Senior Development Director

Job DetailsJob Location: NASHVILLE, TN 37201Position Type: Full Time
Summary

Title: Senior Development Director

Reports to: Chief Development Officer

Employment Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt

Overview: The Senior Development Director is a key member of the Nashville Symphony's Development team, responsible for managing the organization's full grants portfolio, including foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities. This role also manages the Development Operations Manager, Director of Donor Relations & Volunteer Services, Development Operations Specialist, and Corporate Sponsorship Assistant. This role requires a seasoned professional with strong writing skills, five or more years of staff-management experience, exceptional project-management abilities, and a proactive, roll-up-your-sleeves approach to advancing institutional fundraising.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Grants Management and Strategy

Seek new grant opportunities.
Lead the full lifecycle of grant activity, including prospect research, proposal writing, submission, reporting, and stewardship.
Develop compelling, accurate, and mission-aligned grant proposals, letters of intent, and narratives.
Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar, ensuring all deadlines, deliverables, and reporting requirements are met.
Build and strengthen relationships with foundation, corporate, and government funders.
Track grant performance, outcomes, and renewal opportunities to support long-term funding strategy.
Collaborate with program, Finance, and Artistic teams to gather data, budgets, and impact metrics.

Volunteer Programs and Corporate Sponsorships

Oversee the organization's volunteer program staff and hold them accountable for recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and recognition.
Serve as the secondary point of contact for volunteer coordination, ensuring alignment with departmental and organizational goals.
Manage corporate sponsorship relationships, including both cash and in-kind support.
Ensure the corporate sponsorship staff identifies, cultivates, and stewards corporate sponsors to grow cash and in-kind giving.
Track and fulfill sponsorship benefits, deliverables, and recognition commitments.

Project Management

Coordinate cross-departmental workflows to ensure timely submission of Development materials.
Manage multiple concurrent projects with varying deadlines and complexity.
Develop internal systems to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
Ensure compliance with funder guidelines, restrictions, and reporting requirements.
Ensure the organization meets expectations and commitments made to sponsors, including tickets, marketing benefits, and other deliverables.

Data and Operations

Ensure accurate and up-to-date records are maintained in the CRM and shared databases.
Ensure alignment with organizational data standards and reporting protocols.
Work closely with Finance to reconcile grant revenue, coding, and documentation.
Generate reports for internal stakeholders, leadership, and Board committees for quarterly meetings.

Writing and Communications

Produce high-quality written materials, including proposals, reports, stewardship letters, and case statements.
Translate programmatic and artistic information into clear, compelling narratives.
Proofread and edit materials for accuracy, clarity, and consistency.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Partner with Finance to develop grant budgets, track expenditures, and ensure compliance.
Work with Artistic, Education, and Community Engagement teams to document program outcomes.
Support Development leadership with institutional fundraising strategy and forecasting.

Additional Responsibilities

Assist the Chief Development Officer with budget tracking and donor stewardship.
Assist with institutional donor stewardship, including events, recognition, and communication.
Contribute to departmental planning, goal setting, and process improvement.
Perform other duties as assigned to support Development team goals.

The duties listed above are not all inclusive. The person in this position is expected to perform other work-related duties as assigned even though they may not be considered primary duties.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises the Development Operations Manager, Director of Donor Relations & Volunteer Services, Development Operations Specialist, and Corporate Sponsorship Assistant. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
Qualifications

Work Requirements

Education / Experience

Bachelor's degree required.
Minimum of five years of professional experience in writing and staff management.
Demonstrated success securing foundation, corporate, or government grants.

Required Skills

Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
Strong project-management abilities with proven experience managing complex deadlines.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with donor CRM systems; Tessitura experience is preferred.
Ability to analyze data, budgets, and program outcomes.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate across departments.
Passion for fundraising, nonprofit work, or the performing arts.

Work Environment / Schedule

Primarily in-office to support collaboration and coordination.
Some evening and weekend work is required for events or deadlines.
Occasional flexibility for remote work, coordinated with the supervisor.

The Nashville Symphony Association reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment. All employees are expected to adhere to all terms and conditions of the Association’s Personnel Policies and Employment Manuals and other Association policies and procedures which may be promulgated and published from time to time.