Director of Development

PLEASE NOTE

We are not accepting applications through the Apply button. To apply for this opportunity please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to: Susannah Sallin at with Berkeley Rep Development Director in the subject line.

About Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Since 1968 Berkeley Repertory Theatre has created ambitious innovative theatre that entertains and challenges its audiences provokes civic engagement and inspires people to experience the world in new and surprising ways. Over nearly six decades more than 6 million people have enjoyed over 500 productions at Berkeley Rep including 91 world premieres and our work has earned eight Tony Awards nine Obie Awards fourteen Drama Desk Awards a Grammy Award a Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre among many other honors. To formalize enhance and expand the processes by which Berkeley Rep makes theatre The Ground Floor: Berkeley Reps Center for the Creation and Development of New Work was launched in 2012. Serving some 20000 people a year Berkeley Reps School of Theatre ensures broad access to dynamic arts educational activities especially for Bay Area youth and provides immersive training for current and future theatre 2021 Berkeley Rep launched In Dialogue a program that places its theatre-making skills and resources in deeper service of the community through long-term collaborations with local socially centered organizations as well as educating and activating our audiences around organizations whose work aligns with the themes of our productions. Berkeley Rep employs 74 full-time staff and engages 500 artists artisans technicians staff and educators each year operating on a $25 million annual budget and across a robust real estate portfolio that includes a four-building downtown Berkeley campus and a three-building production and administrative complex in West Berkeley.

The Opportunity

Berkeley Rep seeks a bold strategic motivated collaborative and deeply people-centered Director of Development to lead all fundraising efforts for the organization and serve as a key member of the senior leadership team. This is a high-visibility high-impact role for a seasoned fundraiser who brings both the rigor to manage complex multi-year campaigns and the warmth and emotional intelligence to build authentic lasting relationships with donors board members and colleagues partnership with Berkeley Reps Artistic and Managing Directors and Board of Trustees the Director of Development is responsible for developing and leading all fundraising efforts for Berkeley Rep and energizing community support for the organization. This is a role for someone who loves people loves theatre works hard and plays hard and brings a spirit of innovation and genuine joy to the work of fundraising.

The candidate entering this role will strategically leverage significant institutional strengths and recent momentum including:

• A visionary executive leadership team including Artistic Director Johanna Pfaelzer and Managing Director Tom Parrish who are deeply engaged in donor relationships and bring more than a combined half-century of experience in the American theatre.
• A committed active Board of Trustees and a strong track record of impact spanning nearly 60 years.
• A reputation as a leading incubator of new theatrical work outside of New York City with productions regularly moving to Broadway the West End and stages around the world.
• A $60 million 60th Anniversary Campaign with more than $32.5 million already secured including the single largest gift in Berkeley Reps history.
• A loyal and growing patron base of approximately 9000 season subscribers and 2000 individual and institutional donors with significant runway at the major gift level and an annual fund that surpassed its pre-pandemic high watermark in FY25.
• A culture of innovation risk-taking and artistic ambition that gives donors a compelling and emotionally resonant reason to invest.

The incoming Director will have the opportunity to deepen the organizations major gifts work strengthen the culture of philanthropy across the institution and play a central role in completing a campaign that will shape Berkeley Rep for decades to come.

Key responsibilities

Major Gifts & Institutional Giving (50%)

• Manage an active portfolio of 75-100 leadership donors and prospects with particular focus on deepening relationships with the organizations top donors and prospects in close partnership with the Artistic and Managing Directors.
• Support the Managing Director and Artistic Director in the development and management of their own donor portfolios.
• Create and execute personalized cultivation solicitation and stewardship plans for each donor including meaningful engagement with the artistic process.
• Use wealth screening prospect research and data-driven analytics to identify new major gift prospects and expand the philanthropic pipeline.
• Partner with the Managing Director Artistic Director and Board leadership to plan implement and complete the $60 million 60th Anniversary Campaign.
• Supervise a comprehensive grants program spanning foundation corporate and government prospects including proposal development and reporting.

Operations Management & Strategy (50%)

• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team shaping Berkeley Reps overall contributed income strategy and long-range development plans and partnering closely with the Managing Director.
• Develop and execute comprehensive annual and multi-year fundraising plans encompassing major gifts annual giving corporate sponsorships foundation and government grants planned giving events and in-kind support.
• Partner with the marketing team to leverage the pool of ticket buyers subscribers and volunteers developing collaborative strategies to convert and cultivate them as donors.
• Lead mentor and develop a team of eight development professionals fostering a collaborative high-performing environment where people can take risks learn and bring their authentic selves to work.
• Partner with the Managing Director and Board President to energize board members in their individual fundraising roles and build a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization.
• Supervise all development operations including gift processing donor database management (Tessitura) acknowledgments benefit fulfillment and reporting.
• Partner with the finance department to reconcile expenses forecast revenue and manage the development budget.
• Align all fundraising strategies with Berkeley Reps values and equity diversity inclusion access and anti-racism commitments advancing equitable fundraising practices across the organization.

Qualifications

• Passion for the performing arts and genuine connection to Berkeley Reps mission and values.
• A minimum of seven years of direct nonprofit fundraising experience with a demonstrated record of cultivating and closing major gifts preferably at the six-figure level or higher.
• A minimum of three years of team management experience with demonstrated ability to lead coach and develop staff across multiple areas of focus.
• Proven track record as a relationship builder with donors board members executive leadership and cross-functional colleagues.
• Experience with or deep understanding of comprehensive campaigns (capital endowment special projects and programmatic).
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with high emotional intelligence and cultural competency.
• Data-driven approach to fundraising with experience using analytics to inform cultivation strategy and portfolio management.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity diversity inclusion access and anti-racism.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• A growth mindset demonstrating adaptive capacity coachability and the ability to try new things and receive and integrate feedback from a variety of sources.
• Sound judgement and the ability to handle confidential information with sensitivity.
• Experience with Tessitura or a comparable CRM system.
• Ability to travel periodically and work occasional evenings and weekends for events and donor visits.

Our Team Culture Compensation & Benefits

Our valuesstorytelling rigor innovation equity discovery and sustainabilityshape everything we do from the work on our stages to how we build our team and serve our community. We are committed to anti-racism radical welcome and creating a place where artists audiences donors students and staff of all backgrounds can belong.

The Director of Development is a full-time exempt position with a salary range of $185000$200000 commensurate with experience. Berkeley Rep offers a comprehensive benefits package including a choice of two medical plans with Kaiser (a Traditional HMO and a High-Deductible HSA-eligible plan). Berkeley Rep currently pays 85% of the premium for employees and dependents with the remaining 15% paid by the employee through pre-tax deductions. Additional benefits include a 403(b) retirement plan generous paid time off access to Berkeley Rep productions and events and eligibility for Growth & Discovery Grants which support staff in pursuing classes conferences and other learning opportunities for professional and personal development.

This role requires regular on-site presence and in-person interactions at Berkeley Reps campuses and throughout the community and may rarely be performed remotely. Occasional overnight travel is required for donor visits and sector convenings.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. We strongly encourage candidates from historically underrepresented communities to apply. Berkeley Rep is committed to advancing equity diversity inclusion access and anti-racism across all aspects of our organization.

How to Apply

To apply please submit a thoughtful cover letter and resume to: Susannah Sallin Search Consultant to Nonprofits at with Berkeley Rep Development Director in the subject line.