Associate Director of Development -… at Zach Theater · Austin

Description

At Zach Theater, we believe in the power of light — to illuminate new ideas, spark imagination, and connect our community. As Austin’s premier professional producing non-profit theater, we create bold, intimate performances that challenge, delight, and inspire audiences. Our work extends beyond the stage, serving more than 100,000 Central Texans each year through performances, education programs, and community engagement initiatives. 

POSITION SUMMARY: 

Zach Theater is seeking an Associate Director of Development - Individual Giving to serve as a key leader on the Development team and a strategic partner to the Director of Development.

This is a newly created role designed to build upon a strong foundation and scale Zach’s individual giving program, while strengthening the pipeline for mid-level, major, and planned gifts. As the second-in-command within the department, this position will oversee individual giving strategy and execution, manage a growing team, and directly contribute to revenue generation through their own portfolio of donors and prospects.

Zach’s individual giving program currently generates approximately $1.38M annually, with significant opportunity for continued growth in the coming years. 

This role comes at a pivotal moment as Zach expands its fundraising capacity through recent investments in systems, strategy, and team growth. The Associate Director of Development - Individual Giving will play a critical role in growing individual giving at all levels, while strengthening the donor pipeline in support of Zach’s upcoming comprehensive campaign.

This role is ideal for a results-driven fundraiser and leader who is both strategic and hands-on and can build on existing momentum, close gifts, develop people, and drive continued growth.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Strategy, Performance & Organizational Leadership 

• Translate organizational priorities into actionable fundraising strategies, team objectives, and workflows that support departmental revenue goals
• Serve as a strategic partner to the Director of Development and engage with the Senior Leadership team, contributing to long-range planning, policy setting, and organizational decision-making
• Partner with and help activate Board members and volunteers in meaningful fundraising roles to support Zach’s current and long-term funding needs

Annual Giving Strategy & Donor Experience

• Lead the continued evolution of an annual giving program that inspires increased support across all giving levels, including targeted initiatives such as production underwriting, educational programming, and financial aid
• Strengthen a cohesive donor experience that clearly distinguishes annual fund support from leadership-level and project-based investments, while maintaining a strong focus on unrestricted giving
• Partner with the Marketing team to develop a comprehensive, segmented communications strategy that engages donors across channels and clearly articulates Zach’s impact
• Leverage performances, events, and engagement opportunities as strategic tools to deepen relationships, increase donor participation, and inspire giving across all levels

Portfolio Management & Gift Closure

• Manage a portfolio of donors and prospects, with a focus on securing, renewing, and increasing annual gifts at the mid-level and leadership levels
• Personally solicit and close gifts, demonstrating a high level of comfort and success in direct asks and donor conversations, serving as a model for best practices across the team
• Support senior leadership and board members in donor cultivation and solicitation efforts for key donors and prospects
• Partner with the Director of Development on strategies to align annual giving and comprehensive campaign efforts, supporting donor conversations that may include both annual and campaign investments

Planned Giving Development

• Collaborate with the Director of Development to build and grow Zach’s planned giving program
• Identify and cultivate planned giving prospects within the existing donor base
• Integrate planned giving strategies into donor conversations and long-term engagement plans

Individual Giving Growth, Engagement & Pipeline Strategy

• Oversee strategies that drive growth across all levels of individual giving, from broad-based participation to leadership and principal gifts, ensuring a strong and sustainable revenue pipeline
• Lead an organization-wide approach to relationship management that ensures consistent engagement with new, renewing, and lapsed donors
• Design targeted engagement and cultivation strategies that increase donor retention, upgrade rates, and long-term value
• Lead the strategy and execution of broad-based fundraising campaigns, including end-of-year, fiscal year-end, and citywide initiatives such as Amplify Austin
• Build on successful donor acquisition efforts and refine annual campaign strategies to increase participation, retention, and upgrade rates
• Identify and implement innovative approaches to donor acquisition and conversion, including integrated giving opportunities tied to ticketing and membership experiences
• Engage senior leadership and Board members in strategic prospect identification, cultivation, and relationship-building efforts to support donor growth and advancement
• Identify and accelerate high-capacity prospects, strengthening the pipeline into major and transformational giving
• Partner with Marketing and Communications to develop segmented donor engagement strategies that emphasize philanthropy, strengthen emotional connection, and integrate communications across channels
• Collaborate across departments to align strategies, leverage audience engagement opportunities, and ensure a seamless donor experience
• Ensure consistent tracking and documentation of donor interactions, preferences, and insights within the Tessitura CRM system to inform strategy and strengthen engagement
• Implement and leverage prospect research and screening tools, including iWave, to identify and qualify new donor prospects

Team Leadership & Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of development professionals by providing clear direction, coaching, accountability, and alignment of team priorities, workflows, and performance expectations with departmental and organizational goals
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and results-driven team culture grounded in accountability, goal-setting, and continuous growth

Operations, Systems & Data Strategy

• Build upon established KPIs and performance metrics by strengthening reporting, dashboards, and analytics to more effectively track progress and inform strategic decision-making
• Utilize data insights to identify trends, refine strategies, and drive continuous improvement across annual giving efforts
• Lead continued refinement of development operations, including SOP development and process improvements that support consistency and scalability
• Partner with internal teams on organization-wide technology initiatives, including Tessitura optimization, Asana adoption, reporting workflows, and data integrity practices that support effective collaboration, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience (preferred)
• Minimum of 3+ years of experience managing fundraising staff or teams, with a track record of growing contributed revenue
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in individual giving, including personally soliciting and closing gifts and managing donor portfolios (preferred)
• Proficiency in digital tools and systems, including Google Workspace, Tessitura CRM (or comparable CRM platform), Asana, Slack, and other collaboration and project management tools, with a willingness to learn new platforms as needed
• Comfort working with donor databases and fundraising technology; Tessitura experience is a plus
• Experience in a theater, performing arts organization, or related nonprofit setting (highly preferred)
• Knowledge of the Austin community and giving landscape (preferred)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: 

• Experience using data, reporting, and analytics to inform fundraising strategy and decision-making
• Understanding of donor pipeline development, moves management, and prospect qualification strategies
• Experience with integrated fundraising campaigns and multi-channel donor engagement strategies is a plus
• Experience or exposure to planned giving strategies (preferred)
• Proven ability to build, manage, and motivate high-performing teams
• Strong experience working collaboratively with boards, volunteers, and senior leadership
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to inspire, persuade, and build meaningful relationships
• Strong organizational, strategic thinking, and project management skills
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize competing tasks and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to troubleshooting and process improvement
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and with external partners
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and maintain professionalism under pressure
• A proactive, goal-oriented mindset with the ability to balance long-term strategy and day-to-day execution
• Personal warmth, emotional intelligence, curiosity, and a sense of humor
• Commitment to upholding and reflecting the mission, vision, and core values of Zach Theater in all interactions and responsibilities

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: 

This is a campus-based, on-site role with the ability to work remotely 1-2 days a week per company and department guidelines as approved by the supervisor. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions upon discussion with HR.

• Ability to lift, push, pull or otherwise maneuver up to 30 lbs repeatedly, either alone or with assistance
• Work in close proximity with other coworkers
• Must have reliable transportation and the ability to work with a flexible schedule, including frequent nights and weekends as scheduled for performances and events
• The noise level in this work environment is typically moderate and can be high.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports to: Director of Development

Supervises (if any): Individual Giving Officer, Annual Fund Associate

Supports: Development Department, Donors, Patrons, and Board

Peer collaboration/communicates with: All Departments including Marketing, Front of House, Production, Education, and Finance—as well as senior leadership and board members, to ensure a cohesive and compelling donor experience across all touchpoints

PAY:

Beginning pay starting between $65k-80k annually commensurate with experience and qualifications. New hires are typically brought into the organization between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range posted depending upon qualifications, years of experience in a similar role, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role. 

All offers of employment are conditional pending the successful completion of background and reference checks.

We’re excited to review your application. To ensure a smooth and fair hiring process, please apply online only. We’re not able to accommodate phone calls or in-person visits about this position. 

Some of the great benefits available to Zach Employees:

• Affordable Healthcare Coverage for Full-Time Employees and their dependents
• Employer Paid Life and AD&D insurance
• Employer Paid Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401K Matching Program
• Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time
• Paid Holidays
• Free Parking
• Tickets to Mainstage and Family Series shows and enrollment in Camps/Classes

Zach Theater is committed to ensuring an equitable and inclusive workforce and we strive for a team that reflects Austin’s diverse culture. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, sex or age.