Organizer Information
Ballet Hispánico was founded in 1970 in New York City by Tina Ramirez (1929–2022), a dancer trained in classical, contemporary, and Spanish dance who had toured internationally with the Federico Rey Dance Company and performed on Broadway before establishing the organization. Founded at the height of the post-war civil rights movements, Ballet Hispánico focused from its inception on providing a haven for Black and Brown Latinx youth and families seeking artistic place and cultural sanctuary. Ramirez served as Artistic Director until 2009 and received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush in 2005. In 2009, Eduardo Vilaro — a former Company dancer — became only the second person to lead the organization since its founding, and took on the additional role of CEO in 2015 following a reorganization that merged the artistic and administrative leadership. Since its founding, Ballet Hispánico has performed for over 2.3 million people worldwide, trained more than 20,000 students, provided $5.5 million in School of Dance scholarships, and reached over 750,000 New Yorkers through community programming. The organization has been recognized as one of America's Cultural Treasures by the Ford Foundation and maintains its headquarters, including a School of Dance and rehearsal studios, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Title & Description
Director of Development — Ballet Hispánico
Ballet Hispánico, described in the source as the nation's leading American Latino dance company, is seeking a Director of Development to lead and expand all aspects of the organization's fundraising activities. The role covers donor cultivation and stewardship, annual and special gift campaigns, the annual gala, and institutional giving from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. The organization is looking for a fundraising leader with a strong passion for dance and the performing arts, a deep appreciation of Latine culture, and an inherent understanding of philanthropy, who can also communicate the value and impact of the institution to a wide range of individual and institutional supporters. The incoming Director will lead a department of three and work in close partnership with the executive team, with individual giving and major gift solicitation as central responsibilities alongside institutional giving, event strategy, and annual development planning. The search is being conducted on behalf of Ballet Hispánico by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy for the cultural sector, led by Senior Strategist Brenna Thomas.
The Role Overview
- Salary: $150,000–$170,000
- Department / Programme: Development
- Working Hours: In-person attendance required Monday through Thursday at Ballet Hispánico's facility at 167 West 89th Street, New York City; remote work permitted on Fridays under the organization's hybrid work policy
- Team Managed: Associate Director of Institutional Advancement, Associate Director of Individual Giving, Special Events & Development Associate, and a part-time Major Gifts Officer
Position & Tasks
- Strategy and Leadership
- Partner with the Chief Managing Director and the Artistic Director and CEO in their vision for the future of Ballet Hispánico, serving as another resonant advocate for the organization's mission
- Develop a keen understanding of the organization, its programs, priorities, and strategic direction
- Construct a comprehensive and compelling development plan that promotes a culture of philanthropy throughout the organization, engages a variety of team members and stakeholders, and ultimately expands support for the organization
- Participate as an active contributing member of the Senior Management Team and steward of the organization's resources
- Identify opportunities to leverage Ballet Hispánico's uniqueness and expand its traditional base of philanthropic support, employing the entire range of development tactics and strategies
- Serve as a visible representative for Ballet Hispánico at performances, showings, industry events, and other gatherings
- Fundraising
- Lead strategic planning for the 60th Anniversary Campaign in 2030 and work closely with the Chair of the Board of Directors, Chief Managing Director, and Artistic Director and CEO to cultivate relationships with and secure gifts from prospects and donors
- Develop and implement strategies that maximize productive relationships with current and new donors and grow all sources of funding in support of Ballet Hispánico's ambitious vision for the future
- Build the individual giving program, cultivating relationships with existing donors as well as identifying, cultivating, and soliciting new individual donors
- Maintain a portfolio of major gift prospects, identifying, managing, cultivating, and soliciting gifts
- Develop strategies to expand the planned giving program
- Elevate institutional funding relationships, overseeing certain funding communications, meeting with funders, and identifying new and prospective private foundations and public funders
- Cultivate and secure corporate sponsorships for the organization's activities, special events, and program development initiatives
- Oversee the planning and execution of special events, including the annual gala, the New York City performance season, and smaller events throughout the year
- Remain informed about trends in philanthropy and ensure best practices are adopted by the organization
- Board Relations
- Partner with the Artistic Director and CEO, Chief Managing Director, and Chair of the Board of Directors on board development, while maintaining positive relationships with the board that further philanthropic partnerships
- Collaborate with Ballet Hispánico's various board committees to maximize their involvement with the organization and its development programs
- Management and Operations
- Assess, support, and motivate the development team, providing inspiration and self-confidence, encouraging professional development, and serving as a mentor
- Create short- and long-range plans and set clear, ambitious, but attainable performance goals for the development team and individual team members
- Develop and oversee the development budget, track revenue, and manage expenses
- Ensure that software systems are in place and optimized for donor and prospect tracking, research, reports, acknowledgement, and stewardship
Categories
- Arts Administration
- Development/Fundraising
- Nonprofit Management
- Dance
- Performing Arts
Eligibility
- Progressively responsible leadership experience in non-profit institutions, preferably in the performing or visual arts
- A track record of setting goals and achieving them while driving philanthropic growth
- Strategic planning experience, including the ability to craft, drive, and implement philanthropic strategic plans while obtaining consensus from multiple stakeholders
- Effective management skills, with the ability to lead, motivate, and mentor a team focused on ambitious fundraising goals
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence, inspire, and build productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
- Experience as a successful frontline fundraiser, including comfort and confidence working with major donors and high-net-worth individuals
- Knowledge of working with boards and the ability to leverage the time, talent, and resources of board members
- Strong listening, verbal, written, and public speaking skills, with the ability to articulate Ballet Hispánico's mission across platforms to diverse audiences
- Fluency with technology and the ability to analyze trends and adapt as needed
- Comfort working within a fast-paced environment while effectively managing multiple complex projects
- Familiarity with the metropolitan New York City philanthropic and business communities
- Ability to communicate in Spanish preferred, but not required
- No specific degree requirement stated in the source
- No geographic or work-authorization restriction stated in the source
- Ballet Hispánico is an equal opportunity employer; all applicants are considered without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status
Program Benefits
- Salary: $150,000–$170,000
- Health insurance: generous health insurance plans (specific tiers/coverage not detailed in the source)
- Retirement: 403(b) plan with employer match
- Flexible spending account
- Paid time off: substantial paid time off (specific number of days not stated in the source)
- Hybrid work arrangement: remote work permitted on Fridays
- Dental/vision coverage: Not specified in the source
- Tax details or gross/net notes: Not specified in the source
- Statutory holidays or paid office closures: Not specified in the source
- Lieu time: Not specified in the source
- Probation period before benefits activate: Not specified in the source
- Professional development allowance or training: Not specified in the source beyond mentorship and encouragement of professional development for direct reports
Application Fee
None.
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: Ongoing (Applications will be accepted until this role is filled.)
Location
New York City, New York, United States
Additional Details
- The search is conducted by TOC Arts Partners, a national consultancy for the cultural sector, on behalf of Ballet Hispánico
- All applicants will receive a response regarding the consideration and status of their candidacy
- The organization explicitly encourages candidates who do not meet 100% of the listed qualifications to apply, citing research on differing application behavior by gender, and welcomes candidates with employment gaps, career transitions, or diverse workplace backgrounds
- The Director of Development will lead strategic planning for Ballet Hispánico's 60th Anniversary Campaign in 2030