‍Job Position Summary

Marquis Studios seeks an experienced and hands-on Director of Development to lead and grow the organization’s individual giving program at a moment of significant opportunity. Reporting to the Executive Director and working alongside the Development Manager, the Director of Development will design and execute Marquis Studios’ individual giving strategy, partner with the Executive Director on major gift cultivation and solicitation, lead the planning and execution of the organization’s annual spring benefit and year-end campaign, and support the Board of Directors as ambassadors and fundraisers for Marquis Studios. The Director of Development will also serve as a member of the internal Senior Leadership Team.

This role is well-suited to a fundraiser who is energized by both strategy and execution, who thrives in a collaborative and non-hierarchical environment, and who is excited to roll up their sleeves alongside a small, dedicated team.

The Director of Development joins Marquis Studios at a strategically opportune moment. The organization is finalizing a three-year individual development strategy that will provide a clear roadmap for the Director’s first 12 months in the role, a starting point rather than a fixed plan. The Director is expected to use the roadmap to launch quickly into priority work, and to refine and reshape it as their own perspective and the organization’s needs evolve over the first year.

Marquis Studios operates on a hybrid schedule of remote and in-person work. This position is based in New York City and requires regular commuting to our administrative office in DUMBO as well as school sites and donor meetings throughout the city.

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SALARY: $90,000 - $95,000

BENEFITS: Marquis Studios offers generous benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; holidays; Employee Assistance Program; voluntary pre-tax programs for retirement (401(k)); as well as professional development opportunities and a flexible working schedule.

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Qualifications

• 5-8 years of progressively responsible nonprofit fundraising experience, with a demonstrated track record of growing individual giving and successfully cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors.
• Proven experience designing and managing fundraising events, ideally including a flagship annual benefit, with attention to both strategic positioning and operational execution.
• Demonstrated success partnering with executive leadership and boards of directors on fundraising strategy, individual donor engagement, and board member cultivation and development.
• A “doer” as much as a “thinker” and comfortable moving fluidly between high-level strategy and the hands-on implementation required in a small-team environment.
• Collaborative working style that thrives in a non-hierarchical culture, with a track record of building strong peer partnerships with development and program colleagues.
• Excellent writing, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to craft compelling cases for support and represent Marquis Studios with warmth and credibility to donors, board members, and partners.
• Fluency with donor CRM systems and prospect research tools; Salesforce experience preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines, projects, and donor relationships simultaneously.
• A genuine commitment to arts education, equity in access, and inclusive programming for students with disabilities and high-need schools.

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Roles & Responsibilities

Individual Giving and Major Gifts

• Design and execute a comprehensive individual giving strategy to significantly grow revenue from existing, lapsed, and new donors across all giving levels.
• Partner with the Executive Director on the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of major gift prospects and donors, including the preparation of meeting briefings, solicitation plans, cases for support, and follow-up correspondence.
• Build and manage a major gifts pipeline, using research to identify and qualify new prospects and developing tailored moves management strategies for each.
• Develop and implement an individual donor engagement and stewardship calendar that ensures meaningful, consistent touchpoints across the donor lifecycle.
• Lead the planning of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship gatherings that deepen donor relationships and grow the prospect pool.

Board Partnership

• Partner with the Executive Director and Board leadership on long-term board development, recruitment, onboarding and engagement strategies.
• Provide each Board member with a customized engagement and giving plan, supporting them as ambassadors and fundraisers for Marquis Studios.
• Engage Board members in current campaigns, events, and donor cultivation activities.
• Schedule and attend school site visits and donor meetings with Board members.
• Identify, cultivate, and support the onboarding of prospective new Board members.

Annual Fundraising and Communications

• Design and execute the organization’s annual year-end giving campaign, including messaging strategy, segmentation, solicitation calendar, and goal-setting.
• Partner with the Development Manager on year-end appeals, digital content, and donor-facing collateral.
• Coordinate with the Development Manager to ensure clean data, accurate segmentation, and timely gift processing throughout the year.

Annual Spring Benefit

• Lead the planning, implementation, and post-event evaluation of Marquis Studios’ annual spring benefit, in partnership with the Executive Director, Board, and staff team.
• Develop the event’s fundraising strategy, including honoree selection, sponsorship cultivation, ticket sales, and auction or paddle-raise components.
• Partner with the Development Manager on event logistics, vendor management, and timeline, ensuring the benefit serves as a flagship cultivation and stewardship moment for the organization’s most important donors and prospects.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work alongside the Development Manager — who leads grants, evaluation, and database operations — as a true peer partner, coordinating across the full development function and ensuring individual giving and grants strategies reinforce one another.
• Partner with the Executive Director and Director of Operations to ensure that development priorities are well-integrated across the organization.
• Work with the Development Manager and Salesforce administrator to ensure that the CRM continues to support the evolving needs of individual giving and major gifts.
• Contribute to the organization’s broader strategic planning and culture as a member of the senior staff.

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How to Apply

INQUIRIES: Interested applicants should send a cover letter, résumé and a representative writing sample showcasing work with individual donors to Careers@marquisstudios.org with the subject line “Director of Development.” No calls, please.

Marquis Studios is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, immigration or citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, marital and partnership status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran or active military service member or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws in its employment policies.