Position Overview
Featherstone Center for the Arts is a vibrant, year-round community art center with a six acre campus on Martha’s Vineyard. We seek a Development and Events Manager to lead Featherstone’s fundraising efforts to ensure long-term sustainability, build resources, and deepen donor engagement to fuel our mission. 

This position reports to Featherstone’s Managing Director. This will start as an onsite position, with the potential to work remotely for responsibilities that can be performed offsite over time. This role is expected to be present for events, programs, and team meetings.

Given the size of our small team, all roles are cross-trained in and provide coverage for each other when needed. This role may provide backup for other staff just as other staff will cover for this position when needed.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Strategy & Implementation

• In coordination with the Managing Director, plan and implement short-term and long-term fundraising strategies
• Manage a grant portfolio from private and public foundations, including drafting letters of inquiry, proposals, and reports with a clear, persuasive narrative and consistent framing
• Lead summer and fall appeals, including appeal strategy, content, and timeline
• Run Featherstone’s key fundraising events: the annual gala (summer), Anonymous Art (summer) and the Potters Bowl (fall)
  • Organize logistics to ensure smooth operation and execution, including registration/ticketing, catering, and event set-up/breakdown
  • Lead promotion and outreach strategy
  • Coordinate sponsorships and identify ways to increase sponsorship revenue
  • Engage staff and manage volunteers to provide onsite support
• Support CEO with portfolio of major donors, providing prospect research and guidance around donor engagement strategies
• Serve as point person for planned giving/bequests, gifts of stock, and matching gifts; identify ways to increase and promote these giving options

Development Operations

• Manage donor tracking, including updating donor profiles and giving history in Featherstone’s CRM; analyze donor history to inform fundraising plans
• Ensure donors receive acknowledgement letters and prompt appreciation for their support
• Maintain necessary organizational paperwork (e.g., Board lists, program data) for compliance, program deliverables, and capturing scale of impact, and identify ways to improve organizational storytelling

Marketing and Donor Communications

• In coordination with Managing Director, provide input into communications strategy, with an eye for increased donor engagement
• Responsible for Annual Report, including collecting data and stories of impact and implementing distribution/engagement plan
• Manage advertising plan, including creating and placing ads

Required Skills and Competencies

• Commitment to Featherstone’s mission to engage, enrich and connect ​our community through the power of art and creativity
• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in fundraising, including grantwriting
  • Prior experience in communications, marketing, and/or design a plus
• Effective, persuasive writer, with prior success in securing grant funding
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple events, activities, and actions with competing deadlines and levels of urgency; reliable and consistent in follow-through
• Self-aware, self-reflective, and demonstrates warmth and good humor; shows up with empathy, curiosity, and enthusiasm in collegial relationships and work with donors and Board members
• Creative problem-solver, proactively recognizes needs and opportunities and takes the initiative to work toward solutions with an eye for ways Featherstone can live out our mission
• Able to work a flexible, non-traditional schedule, including evenings and weekends around events, especially during the summer, Featherstone’s peak period
• Technical fluency and comfort with learning new systems (e.g., Google Suite, Neon CRM)​

Compensation and Benefits
This is an exempt, full-time, 32-40 hour per week position, with an annual salary range of $80,000-$85,000 (prorated if working a reduced workweek) based on experience. 

Featherstone believes in paying all staff above a living wage as one way we live out our values of accessibility, inclusion, and community enrichment. Featherstone also offers health insurance, retirement with an employer match, and generous paid time off. Staff who work at least 30 hours per week are eligible for one free class at a time as space permits, a discount for classes for immediate family members, and free admission to summer camp for eligible children.

Application and Interview Process

• How to apply: Submit your resume and responses to our application questions, along with two references. Please submit your application to [email protected] with "Development and Events Manager” in the subject line.
• Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with a priority review deadline of Monday, February 3rd.
• Interview process: Qualified applicants will participate in 2-3 interviews, with reference checks. The initial interview will be via Zoom, and the finalist interview will be onsite. 

Application Questions:

1. Featherstone is a vibrant community art center offering year-round arts education and experiences for all ages and abilities. Through our wide-range of programming and collaborations we strive to make art accessible to all. Why are you interested in joining Featherstone to support this work?​
2. What relevant skills and experiences would you bring to this role that would be important for us to know about that we can’t already gather from your resume? (There is no need to repeat what we can see from your resume, but you are welcome to provide more context for what is on your resume.)
3. Featherstone serves people of all ages and abilities on Martha’s Vineyard, including permanent residents and visitors. What is your relationship to Martha’s Vineyard?
4. Is there anything else you’d like to share?

development_and_events_manager.pdf

Local residents are strongly encouraged to apply. If your experience doesn’t exactly match the qualifications listed but you believe you would shine in this role, we want to hear from you! Please apply and tell us why you’re the right person for the job.
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Featherstone Center for the Arts is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in education and employment. Featherstone Center for the Arts does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and event policies, employment policies, scholarship opportunities, or any other administered programs and activities.