Director of Development

Who We Are Looking For
Lookingglass is excited to add a new Director of Development to the team, who is an ambitious and passionate leader and brings an inspirational and detailed approach to guiding relationship building and fundraising activities for everyone on the staff, board, and ensemble.

The Lookingglass team expects that this new colleague will be familiar with Chicago and have participated in various development and engagement activities for a performing arts organization (including fundraising through events, annual funds, major gifts, corporate and foundation support, board activation, planned giving, and capital campaigns). They will have a highly detailed mind and be self-motivated and fulfilled by determining how all these different activities (and more they may create) work together to build resources that empower the artistry and civic impact of Lookingglass.

Theatre Overview
As one of the country’s largest ensemble theatres dedicated to the creation of new work, Lookingglass Theatre Company seeks to redefine the theatrical experience and to make theatre more exhilarating, inspirational, and accessible to all. Founded in 1988 by a group of Northwestern University theatre graduates, Lookingglass moved into its permanent home in the historic Water Tower Water Works on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue in 2003. Now in its 37th season, the Company is a respected source for story-centered theatrical work that is evocative, physical, and visually rich.

With a roster of 33 Ensemble Members and 17 Artistic Associates, Lookingglass productions are centered on ensemble with training in theatre, dance, music, and circus arts. Through its powerful, original theatre, the Company’s goal is to fire the imagination with love, to celebrate the human capacity to taste and smell, weep and laugh, create and destroy, and wake up where we first fell—changed, charged and empowered.

Lookingglass continues to invest in and build on its AEI (Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion) values and behaviors, which includes approaches to development and its relationship with supporters inside and outside the organization. Lookingglass recognizes that it has much more to do towards being an anti-racist and a more equitable institution. This work, by the Board, Ensemble, and Staff, is ongoing.

Position Summary
Lookingglass is governed in a dual-structure by the Ensemble and the Board of Directors as two partnership bodies, with executive leadership provided by Artistic Director Kasey Foster, Managing Director Jamey Lundblad, and a team which includes the Director of Development, General Manager Sarah Burnham, and Director of People & Culture Jazmin Jones-Oliver.

While the Director of Development will operate based on the idea that everyone in the organization participates in relationship and development activities, they will also directly support and invest in current development staff: a full time Assistant Director of Development (Carlos García León), a part time Donor Relations and Data Manager (Mantra Radhakrishnan), and contracted grantwriting support.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Director of Development is responsible for the leadership, direction, and management of Lookingglass’ fundraising initiatives. They will be responsible for setting and achieving all of Lookingglass’ contributed income goals, and actively linking contributed revenue activities to the financial planning, stability, and growth of the organization as a whole.

The Director of Development will be an enthusiastic spokesperson for the Theatre’s mission and vision, and the value and importance of the arts, for both internal and external constituents. They will work closely with Board members, the Managing and Artistic Directors, Ensemble Members, and other staff to expand and deepen existing donor relationships while implementing creative approaches to broaden the pool of Lookingglass supporters.

As a relationship-centered role for a performing arts organization, the Director of Development will have an adaptable schedule that includes attendance at many performances and theater events. They will be comfortable working in a hybrid workplace, and shifting their schedule regularly to allow both time in the office during business hours with the team and work on nights and weekends for events and collaboration with supporters, board members, ensemble members, and other artists and community partners.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
On a day to day basis, the Director of Development should expect to:
● Serve as a thought partner and a driver of the fundraising strategy and activities for Lookingglass with the Managing Director, Board, and leadership team
● Specifically design and direct (but not try to execute all by themselves) all fundraising activities on behalf of the Theatre, including donor engagement with events, annual fund communications, individual cultivation plans and moves management for major gifts, corporate and foundation support, board activation, planned giving, and capital campaigns
● Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward their own designated pool of major donors
● Develop and pursue targeted strategies to identify new individual or institutional sources of support, especially through activating supporters to open doors to other new supporters in networked approaches
● Collaborate with Marketing Department on institutional messaging and communication efforts and activities including, but not limited to e-blasts, social media and website
● Collaborate with Artistic and Production Departments to ensure a smooth connection between the themes and practical elements of all Lookingglass events with the engagement, attendance, and experience of donors and supporters
● Serve as an enthusiastic spokesperson during events and functions inside and outside Lookingglass
● Realize LTC’s AEI commitment in specific and visible ways through Lookingglass’ donor relationship, recruitment, and recognition activities and policies
● Participate in organization-wide anti-racism work and incorporate an anti-racist lens into daily practice, in specific and visible ways
● Actively participate in and play a leadership role at donor and patron events, opening nights, Board meetings, and Board Committee meetings
● Advise, train, and motivate the Board, and manage the effective use of Board committees (especially committees responsible for Development, Governance, and Finance functions), in support of Lookingglass’ resource priorities
● Support, develop, and prioritize the activities of the Development Staff team
● In partnership with the Managing and Artistic Directors and Board leadership, identify and recruit members for the Board of Directors
● Work with the General Manager to create, track and project the development department’s budget, including both expenses, revenue projections, and comprehensive financial analyses

Qualifications
Lookingglass expects that to be fulfilled and effective in this role, the new Director of Development will have:
● A high degree of initiative, confidence, and energy to set, pursue, and creatively achieve goals.
● Direct history participating in a development department with multiple contributed revenue streams, including experiences that can fuel a generative approach to new fundraising strategies
● A current or past understanding of Chicago-specific cultural fundraising
● Experience applying anti-racism and anti-oppression principles and practices, including thoughtful exploration or implementation of approaches to resource development that are based in community-centric or other inclusive or expansive fundraising approaches
● A demonstrated pro-active stance to accomplishing tasks, developing plans, and guiding others to collective action
● Flexibility to adapt communications, conversations, and relationships to meet the needs and to build trust with a variety of types of people both within and outside an organization, including speaking to individuals with varying artistic, civic, and corporate backgrounds
● Direct experience building, managing, and adjusting budgets, with an ease and detail orientation in navigating all kinds of financial documents
● Confidence in requesting and utilizing data from Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) software to inform strategic development decisions and individual cultivation efforts.
● A strong detail orientation that is visible in their written materials, budget documents, tracking of development activities, and their relationship/donor engagement plans
● An enthusiastic, collaborative mindset for growth and problem solving.
● The ability to anticipate organizational and individual needs and effectively address emergent issues, multiple projects, and diverse constituencies simultaneously.
● A demonstrated capacity to mentor and develop other individuals with their development activities, which may include others at many places throughout the hierarchy of an organization.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary
● $90,000 salary annually, paid bi-weekly

Health Insurance
● Choice of PPO or HMO; Organization covers the cost of 95% of the HMO plan. If PPO plan is elected, staff members pay the difference between the PPO plan and 95% of the HMO plan.
● Vision & Rx plan;
● This is reevaluated annually in June with the adoption of the health plan

Paid Time Off
● 12 paid holidays
● Vacation, Personal, Sick and floating holidays, including birthday.

Lookingglass Theatre Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetics, or status as an individual with a disability. We welcome applications from all qualified applicants.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To be considered, please apply via email to jobs@lookingglasstheatre.org with “Director of Development Application” in the subject line.

With your email, please include a resume that addresses the key capabilities in this position announcement, and a cover letter that addresses the following three points:

● What motivates you as a person and a development leader, and why do you think you would be excited and motivated as part of the Lookingglass team?

● How have you demonstrated pro-active ‘drive’ in the past and the ability to motivate others to take action in a common cause?

● What specific experiences have given you a detailed understanding of many types of development and engagement activities and how they work together to grow resources for an organization?

Email submissions only. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, and the position may be filled at any time. Lookingglass would prefer a start date by May 1, 2025 if possible.