The Director of Development will serve as Sea Dog Theater’s lead architect of contributed revenue, partnering closely with the Founder/Artistic Director and Board of Directors to strengthen and expand our fundraising infrastructure.
This is a working leadership role ideal for a self-directed development professional who enjoys building systems, managing grants, cultivating individual donors, and shaping long-term fundraising strategy within a nimble, collaborative arts organization.
The Director will oversee both day-to-day fundraising execution and long-range contributed revenue planning.
This role has strong potential to grow in scope and compensation as contributed revenue expands. The right candidate will play a central role in shaping Sea Dog’s fundraising engine for its second decade.
Core Responsibilities
Grants & Foundations
Maintain and manage a comprehensive grants calendar
Research prospective foundation and government funders
Write and submit grant proposals and reports
Steward and deepen relationships with current funders
Ensure reporting compliance and strong renewal strategy
Individual Giving & Major Donors
Develop and implement an annual fundraising plan in collaboration with the Artistic Director
Plan and execute annual appeals and targeted campaigns
Identify, cultivate, and steward major donor prospects
Shape donor engagement strategies aligned with Sea Dog’s relational, community-centered mission
Partner with leadership on five-year and multi-year commitment strategies
Events & Campaigns
Provide strategic leadership for fundraising events and donor salons
Support sponsorship cultivation and follow-up
Collaborate on campaign messaging and storytelling
Track engagement metrics and giving trends
Strategy & Board Partnership
Set annual contributed revenue goals with leadership
Develop benchmarks, timelines, and reporting structures
Prepare development updates for Board meetings
Equip Board members to activate networks and fundraising participation
Align fundraising opportunities with productions, readings, touring, and anniversary initiatives
Infrastructure & Systems Leadership
Build and optimize sustainable fundraising systems appropriate for a growing nonprofit arts organization
Maintain and strengthen CRM systems and reporting practices
Establish clear workflows for appeals, campaigns, and reporting
Create monthly contributed revenue tracking reports
Ensure organized digital documentation of grants and donor communications
This role requires strong project management skills, independent prioritization, and the ability to balance strategic planning with detailed execution.
Qualifications
3+ years nonprofit development experience (arts preferred)
Demonstrated grant writing success
Experience managing donor databases/CRM systems
Strong organizational and project management skills
Ability to work independently within a small organization
Excellent written communication
Comfort collaborating with artists and board members
Passion for theater and the performing arts
Compensation & Structure
$40–$50/hour (commensurate with experience and demonstrated fundraising success)
15–20 hours per week
Hybrid schedule with some in-person meetings
In-person attendance at select performances and all reading events required
Ideal Candidate
We are especially interested in candidates who:
Are excited about relational, mission-driven fundraising
Thrive in entrepreneurial, artist-led environments
Enjoy building systems and shaping growth
See fundraising as storytelling and community-building — not merely transactional sales
Are energized by the opportunity to help steward a company entering its second decade of impact
About Us
Sea Dog Theater is an award-winning New York–based nonprofit theater with an annual operating budget of approximately $500,000. A recipient of multiple New York Innovative Theatre Awards and the Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Revival, we are entering our 10th year as an organization, having produced over 45 readings and 8 full productions, and collaborated with more than 300 artists.
Our work has included partnerships and collaborations with acclaimed artists such as Bill Irwin, Dominique Morisseau, Len Cariou, Jay O. Sanders, Maryann Plunkett, Vince D’Onofrio, Natalie Gold, Kara Young, James Yaegashi, Kimille Howard, Stori Ayers, and Louis Cancelmi, among many others.
An average year at Sea Dog includes 6–8 readings and one full production, alongside projects in development and invitations to tour our work nationally. We are currently preparing for expanded touring activity and a world-premiere production in New York City over the next 18–24 months.
At Sea Dog Theater, we gather around stories, shared meals, and honest conversations to explore questions of alienation and reconciliation. Through intimate and innovative productions, we invite artists and audiences into a shared search for meaning — one encounter at a time.
As we enter our second decade, we are seeking a strategic and hands-on fundraising leader to help shape the financial future of an artist-led company at a pivotal moment of growth.
