Position Status: Full-Time
Exemption Status: Exempt
Reports to: VP, Capital Campaign
Position Overview
The Director, Capital Campaign is a frontline fundraising professional responsible for advancing TPAC's comprehensive fundraising efforts with a primary focus on the Be Bold. Build TPAC. campaign. Reporting to the Vice President, Capital Campaign, this role manages a portfolio of 125-150 major gift prospects and donors while serving as the primary staff lead for the campaign's seat campaign, community giving, and statewide fundraising initiatives. The Director develops integrated fundraising strategies utilizing major gifts, online giving, direct mail, digital engagement, peer-to-peer fundraising, events, volunteer leadership, and community outreach to expand philanthropic participation and build a sustainable pipeline of annual and major donors.
As a member of TPAC's 12-person Institutional Advancement team, the Director partners with donors, volunteers, community leaders, campaign committees, and colleagues across the organization to expand philanthropic support and achieve campaign goals. This position is ideal for an experienced development professional who excels at building relationships, managing donor pathways, and advancing complex fundraising initiatives in collaboration with organizational leadership and volunteers.
Opportunity and Impact
The Be Bold. Build TPAC. campaign is a $625 million capital initiative, including $125 million in private philanthropic support, and is currently in its quiet phase with significant momentum already established. The State of Tennessee has demonstrated its commitment to this transformational project by providing a $500 million matching grant toward the development of TPAC's new performing arts center. This position offers the opportunity to help shape one of the most significant cultural investments in Tennessee's history through the development of a new, world-class performing arts center on Nashville's East Bank. The Director will drive donor-centric fundraising strategies, cultivate meaningful relationships, and help secure the philanthropic investments necessary to realize one of the most significant cultural projects in Tennessee's history.
Primary Responsibilities
- Contributes to a team-based culture focused on respect, communication, inclusivity, and collaboration.
Fundraising and Donor Engagement
- Manage an active portfolio of 125-150 prospects and donors capable of making five- and six-figure gifts through proactive cultivation, and stewardship.
- Serve as a lead relationship manager for assigned donors, advancing prospects from initial engagement through commitment and stewardship.
- Support the Vice President, Capital Campaign, President & CEO, campaign leadership, and volunteer solicitors in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of select leadership and principal gift prospects.
- Conduct donor discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities to advance campaign giving opportunities
- Partner with TPAC's development team to integrate campaign fundraising with annual giving, donor relations, and institutional advancement efforts.
- Develop and implement individualized engagement plans that strengthen donor relationships and increase philanthropic support.
- Ensure a seamless donor experience across annual, campaign, leadership, and planned giving opportunities.
- Collaborate with Marketing & Communications, Graphic Design, and Donor Relations to prepare donor-facing materials including proposals, briefing materials, impact reports, stewardship plans, direct mail campaigns, and correspondence.
- Collaborate with development and marketing teams to ensure alignment of messaging and funding strategies.
- Maintain accurate donor records, activity reports, and prospect strategies within Tessitura and other fundraising systems.
Campaign Leadership and Implementation
- Partner with the Vice President, Capital Campaign, to implement campaign priorities, objectives, timelines, and fundraising goals.
- Serve as the primary staff lead for the campaign seat campaign, community campaign, and statewide giving initiatives with potential of generating $25 million in revenue.
- Grow statewide donor participation and engagement across Tennessee.
- Acquire 300-500 new TPAC donors through public-phase campaign initiatives.
- Organize and execute campaign activities designed to expand philanthropic participation and strengthen community investment in TPAC throughout Tennessee.
- Develop multichannel fundraising strategies using online giving, direct mail, email, social media, peer-to-peer fundraising, text-to-give, and personal solicitation.
- Identify, assess, and maintain data driven pipeline development in partnership with Prospect Researcher and campaign volunteers.
- Manage multiple campaign initiatives simultaneously while ensuring timely execution and achievement of campaign milestones.
- Coordinate with internal teams to support donor recognition, naming opportunities, stewardship and special campaign initiatives.
Volunteer and Community Engagement
- Support the recruitment, retention, and engagement of campaign volunteers and volunteer leadership.
- Coordinate activities with campaign committees, TPAC Board of Directors, community ambassadors, and volunteer fundraisers.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with volunteers, community leaders, and stakeholders throughout Tennessee.
The responsibilities listed above are not all inclusive. Other related duties may be assigned.
Skills and Knowledge
Required:
- Bachelor's degree and a minimum of five years of fundraising, development, nonprofit, relationship management, or related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors and achieving fundraising goals.
- Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Preferred:
- Experience using Tessitura or a comparable constituent relationship management (CRM) system.
- Strong knowledge of the Tennessee philanthropic, political, and business landscape, with an established network of community relationships.
- Demonstrated understanding of nonprofit fundraising, including annual giving, major gifts, planned/legacy giving, endowment fundraising, and a variety of charitable giving vehicles.
- Experience supporting or leading complex capital campaigns, comprehensive fundraising campaigns, or endowment initiatives.
- Proven ability to cultivate, solicit, and successfully close major gifts, with a demonstrated track record of securing gifts in the $100,000 to $999,999 range.
- Passion for the performing arts and a commitment to advancing the mission of a nonprofit arts organization.
Software and Services Used
- Tessitura, Concur, Microsoft Office Suite
Frequent Functions and Working Conditions
- This position operates in a hybrid work environment and requires regular in-person attendance at TPAC offices, donor meetings, campaign activities, and organizational events.
- Regular travel throughout Tennessee is required to support donor cultivation, volunteer engagement, community outreach, campaign activities, and special events.
- Occasional travel within the United States may be required for donor visits, conferences, professional development opportunities, and other fundraising-related activities.
- Ability to carry and lift up to 25 pounds.
- Must be able to stand, sit, or walk for extended periods of time.
- Flexibility to work nights and weekends.