Director of Philanthropy

The Tony Award-winning Long Wharf Theatre is on an unprecedented journey to allow art and activism to live side-by-side. We are committed to building a boundary-breaking theatre with, for, and by the New Haven community. We are looking for a dynamic and visionary fundraising professional to join our growing community as the Director of Philanthropy, assist us in reimagining the experiment that is the new American Theater and develop a new paradigm of fundraising for the organization and the field. 

A Hub For Artistic Innovation

Long Wharf Theatre (LWT) was founded in 1965 in a vacant warehouse space in a food terminal with seats borrowed from a retired movie house and became an important force in the regional theatre movement. Artistically ambitious, we are known for our commitment to commissioning, developing, and producing new work that becomes a part of the modern American canon.

Today, Long Wharf Theatre is one of the leaders in a sea change in American theatre. Jacob G. Padrón became Long Wharf Theatre's fifth Artistic Director and first leader of color in February 2019, and Kit Ingui was appointed Managing Director in October 2019 after joining LWT in 2017 as Associate Managing Director. Under their guidance, Long Wharf Theatre is a gathering place dedicated to producing boundary-breaking theatre with and for its kaleidoscopic communities. LWT is guided by the pillars of Artistic Innovation, Radical Inclusion and Revolutionary Partnerships. The company strives to approach our work with the values of curiosity, joy, disruption and conversation. 

Long Wharf believes that theater is for everyone. We are on a journey to (re)connect with the many vibrant communities of New Haven and become an organization that reflects each of them through our programming. In 2020, we embraced our long-standing reputation for being an incubator of new work and programmed “One City, Many Stages,” an emergent season of digital artistic events, panel discussions centered around emergent topics, community-led projects, and the inaugural issue of our literary and arts journal, “Kaleidoscope.” The multi-million dollar company annually produces a season of five to six mainstage productions, special events, school and community-based programming for lifelong learning while vigorously investing in compelling new voices for the stage who represent perspectives underrepresented in the canon of American dramatic literature.

Who Guides Us in our Values and Mission? 

Jacob G. Padrón (he/him), Artistic Director 

Jacob G. Padrón, Long Wharf’s Theatre's Artistic Director, is also the Founder and Artistic Director of The Sol Project, a national theatre initiative established in 2016 that partners with leading theatre companies to amplify the voices of Latinx playwrights and build artistic homes for artists of color. He was the Senior Line Producer at The Public Theater from 2013 to 2016 where he worked on new plays, new musicals, Shakespeare in the Park, and Public Works. From 2011 to 2013, he was the Producer at Steppenwolf Theatre Company overseeing artistic programming in the Garage, their space for new work, new artists, and new audiences. From 2008 to 2011, Jacob was an Associate Producer at Oregon Shakespeare Festival where he was instrumental in producing all shows in the eleven-play repertory. Most recently, Jacob worked in Cultural Investments at Time Warner (HBO, Warner Bros., and Turner), identifying diverse storytellers for media projects. He is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and the Yale School of Drama’s Theater Management program, where he teaches artistic producing.

Kit Ingui (she/her), Managing Director

Kit joined Long Wharf Theatre as Associate Managing Director in January 2017 and became the company's Managing Director in October 2019. Prior to Long Wharf, she served as Associate General Manager for Joey Parnes Productions (JPP), a Broadway producing and management firm. With JPP, Kit was the company manager for the Broadway productions of This Is Our Youth, the 2014 Tony Award-winning musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, and the 2013 Tony Award-winning play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Other Broadway credits include End of the Rainbow, Passing Strange, Butley (starring Nathan Lane), Well, and the national tour of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin. Kit served in the producing offices of the 2006, 2007, and 2008 Tony Awards and the 2012, 2013, and 2014 Drama Desk Awards, and was Line Producer for the 2015 and 2016 Drama Desk Awards. Prior to her work in commercial theatre, Kit worked at nonprofit theatres in New York City, including Vineyard Theatre, Classic Stage Company, and Playwrights Horizons. She is a graduate of Florida Southern College.

Work Environment and Culture

The leadership at LWT cares deeply about staff culture and development. Members of the LWT staff are encouraged to engage in courageous conversations within departments and interdepartmentally. There is a belief within the organization that great art comes from great relationships. LWT supports and cares for team members as a reflection of the quality of artistic exploration on our stages. 

Who are we looking for? 

The Director of Philanthropy (DOP) role is ideal for an innovative fundraising professional with a vision for an iterative model of philanthropy that supports and promotes social and economic justice. The DOP will have a values-driven and community-centered approach to fundraising that challenges and disrupts current industry practices. We are particularly interested in candidates who dream to revolutionize the way nonprofits think about fundraising and are looking for an organization to pilot their innovative strategies and tactics. This new organizational leader will be able to communicate their vision and strategy and catalyze change within and outside of the organization.  Because Long Wharf strives to exemplify the power of theatre to strengthen communities, the incoming DOP will be energized by the opportunity to bolster and cultivate authentic, enduring relationships. The DOP will have a facility for speaking about LWT’s values alongside its artistic work and community and educational programs.

The ideal candidate will align with our philanthropic values: 

• Artistic Innovation - a leader who cares deeply about merging artistic collaborations with supporters in our community and beyond to engage through philanthropic endeavors. 
• Radical Inclusion - welcoming everyone to the theater, no matter their gift. 
• Revolutionary Partnerships - creating opportunities for new connections and relationships within the New Haven community,  regionally, and nationally to fund our work.  

What is the ask and what does success look like? 

The Director of Philanthropy will be a key senior team leader in partnership with Jacob and Kit, providing a values-aligned fundraising perspective in all aspects of the theatre’s current operations and future planning. The DOP will be a key strategic partner, helping to shape the organization’s future as a theatre rooted in its community. In this role, the DOP will plan and execute fundraising and advancement strategies and build relationships with supporters, connecting them with Long Wharf Theatre’s artistic, educational, and operational funding possibilities. Radical inclusion and anti-racism will underpin all of the DOP’s work with all of LWT’s constituents, internal and external.

Areas of Accountability

• Develop and implement philanthropic engagement strategies for LWT’s financial, artistic, and operational efforts that align with their values of radical inclusion and anti-racism: 
• Reimagine how Long Wharf Theatre communicates its story in the philanthropic community.
• Organize, direct, and participate in building strategies to engage new and returning individual and major gift supporters.  
• Supervise LWT’s applications for institutional funding: corporate, foundation, and government grants and sponsorships, and more.
• Generate new efforts and enhance existing ones to activate the Managing and Artistic Directors, other Development staff members, and/or trustees in fundraising strategies .

• Cultivate new relationships 
• Scout for and supervise research of prospective patrons (individuals, foundations, corporations, government agencies and officials, and any potential “outside of the box” revenue sources).
• Strategize around the search, development, and maintenance of new synergistic community relationships with the specific goal of increasing philanthropic investment over time.
• Build upon our continued local business investment including local sourcing of materials - lumber, fabric, equipment - and many food and beverage items in our concessions.

• Maintain relationships with current donors through active stewardship
• Oversee the maintenance and creation of patron benefits programs and stewardship events.
• Ensure the fulfillment of obligations imposed by corporate, foundation, and government grants.

• Exercise a leadership role both internally and externally
• Serve as liaison between donors and the artistic process to communicate progress of productions and artistic endeavors. 
• Work in close partnership with the Director of Marketing and Communications and the marketing team to grow the patron and donor base through a coordinated membership model.
• Report regularly to the AD, MD, and Board on fundraising results and projections.
• Serve as an ambassador for Long Wharf Theatre locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Lead and participate in a capital campaign as applicable,  
• Organize and lead trustees and other volunteers in fundraising and ambassador roles.
• Support various board committees as requested by the MD.
• Lead and collaborate on special events, including Long Wharf’s annual Gala.
• Develop and manage the department’s income and expense budget.

• Operations
• Supervise and develop the department’s staff, currently composed of an institutional gifts consultant and development operations manager.
• Supervise the implementation of gifts solicitation strategy including: individual gifts, gifts of larger amounts (over $1,000), direct mail, telefunding campaigns, or community events .
• Supervise and maintain the donor database and patron information files.
• Participate in leadership team and other internal meetings, as necessary.

What are the expectations? 

• Upholding principles of radical inclusion and anti-racism
• Authentically engaging, listening and enhancing the workplace for everyone, regardless of race, gender or identity
• Meeting or exceeding mutually agreed upon financial targets (both number of donors and total dollars raised) 
• Understanding and executing the position’s Areas of Accountability 
• Incorporating institutional artistic and financial goals within the philanthropic strategy
• Motivating and encouraging board of directors and direct reports
• Demonstrating mastery of Spektrix, Wealth Engine and other fundraising tools
• Ensuring Development policies are adhered to
• Maintaining LWT constituents’ confidentiality

Essential Skills

• A love of theatre and fundraising and a passion for the development of strong relationships connecting the two
• A strong analysis around issues of equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism
• Successful track record in achieving fundraising goals and cultivating meaningful relationships with supporters 
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically 
• Proven collaborative management, supervisory and leadership capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and persuasively to a variety of diverse stakeholder groups (written and verbal)
• Enjoyment in taking initiative; excitement about new challenges 
• Established ability to handle sensitive and confidential data in a trustworthy manner
• Discretion and composure, especially under pressure
• Ability to establish priorities and manage numerous projects at one time
• Experience working with donor management software; expertise in MS Word and Excel
• Interest in and ability to learn new software 
• Ability to work nights and weekends as necessary
• Minimum five years fundraising experience 
• Prior experience in live theatre and performing arts preferred 

How much are we paying and what are the perks?

Salary Range: $100,000-$115,000

Benefits Package: paid time off, health insurance, dental insurance, short- and long-term disability, and life insurance.

Living in New Haven

The New Haven area is on the unceded lands of the Quinnipiac, Paugussett, and Wappinger tribes. 

A thriving city located in the heart of Connecticut, New Haven is a bustling area of nearly 130,000 and is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The city is home to many firsts, including the hamburger, and known for its educational institutions which include Yale University, Quinnipiac University, Wesleyan University, the University of New Haven, and many others which exist in the region. Out of all the cities in America, New Haven is considered to be most reflective of the demographics of the United States.

In addition to the city of New Haven, New Haven County comprises 26 smaller cities and towns bringing the total county population to approximately 850,000 people. Located primarily along the coast of the Long Island Sound, there is an abundance of choice in place of living whether one’s preference is urban or shoreline or rural. Rich in cultural activities and a rich diversity of culinary pleasures, New Haven offers an expansive metropolitan experience within an intimate and closely-connected community.

How do I apply?

Visit aljpconsulting.com/apply-for-open-positions to submit your application.

Long Wharf Theatre is an equal opportunity employer that centers and celebrates radical inclusion, anti-racism, equity, and diversity in all forms.