Alliance Theatre Chief Development Officer

Woodruff Arts Center employees play an integral role in creating and supporting great art and education initiatives at the nation’s third largest arts center. Comprised of three Art Partners—Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and High Museum of Art—there’s a role for everyone at The Woodruff.

Reports to:

Executive Director

FLSA:

United States of America (Exempt)

Employment Status:

Regular/Full time

Alliance Theatre is Atlanta’s national theater, expanding hearts and minds onstage and off. Founded in 1968, it is the leading producing theater in the Southeast, reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually through mainstage productions, education programs, community initiatives, and artist development. A recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award®, Alliance Theatre is nationally recognized for artistic excellence, education, and community engagement, and for developing significant new works that have gone on to Broadway, touring productions, and wider national impact.

Alliance Theatre is distinguished by the breadth of its work and the depth of its relationships. From world premieres and high-profile musical development to youth and family programming, acting classes, camps, school partnerships, and civic-minded community initiatives, the organization serves audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Its commitment to radical inclusion, catalytic artistic experiences, and meaningful access makes Alliance Theatre both a treasured local institution and a nationally watched creative force.

Summary

The Alliance Theatre seeks a high-performing, collaborative, and enthusiastic Chief Development Officer who will be an active participant on the senior staff of the organization. The Chief Development Officer is responsible for all areas of fundraising, working closely with the Managing Director, Artistic Directors, Board of Directors, and staff across the theater and larger Woodruff Arts Center to plan, solicit, and steward donations of all sizes, including major and principal gifts. With the end goal of not only growing philanthropic commitments across all giving categories-- broad-based, major gifts, board giving, foundation & government grants, and corporate funding—the successful candidate will also be willing to constantly gather information from all areas of the theatre in service of designing messaging and giving opportunities spanning the full breadth of the Alliance’s mission, productions, and programs.

The Chief Development Officer will possess team management experience, fundraising thought leadership, and a successful track record of leading annual fund programs. This individual will have experience collaborating across multiple departments in high-performing organizations and will be willing to act as an ambassador for the Alliance Theatre to internal Woodruff Arts Center stakeholders, as well as external donors, funders, and community leaders.

The Chief Development Officer will thoughtfully and confidently lead a highly skilled, eight-member development team consisting of the following (with the first four being direct reports):

• Director of Individual Giving

• Associate Director, Strategic Institutional Advancement (foundation and government grants)

• Associate Director, Corporate Partnerships

• Manager, Board Relations & Special Events

• Manager, Individual Giving

• Manager, Annual Fund & Donor Relations

• Manager, Development Operations & Institutional Giving

• Major Gifts Officer (to be hired in 2026 after Director is in place)

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Serve on Senior Staff of the Alliance Theatre

• Actively participate in growing and maintaining internal and external cultures of belonging

• Serve as an ambassador for the Alliance Theatre to internal Woodruff Arts Center stakeholders, as well as external donors, funders, and community leaders

• Actively participate in cross-campus Development thought leadership and planning for cross-campus fundraising activities, including coordinated annual corporate campaign

• Constantly and consistently evaluate trends in giving across all Alliance Theatre campaign verticals

• Actively participate in conferences and on-going industry trend analysis with fellow development directors across the country

Lead Fundraising & Stewardship Activities

• Working closely with Development Staff, ensure constant progress to meet or exceed all fundraising campaign goals

• Collaborating with Woodruff Central Services Corporate Philanthropy team, identify, cultivate, solicit, and ensure proper stewardship for all Alliance Theatre corporate funders

• Working with Development Staff, ensure all Opening Night and final preview pre-show donor events, and other donor events throughout the season are refined, inspirational, and mission-focused

• Serve as primary point person for all activities related to planned giving including overseeing new strategies and execution for soliciting and stewarding planned gifts

• Working with General Counsel of the Woodruff Arts Center, write and execute formal gift agreements for capital, endowment, and planned gifts

• Perform annual evaluation and refinement of donor benefits offerings and administration

• In collaboration with Artistic Staff and Managing Director, provide fundraising planning expertise and leadership for any capital, endowment, or special project campaigns which may arise

• Working with Development and Marketing Staff, create, refine, and maintain promotional materials for all Alliance Theatre funding opportunities—annual, long-term, capital, endowment, and planned gifts

• Working with Marketing department, help lead strategy for growing Alliance Membership and Subscriber patron base and pipeline to donor programs

• Oversee development operations, including improvement of moves management processes in CRM, consistent practices of prospect research, and accurate and efficient gift entry and tax acknowledgements

• Maintain weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly 1:1 check-ins with four direct reports

• Perform annual, or more frequent, performance reviews for direct reports

Serve as Primary Staff Liaison with the Alliance Theatre Board of Directors

• Act as lead planner and solicitor for all board of directors’ annual giving through dedicated Philanthropic Planning Meetings (“PPMs”)

• Working closely with Managing Director, ensure proper planning and execution of all Board Governance & Nominating Committee activities and meetings

• Working closely with Managing Director and Board Governance & Nominating Committee Chair, provide thought leadership on Board composition and serve as primary staff lead for new Board member recruitment and related on-boarding activities

• Working with Managing Director and Management Assistant, ensure all board meetings and events are professionally and elegantly planned and executed

• Maintain active schedule of communications and stewardship with all board members throughout the year

Oversee Development Budget

• Working with Chief Financial Officer and Development Staff, track and reconcile all revenue lines and expenses related to development activities

• Working with Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer, develop and maintain fundraising goals and expense budgets

Other responsibilities as assigned

Reporting Relationships

Reports directly to: Managing Director

WORK SCHEDULE:

• Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Some early mornings, evenings and weekends are required for special events and donor stewardship

QUALIFICATIONS:

At least 5 years’ experience building, leading, and maintaining a successful, multi-member fundraising team

• Passion for the arts and their impact in the community

• Commitment to the Alliance Theatre’s Mission, Vision, Values, and staff culture

• Demonstrated success identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding philanthropic gifts of 5- and 6- figures on an annual basis

• Demonstrated success growing an annual fund across all campaign verticals (annual, foundation, major gift, board giving)

• Demonstrated track record of evaluating and refining development activities across all campaign verticals

• Comfortable communicating with high-level executives, donors, board members, and community leaders

• Willingness to problem-solve in a collaborative leadership environment

• Knowledge of Atlanta’s funding community is a plus, especially with an emphasis on arts and education

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Necessary accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent use of hands and light lifting (at least 25 pounds) is needed.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• Willingness to work some weekends, late evenings and early mornings.