Director of Development

Organizational Summary:

Playwrights Horizons is a writer’s theater committed to the advancement of bold and visionary contemporary playwrights, through the development and production of daring new work and the education of future theatermakers. In a city rich with cultural offerings, Playwrights Horizons’ 55-year-old mission is unique among theaters of its size; the organization has distinguished itself by a steadfast commitment to centering the voice of the playwright. By expanding the U.S. theater canon with a wider range of voices, Playwrights Horizons aims to be a home for the exploration of playwriting and an anti-racist center of curiosity, dialogue, and artistic risk.

Reports to: Managing Director

Position Summary:

Playwrights Horizons, an award-winning Off-Broadway theater located in the heart of Manhattan, seeks a dynamic, strategic and collaborative Director of Development to lead a high-performing advancement team and help shape the organization’s next phase of growth.

This is a role for a creative and strategic fundraising leader who wants to build and shape an ambitious, forward-looking development program. The Director will drive strategy across individual and institutional giving, events, board engagement, and campaign planning efforts, playing a central role in shaping and leading Playwrights Horizons’ next major campaign, currently in its quiet phase and anticipated to launch publicly in the next year. There is meaningful opportunity here to expand the organization’s philanthropic reach, bring new ideas to life, and translate vision into tangible results.

The Director will lead a team of five, including three direct reports, and serve as a key member of the senior leadership team. In close partnership with colleagues and the Board, they will help strengthen a culture of philanthropy that is deeply relational, future-focused, and positioned for sustained growth.

Strategy/Leadership:
- Partner with the Managing Director, Artistic Director, Board of Trustees, and senior staff to develop and execute a comprehensive contributed revenue strategy aligned with the strategic plan and with a priority on long-term financial sustainability.
- Advance a culture of philanthropy across the organization, helping staff and trustees engage meaningfully in fundraising activity.
- Serve as an active member of the senior management team, contributing to organizational planning, strategic initiatives, and institutional decision-making.
- Identify and develop new philanthropic and mission-aligned revenue streams that support artistic ambition and organizational resilience.
- Build strong cross-departmental relationships to ensure alignment between fundraising strategy, institutional messaging, and programmatic priorities.
- Provide insight and recommendations related to institutional advancement, including board development, audience engagement, institutional visibility, and partnerships.
- Ensure that development strategies reflect current best practices and respond to evolving trends in philanthropy and arts funding.

Fundraising and Campaign Leadership:
- Provide strategic leadership for the Campaign for Playwrights Horizons, working in close partnership with campaign leadership and the Board to achieve campaign goals and advance institutional priorities.
- Oversee annual contributed revenue efforts across individuals, foundations, corporations, government agencies, and special events.
- Design and build a Major Gifts program leveraging campaign success into long-term philanthropic support.
- Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to ensure strong alignment of messaging and donor-facing materials.
- Identify opportunities to expand philanthropic support through new initiatives, partnerships, and engagement strategies.
- Ensure thoughtful stewardship practices that deepen long-term donor relationships and position Playwrights Horizons as a philanthropic priority.

Board Relations:
- Partner with the Managing Director and Board leadership to activate a highly engaged, 34-member Board of Trustees as a powerful driver of philanthropic growth.
- Leverage the Board's deep commitment and networks to expand fundraising reach, strengthen relationships, and advance campaign and annual giving goals.
- Support the ongoing evolution of the Board by identifying, recruiting, and onboarding trustees whose experience, networks, and commitment align with the organization's ambitions.
- Work closely with the Campaign Committee, Development Committee, and Nominating & Governance Committee to shape strategy, set ambitious goals, and drive coordinated donor and prospect engagement.
- Serve as a trusted advisor to trustees, equipping them with the strategy, tools, and confidence to actively engage in cultivation and solicitation efforts.

Management/Operations:
- Lead and mentor a team of five development professionals, including three direct reports, fostering a collaborative, supportive, and high-performing work environment.
- Establish clear performance goals for team members and provide coaching, feedback, and professional development support.
- Develop short- and long-range plans to meet and exceed contributed revenue goals (currently $5M annually) as defined in the organization's strategic plan.
- Ensure strong data management practices that support strategic decision-making, donor research, and relationship management.
- Oversee the effective use of Tessitura and related systems to support prospect tracking, reporting, stewardship, and campaign activity.
- Strengthen systems and processes to support data integrity, transparency, and cross-departmental collaboration.
- Prepare and manage departmental budget and contributed revenue projections in partnership with the Finance team.
- Ensure strong internal coordination and clear timelines to support successful execution of fundraising initiatives.

Ideal Skills and Experience:
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive fundraising experience, including experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
- Demonstrated success cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors and institutional funders.
- Experience leading or contributing significantly to a capital or comprehensive campaign.
- Track record of developing innovative revenue strategies and identifying new philanthropic opportunities including sponsorship.
- Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate institutional priorities into clear, actionable fundraising plans.
- Commitment to collaborative leadership, with a high degree of adaptability, curiosity, and comfort navigating complexity.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Experience working with or knowledge of the New York City philanthropic community and arts funding landscape preferred.
- Strong organizational and analytical skills, including experience using donor databases.
- Experience with Tessitura or similar CRM systems strongly preferred.
- Proficiency in Google Workspace or comparable tools.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings and weekends in support of events and donor engagement.
- Alignment with Playwrights Horizons' core values, including a demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusive fundraising practices.

Compensation, Benefits and Travel:
Playwrights Horizons offers a comprehensive benefits package including 15 days of vacation, four personal days, 10 sick days, and many paid Holiday office closures. Employees have access to individual medical, dental, and vision coverage. Additional benefits include life insurance, a 403b retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, an EAP, health reimbursement account, pre-tax transit benefits, and complimentary tickets to productions.

Playwrights Horizons currently operates on a hybrid-work schedule, requiring a minimum of three (3) days per week on site. This role includes occasional evening and weekend work, as well as travel in support of events and donor engagement.

Salary: $95,000-$150,000 per year, commensurate with experience.

Playwrights Horizons is an equal opportunity employer committed to equity and inclusive practices. The facilities are fully accessible and ADA compliant.

Priority Consideration Deadline: Friday, April 28th, 2026