Anniversary Campaign Director
SCA Mission | The SCA nurtures the art, the artist, and our audiences. We foster curiosity, connection, and joy through world class, accessible programming and shared creative experiences. We believe arts + creativity are tools for wellness (community + self), belonging, and transformation.
Who we are | We bring our mission to life through a multidisciplinary, year-round menu of performances, events, classes, and sometimes even conferences. We’re home to professional theater, concerts, film, indoor and outdoor exhibitions, adult programs plus cost-free creative educational programming for students in classrooms, libraries, and afterschool programs. We also do creative placemaking projects in surrounding communities. Plus, folks rent the venue for weddings and private events (we love being part of their stories). We welcome guests from Grand Rapids, Holland, and the entire lakeshore region, and indeed: we are the arts + cultural leader on the lakeshore.
The Position | Reporting to and in partnership with the Executive Director, the Anniversary Campaign Director serves as both a strategic and tactical fundraising professional, working closely with leadership, volunteers, and staff. The Campaign Director will be responsible for the SCA’s Anniversary Campaign to raise up to $20 million for an Anniversary Fund and the SCA’s endowment, serving as the central point of contact for all campaign strategy, activity, and communications. In addition, the Campaign Director will be responsible for the strategy, design, scheduling, and execution of all campaign cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, will manage and motivate the Campaign Committee and other campaign ambassadors, and will maintain the campaign budget, progress dashboards, and reporting in partnership with staff and campaign counsel.
Key Responsibilities |
- Participate in and lead overall campaign planning strategy development, and implementation; Manage the campaign budget in alignment with the SCA’s multi-year growth plan and Anniversary Fund.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for volunteer campaign leadership and committees; ensure an effective process is in place to inform key volunteers of campaign progress, messaging, opportunities, and activity.
- Lead, participate in, and track all campaign and major gift prospect cultivation and solicitation strategies, managing the SCA’s donor and prospect pipeline, and supporting efforts to prioritize philanthropic activity across all frontline fundraisers.
- Maintain high visibility and responsibility throughout the campaign. As an ambassador, maintain strong positive relationships with all campaign, annual donors and prospects to enhance support for and participation in the campaign.
- Support efforts to affirm portfolios relevant to campaign fundraising; Manage an assigned portfolio of donors and prospects representing lead and major gift support:
a. Identify, cultivate, and steward relationships with individual, institutional, and planned giving donors passionate about supporting the future of the SCA. b. Develop personalized engagement strategies to deepen relationships and secure financial commitments. c. Conduct and participate in in-person, virtual, and hybrid cultivation and solicitation meetings and participate in all campaign activities and special events. d. Provide exceptional stewardship to existing donors, ensuring regular communication, updates, and acknowledgment of their contributions.
- Work with Marketing Director, staff, and volunteer leadership to coordinate design and production of campaign collateral materials and to create and manage communications from the SCA to key campaign donors and volunteers.
- Collaborate with the Annual Fund Director to ensure coordinated and comprehensive donor-centric engagement, stewardship, and solicitation across all segments.
- Supervise the maintenance of a comprehensive campaign prospect management system, working to integrate with CRM and streamline workstreams. Guide and inform campaign cultivation and solicitation activities, track gift commitments, pledge agreements and payments, gift acknowledgments, and recognition as appropriate alongside activated stewardship activity and campaign engagement events.
- Direct the development of campaign timelines, status reports, prospect management reports, and other campaign management tools and policies as needed.
- As relevant to the campaign, support implementation and management of Red Arch Society, the SCA’s planned giving society.
- Plan, manage, and/or support campaign engagement events and programs.
- Work closely with the leadership team and others as appropriate to ensure integration of all fundraising and communications efforts.
- Network and build community through attendance at select community and leadership events.
Preferred Qualifications|
- Bachelor’s Degree; and at least 5+ years of progressively responsible experience including major gift/volunteer management experience and demonstrated success in capital campaign or other major gift solicitation.
- Arts and Culture sector experience preferred.
- Proven success in strategizing, preparing and/or soliciting 5- to 7-figure+ gifts.
- Demonstrated ability to motivate and manage volunteers.
- Highly organized, capable of managing multiple simultaneous projects.
- Proficient with CRM and/or donor management database systems.
- Excellent oral and written communication and organizational skills.
- Deep curiosity about art, culture, and creativity.
Salary and Other Details | Salary range for this position is $80,000 - $100,000
The SCA also offers:
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- 401K option
- Generous vacation benefits
The SCA’s “in office” work schedule is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A flexible work schedule or additional work hours may be necessary to meet the requirements of this job position, which could include evening hours and weekend work. Flexible / remote work available with supervisor approval.
This position reports to the Executive Director.