membership programs.
● Strong organizational, project management, and data skills.
● Experience with donor databases/CRMs and reporting.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
● Commitment to the organization’s mission, values, and equity principles.
● Experience supporting galas or fundraising events.
● Experience in arts and culture nonprofits is preferred.

Terms and Compensation

• Full-time, exempt position beginning February 2026.
• Salary: $62,400 annually.
● Benefits: Health insurance options, paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• Some evening and weekend availability required.
• Primarily in-person on the HVS campus and offices; work occurs in both office and outdoor theater environments.

To Apply

Please send your resume and a brief cover letter in PDF format to jobs@hvshakespeare.org with the subject: Development Manager: [Your Name]
No phone calls, please.