Vice President of Advancement

Position Overview
The Vice President of Advancement provides leadership for external relations for the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts with responsibility for fundraising, marketing and communications. Through this work, this individual is accountable, with their team, for achieving overall revenue targets, including both contributed and earned revenue outside of the Broadway Series, and is the primary champion of the Hobby Center brand including helping shape a new understanding of the organization’s work in the community through institutional communications and storytelling.
A member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Vice President of Advancement reports to the President and CEO, and will be a critical partner in building new capacity for the organization to drive deeper investment in new programming initiatives as part of the Hobby Center’s recently adopted strategic framework. This new strategic framework transforms the Hobby Center’s understanding of its role in community, centering the goals of expanding artistic programming, deepening education and community engagement initiatives, developing and sustaining infrastructure of the Hobby Center, as well as strengthening Houston’s performing arts ecosystem overall.
This leader is an expert at cultivating and stewarding relations with audiences and donors through personal and broad-based tactics. Their command of communications, with a natural affinity for engaging design, helps them maneuver through a complex marketplace consistently positioning the Hobby Center as best in class. This is an entrepreneurial individual who is invested in building the systems to support new ideas and innovation for the Hobby Center’s future.
The Vice President of Advancement will partner with the General Manager, Broadway on maximizing patron opportunities related to the Broadway Series. The General Manager, Broadway ultimately holds venue responsibility for revenue and attendance goals for the Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center Series.

Major Functions and Responsibilities
Communications
• Develop and execute communications strategies to build institutional storytelling and deepen relationships with audiences, donors and community.
• Develop communications plans and provide strategic counsel on critical issues.
• Partner with PR agencies on press relations and deliverables for presented performances, fundraising initiatives and other institutional messaging.
• Lead a rebranding process; dependent on resources committed for initiative.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the organization to media, audiences and other constituencies.
• Provide leadership for considerations around venue signage and branding.
Development
• Build development programs to achieve annual contributed revenue goal of $2.5 million in year one (up from $1 million currently) with continued aggressive growth of fundraising in future years.
• Institute a portfolio focused approach to fundraising and manage a personal portfolio of donors and prospects.
• Personally cultivate and solicit gifts of all sizes and impact.
• Build operational infrastructure to allow successful expansion of fundraising initiatives.
• Identify, cultivate, solicit and steward support from individuals, corporations, foundations and government sources.
• Engage the Board of Directors and other volunteer leadership in fundraising processes.
• Partner with the President and CEO on fundraising strategy and prospect engagement.
• Maintain strong visibility among donors and prospects at performances and events.
• Oversee execution of a comprehensive events program for cultivation and stewardship of donors including leading creation of a signature annual fundraising event.
• Undertake forecasting periodically to project contributed revenue outcomes.
• Develop a culture of philanthropy across the organization.
• Oversee planning and execution of any patron travel opportunities.
Marketing
• Achieve annual participation and engagement goals including ticket sales goals in excess of $1 million for presented and co-presented performances outside of the Broadway Series.
• Partner with artistic and executive leadership in the development of new programming initiatives including the identification of market opportunities and development of audiences.
• Build new subscription series in support of expanded programming including all marketing strategies to achieve participation and revenue goals.
• Responsibility for marketing and sales strategy planning and execution for single tickets, group sales and subscription sales.
• Oversee social media and digital marketing strategies and implementation.
• Support rental partners in execution of marketing strategies for non-presented programming.
• Provide overall budget management for department as well as team leadership.
Responsibilities may be amended as needed to meet the organization’s goals and objectives.

Traits and Characteristics
Team members at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts must thrive on challenge and be comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Working with a lean, nimble and efficient team requires that members bring an entrepreneurial spirit to their work, providing leadership across a broad scope of work.
• Bachelor’s degree with master’s preferred with a focus on business, marketing, arts administration or comparable.
• Seven to ten years of experience preferably in nonprofit arts marketing and/or fundraising.
Specific experience working within a presenting performing arts organization desirable.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and hunger for growth of revenue through marketing and development.
• Experience leading sales strategy for single tickets, group and subscription sales.
• Track record of successful relationship-building that has led to increased philanthropic funding
for a nonprofit organization. Major gifts experience desirable.
• Outstanding interpersonal and mass communication skills, with ability to leverage storytelling
and passion for the mission to engage new and renewed audiences and supporters.
• Must demonstrate ability to problem solve and to handle varied projects simultaneously
under tight deadlines and with multiple priorities.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Experience with preparing and managing department budgets and meeting goals.
• A team player who is able to work well with others in sometimes stressful environments.
• The ability to work and communicate effectively with a diverse group of board members,
donors, volunteers, patrons and staff of diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Strong utilization of technology to drive new efficiency and effectiveness across department.
• Strong written communication and proof-reading skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Active participation in professional and philanthropic networks.

Compensation
The Hobby Center offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental
and vision insurance, a 403(b) savings plan with matching employer contributions, paid time off, and
a discretionary performance-based bonus program. The anticipated hiring range for this position is
$125,000 to $150,000 annual base compensation.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume at www.thehobbycenter.org/jobs