Major Gifts Officer – Job Description

Overview

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston  seeks to hire a Major Gifts Officer (MGO) to join the full-time staff of one of Boston’s premiere cultural assets and to collaborate with the Executive Director on strategies to build and sustain the Lyric Stage’s contributed revenue.

We are seeking a candidate who understands how to attract, build, and retain philanthropic support for live theatre and theatre-based education. The ideal candidate will embrace the Lyric Stage’s on-stage programming, its Anti-Racism and Inclusion Plan, and an office culture which celebrates a work/life balance.

The MGO would manage a portfolio of donors and prospects while coaching the Executive and Artistic Directors and members of the Board’s Development Committee with their portfolios, particularly in regards to closing gifts. 

This summer, Lyric Stage worked with a consultant to analyze its fundraising capacity. A robust data analysis and prioritization of potential donors for an initial portfolio was completed as part of this work. This new position is one of the recommendations from the report.

About the Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Founded in 1974, the Lyric Stage is Boston’s oldest resident theatre company. Its mission is to produce and present live theatre in Greater Boston with an intimate approach that promotes inclusivity and connection. The Lyric Stage leads an effort to integrate live theater and theater education into the lives of all residents of greater Boston.

Lyric Stage offers a six-production subscription season and has unified its suite of educational programs, including Lyric Back Stage, Lyric City Stage, Lyric First Page, and the Lyric Walking Plays.

The details

Hours: 40/hours per week; The standard schedule for the Lyric Stage is Monday through Friday, from 10am to 6pm, but each employee has discretion in setting their own schedule, recognizing that as a live theatre company, working nights and weekends is often required.  Flexibility of working occasionally from home remains a part of the working culture.

Reports to: Executive Director

Supervises: One Development Associate, and two work study students from Emerson College. Collaborates with the Director of Marketing and the Marketing and Development Associate.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Development Operations

The Major Gift Officer will collaboratively and creatively strategize with the Board’s Development Committee to offer more sophisticated giving vehicles, including planned giving and legacy or endowment gifts. The MGO will collaborate with the Marketing and Development Associate to create digital fundraising appeals and to utilize technology to create new opportunities to give.

The Major Gift Officer will collaborate with the Executive Director on setting reasonable fundraising goals for the annual budget. The current estimated fundraising goal for Fy24 is $850,000, from all sources of contributed revenue.

Individual Giving

The Major Gift Officer will serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors’ Development Committee and to the Advisory Council.

The Major Gift Officer will work closely with the Executive and Artistic Directors and the Board of Directors to implement the findings of the fundraising study conducted during the summer of 2022.

The Major Gift Officer will manage a portfolio of 80–100 major donors, and will assign cultivation tasks to the Executive and Artistic Directors. The MGO will collaborate with the Development Associate on creating annual appeal letters, including suggesting customized donation asks with subscription renewals.

While there is no annual fundraising event, the Development Associate will collaborate with the full-time staff on the creation and implementation of stewardship and membership events, as well as at least one signature event to mark the Lyric Stage’s 50th birthday in 2024.

Institutional Giving

The Major Gift Officer will collaborate with the Executive Director and the Manager of Community and Education programs to raise support from foundations and corporations for existing educational and community programs including Lyric City Stage, Lyric Walking Plays, Lyric Back Stage, and Lyric First Page.  

Additional duties, as required.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will:

• Embrace the Lyric Stage’s  Anti-Racism and Inclusion Plan, treating all individuals with care and respect, regardless of capacity to donate money.
  
• Have proven ability to coach executive staff in closing five- and six-figure gifts.
  
• Demonstrate increasing responsibility in an art-related non-profit organization.
  
• Demonstrate strong writing skills, a good visual eye, willingness to be a team player, strategic thinking, strong organizational skills, and the ability to take initiative.
  
• Represent our values and code of conduct, and create positive, respectful experiences for others.

Salary and benefits

In addition to a starting salary of $80,000, the Lyric Stage offers three weeks paid vacation, pays 60% of the employee’s individual health care plan, and participates in an employee retirement plan with up to 3% of contributions matched.

To apply

Email a cover letter and resume, or an alternative format that demonstrates your capability and aptitude for the position, to Matt Chapuran, Executive Director, at matt@lyricstage.com.