Department: Development
Reports to: Executive Director & Artistic Director & Director of Development
Works with:  Executive Director, Artistic Director, Director of Development, Director of Arts Education & Community Engagement,  Marketing Manager, Operations Manager, Finance Manager, Artistic Producer
Manages:  Volunteers on special events 
Status: Regular Full-time – Exempt or $33.80 an hour

Position Summary

The Assistant Director, Development is a frontline fundraising professional responsible for directly supporting and advancing Diversionary Theatre’s contributed revenue through hands-on donor engagement and close partnership with the Board of Trustees Development Committee. This role focuses on active cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of individual donors, with an emphasis on relationship-building, donor meetings, and follow-up activities.

The Assistant Director is a key ambassador for Diversionary, working closely with the Director of Development, Executive Director, Artistic Director, and board leadership to expand the organization’s individual donor base, strengthen trustee fundraising engagement, and support major and leadership-level giving efforts.

Primary Responsibilities

Frontline Fundraising & Donor Engagement

  • Manage a portfolio of individual donors and prospects, with responsibility for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, including in-person, virtual, and phone meetings.
  • Conduct donor discovery and qualification meetings to explore interest alignment, giving capacity, and engagement pathways.
  • Prepare and present gift opportunities independently or in partnership with the Director of Development, Executive Director, Artistic Director, or board members, as appropriate, including asking for renewals, upgrades, and project-based support.
  • Draft donor-specific proposals, follow-up communications, and stewardship touchpoints in coordination with senior staff.
  • Consistently document donor interactions, moves, and next steps in the donor database.

Board Partnership & Development Committee Support

  • As determined by the Director of Development, Executive Director, and Artistic Director, participate as a liaison to the Board of Trustees Development Committee.
  • Meet weekly with Director of Development, Executive Director, Artistic Director, and as regularly directed, with Development Committee Co-Chairs to report on activity, analyze outcomes and results, and strategize allocation of time for the week ahead.
  • Partner with Development Committee co-chairs to support committee members’ individual fundraising efforts, including peer-to-peer outreach, donor introductions, and meeting preparation.
  • Assist the Director of Development in preparing briefing materials, donor profiles, talking points, and follow-up plans for board- or senior staff-led donor meetings.
  • Assist the Director of Development in supporting the Development Committee meetings by preparing agendas, materials, action items, and progress tracking.
  • Help cultivate a strong culture of philanthropy among trustees through coaching, encouragement, and clear next steps.

Stewardship & Relationship Building

  • Execute donor stewardship activities for the portfolio to ensure timely, personalized, and mission-connected acknowledgments and follow-up.
  • Coordinate with the Director of Development and Executive Director on trustee and leadership involvement in donor thank-yous, meetings, and recognition.
  • Support our annual spring gala through pulling targeted invitation recipient lists, tracking attendance and fundraising goals, and providing planning and on-site event support.
  • Support donor engagement opportunities such as rehearsals, backstage events, or small cultivation gatherings, in collaboration with development colleagues.

Development Operations Support

  • Thrive in a lean, high-impact environmentfocused primarily on frontline fundraising, while enthusiastically collaborating to provide meaningful support on direct mail campaigns, special events, and team priorities as needed.
  • Maintain accurate donor records, contact reports, and fundraising activity tracking.
  • Assist in maintaining development calendars related to donor meetings and board engagement.
  • Support special fundraising initiatives and events as needed, particularly those with individual donor or board-facing components.
  • Perform other development-related duties as assigned.

 Required Qualifications
● At least 2-3 years of patron services or philanthropy experience in a non-profit
organization (preferred but not required to apply)
● A love of the arts and whole-hearted commitment to working with and supporting the
LGBTQIA+ community
● A genuine enjoyment of connecting with new people, paired with exceptional listening
skills and an authentic, relationship-driven approach that builds trust, accountability, and
long-term partnerships
● Comfort and confidence asking for philanthropic support and engaging donors in
meaningful conversations.
● Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with senior leaders, trustees, and
donors.Acknowledged____
● Extremely accountable and reliable.
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
● Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple donor relationships and
follow-ups simultaneously.
● Professional, discreet, and comfortable handling confidential information.
● Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google; experience with donor databases/CRMs
preferred.
● Willingness and ability to work evenings and weekends as required for donor meetings and
events.

Working Conditions

Due to the nature of the theatre and donor engagement, evening and weekend work will be required. The role requires flexibility, initiative, and a collaborative approach in a lean, mission-driven organization.

Visit the website at https://www.diversionary.org/job-opportunities for more info, and send resumes and cover letters to employment@diversionary.org.

Category: Jobs