Development Director

The Development Director (Major Gifts and Corporate Partnerships) is responsible for increasing contributed revenue from individual donors, corporate sponsors, government agencies, and foundations. The role leads fundraising strategy, strengthens donor relationships across key programs, including LUNA Fête, Arts Market, and the Young Artists Movement (YAM), and identifies and secures funders to support both programmatic and general operating needs. The ideal candidate brings strong relationships and connections within New Orleans, including corporate, civic, and philanthropic networks, as well as regional and national connections that can be leveraged to expand the organization’s funding base. The Development Director provides strategic oversight of grant activity, including setting priorities and ensuring alignment, quality, and competitiveness of proposals and reports.

This role operates in close partnership with the President and CEO and Board of Directors, who are actively engaged in donor cultivation and solicitation. The Development Director manages key donor relationships, prepares and positions leadership for successful major gift solicitations, and makes direct asks as appropriate.

In this role, the Development Director will lead major gifts strategy, provide final review and approval for major grant proposals, and over time, support the development of a planned giving program. While the Development Director sets strategic direction, day-to-day grant writing, submission, and reporting are executed by staff.

This position supervises a Development Manager who coordinates grant writing and management, oversees database administration, and supports development operations, including events.

Arts New Orleans operates in a remote-first environment, with the potential to transition to a hybrid schedule in the future. The selected candidate must reside in or relocate to Orleans or Jefferson Parish. Regular in-person engagement with donors and partners is essential to this role.

Start Date

We seek to fill this position as soon as possible, with a target start date in June or July 2026, depending on candidate availability.  

How to Apply

Please e-mail a one-page cover letter, resume, and three references as one document in PDF format to [email protected].  Include your name and Development Director 2026 Search in the email subject line.  You will be notified if references will be contacted.

Applications will be accepted through June 8, 2026, and reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Ideal Qualifications 

• Must embrace and actively advance the mission of Arts New Orleans
• Minimum of 6 years of experience of progressive experience in fundraising, with a demonstrated emphasis on donor cultivation, stewardship, and closing major gifts; ability to oversee grant strategy and processes. 
• Exceptional interpersonal and written communication skills
• Demonstrated knowledge of fundraising techniques, with expertise in major gift fundraising and direct solicitation
• Proven ability to work with and motivate staff, board members, and volunteers toward shared goals
• Established record of building and sustaining external relationships with donors, partners, and community stakeholders
• Self-starter with a goal-driven approach; comfortable partnering with the President & CEO and board members to lead or participate in donor visits and fundraising calls
• Highly organized with a consistent track record of follow-through on tasks and goals
• Positive, people-centered professional who demonstrates presence, self-confidence, sound judgment, and strong listening skills, with a genuine concern for community
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred
• Experience managing personnel, with a demonstrated ability to support and develop team members

Responsibilities 

• Develops and executes a comprehensive development plan with clear revenue targets and is accountable for achieving fundraising goals, with regular tracking and reporting on progress and performance.
• Provides strategic oversight of foundation, corporate, and government grants, setting funding priorities and direction. Supports high level review of major grant proposals in collaboration with the President and CEO, without serving as the primary drafter or sole approver. Ensures the quality, alignment, and competitiveness of key submissions while maintaining strong proposal systems. Day to day grant writing, submission, and reporting are managed by the Development Manager, with input from relevant program staff.
• Work closely with the President and CEO, Board of Directors, the Development Manager, and other staff members to align fundraising efforts with the organization’s overall goals and objectives.
• Oversee the Development Manager
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with individual donors and corporate sponsors to expand the organization’s funding base, including national corporations with a presence in or strong affinity to New Orleans.
• Conduct prospect research to identify new funding opportunities and potential donors.
• Prepare and submit sponsorship requests to secure funding from corporate sponsors.
• Manage and strengthen existing donor relationships through regular communication, acknowledgment, and stewardship activities.
• Plan and execute donor cultivation events.
• Grow a major gifts program, including identifying, cultivating, and soliciting major donors. 
• Provide strategic direction for the membership program, with implementation managed by staff.

• Build our first planned giving program focusing on deferred gifts such as bequest expectancies.
• Direct annual fundraising drives, including Give NOLA day, a program of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, and fundraising drives for LUNA Fête as necessary.
• Collaborate with the marketing and other team members to develop fundraising materials, campaigns, and promotional strategies.
• Oversee the creation of publications to support fundraising activities.
• Collaborate with the President & CEO and accountant to create and manage budgets for development activities and ensure accurate tracking and reporting of fundraising goals and results.
• Stay informed about trends and best practices related to nonprofit fundraising and development.
• Represent the organization at community events, networking functions, and professional conferences to enhance its visibility and reputation.
• Oversee the Development Manager, who manages and submits grant proposals and maintains the donor database, tracking donor information, interactions, and giving history.
• Acknowledge and recognize donors.
• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of fundraising strategies and initiatives, adjusting as necessary to achieve fundraising goals.
• Attend in-person staff meetings, participate in board meetings, and lead all Development Committee meetings in conjunction with the CEO.
• Demonstrate professional conduct.
• Perform other related duties as requested and serve as an Arts New Orleans team player by assisting with organizational and/or programmatic needs that may fall outside of development responsibilities. 

Salary & Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt leadership position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week. The role demands a high level of ownership and flexibility, including evenings and weekends, and the ability to work beyond standard business hours as needed to meet deadlines, support events, and achieve ambitious fundraising goals. The salary is $110,000 – $120,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Benefits include:

Life Insurance

100% of health insurance coverage 

Matching funds of up to 2% of salary for 403(b) retirement plan

Generous vacation

Disability Insurance

Sick leave

About Arts New Orleans

Now in its fifth decade, the Arts Council of New Orleans (doing business as Arts New Orleans) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting arts and culture throughout the city. Our mission is to improve the quality of life in New Orleans by supporting, activating, and investing in our city’s greatest natural resource: our artists and creative community.