Director of Business Development

Company Overview

ABOUT THE GRAND THEATRE

The Grand Theatre is World Curious and London Proud.  We bring the world to London with diverse, relevant, and original stories from London, and around the globe.  The company has a commitment to developing, producing, and premiering new works through COMPASS, our new play development program.

As a non-profit regional theatre, the Grand is a leading cultural hub, proudly located in the heart of downtown London, Ontario, Canada. We are a place for all to gather, discuss, challenge, debate, celebrate, and be inspired and entertained by exceptional theatre experiences.

Our staff teams embrace and participate in an environment that encourages respect, inclusion, open communication, a proactive approach to problem solving and reflects organizational values.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ANTI-OPPRESSION

The theatre sector is in a period of much-needed change and tremendous opportunity.  At the Grand, we are committed to creating and practicing a company culture that ensures an accessible, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming space for artists, audiences, donors, boards, and staff. 

We encourage all applicants to review the Grand’s Anti-Oppression Mission Statement on our website to confirm that your personal and professional values are aligned with this vision.  The Grand sincerely thanks all applicants for their time in applying.

Job Description

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Grand Theatre is seeking an experienced full-time Director of Business Development to lead the fund development initiatives. This role has responsibility for:

a)         Business/Corporate Relations, sponsorships and engagement programs; and

b)         Identifying and leveraging public, private & foundation grant opportunities.

The Director will be pivotal in strategizing and nurturing relationships with the business community to foster the Grand Theatre’s growth and impact.

detailed Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Director, and collaborating closely with  the Director of Development, the Director of Business Development will:

·        Craft and deliver on a comprehensive approach for engaging external businesses and community organizations, fostering new connections, and maintaining existing relationships;

·        Lead & manage sponsorships effectively, ensuring fulfillment of obligations, recognition, special events, ticket benefits, and ambassador programs;

·        Set, plan and achieve targets across multiple areas, including:

o   Sponsorships;

o   Corporate event & group sales;

o   Program advertisements;

o   Partnerships;

o   Corporate Giving;

o   In-Kind support;

o   Grant funding opportunities;

o   Local participation initiatives.

·        Collaborate with the Manager of Events & Rentals to ensure seamless execution of events related to the above;

·        Developing promotional materials to enhance business relationships with the Grand;

·        Proactively seek new relationships and opportunities with the community, aiming to expand the Grand’s network and potential connections.

It is expected that the Director will manage their time to balance the needs of all areas of the role, however, specific responsibilities will include:

Sponsorship (40%)

·        Secure season, title and program sponsors, expanding the Grand’s corporate sponsorship base by identifying and creating new opportunities;

·        Annually develop corporate sponsorship packages, including all materials and organizing sponsorship meetings;

·        Ensure agreements, invoices and receipts are issued to sponsors, in accordance with the terms negotiated and ensure the fulfillment of the theatre’s obligations and deliverables;

·        Continually foster sponsor relationships by attending and engaging at sponsored performances/events, and at all openings to welcome and thank sponsors;

·        Ensure communication of sponsorship information and obligations across the organization, and prepare sponsorship status reports for the Executive Director to present at board meetings.

Business Community Relationships (30%)

·        Develop and nurture relationships between the Grand and corporate communities.  This includes negotiating group/advertisement sales, brokering new sponsorships, sponsored events, in-kind contracts, and ambassador/engagement programs;

·        Establish & review revenue targets for sponsorship, advertising & group sales activities;

·        Represent the Grand at various community business functions and networking events.

Granting (30%)

·        Lead, research and undertake various grant and funding opportunities, from identifying the opportunity, to application, recognition and reporting;

·        Write grant applications, and lead on the collating, editing and submission of all grants, collaborating and coordinating with other staff contributors;

·        Assist the Senior Manager of Finance with Canadian Arts Data (CADAC) reporting;

Leadership/Management

·        In collaboration with the Director of Development:

•                     Recruit, mentor and supervise the development team;

•                     Develop and execute strategies and an annual Development Plan to meet fundraising goals;

•                     Develop and manage development department budgets and continually assess programs for effectiveness;

•                     Collaborate across departments as needed, maintain accurate records, and ensure all information is accurately captured in Tessitura and department-specific systems;

·        Cultivate a respectful environment with open communication in line with organizational values;

·        Provide regular updates to the Executive Director, and with other departments;

·        Attend functions and performances as required;

·        Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

·        5+ years in a senior role, preferably within an arts or cultural organization;

·        Demonstrated extensive business & professional networks in London & surrounding area;

·        Prior professional writing experience, particularly in grant writing;

·        High level of proficiency as an articulate & engaging public speaker;

·        A creative thinker, adept at proactive problem solving and collaboration;

·        A self-starter with strong organizational skills, capable of managing tight deadlines, and multiple priorities effectively;

·        Take accountability for your work and you take pride in the quality of your work;

·        Work tactfully and diplomatically while maintaining a high level of confidentiality;

·        Demonstrate an interest in and passion for Canadian theatre &  non-profit performing arts sector, eager to learn more;

·        Skilled at using various technology tools, including Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, Sharepoint), virtual meeting software ( Zoom, Teams);  Familiarity with Tessitura an asset;