Director of Development

About the role

The Director of Development is the operating partner who turns Big Art Loop's vision and momentum into sustained contributed revenue. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role is hands-on and builds the development function from the ground up.

Responsibilities

• Build and run the major gifts pipeline: identify, qualify, and move prospects through cultivation in partnership with the CEO, with clear next steps and disciplined follow-through.

• Prepare the CEO for cultivation moments: briefing memos, prospect research, talking points, and follow-up tracking.

• Own corporate partnerships and sponsorships end to end: prospecting, proposal development, structuring, closing, and renewal.

• Lead foundation and institutional giving: prospect research, LOIs, proposals, reporting, and relationship management.

• Stewardship & operations: design and run donor stewardship, run development operations, CRM hygiene, gift processing, pledge tracking, reporting, and systems documentation.

• Partner on fundraising events: donor walks, dinners, unveilings, and Liaisons gatherings, in coordination with the Chief of Staff and broader team.

• Support the board on giving: help shape giving expectations, prepare board members for cultivation, and bring board networks into the pipeline.

• Help architect the path to a capital campaign: assess readiness, shape the case for support, and lay the groundwork for scaled fundraising.

Requirements

• Proven closer: 7+ years in development, with demonstrated success closing five- and six-figure gifts and managing relationships at the seven-figure level.

• Builder: a track record building or substantially scaling a development function, ideally in a lean or early-stage environment.

• Cross-trained: experience across at least two of individual major gifts, corporate partnerships, or foundation/institutional giving.

• Sharp communicator: polished written and verbal communication, including direct donor correspondence and proposal writing.

• Trusted operator: high discretion and judgment handling confidential donor and financial information; strong organization and project management, comfortable owning complex work without close supervision.

Benefits

Compensation: $150K, commensurate with experience. Full-time, at-will, W-2. Location: San Francisco, with regular in-person presence for donor meetings, events, and unveilings.