Chief Advancement Officer [Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC]

Description

The Folger Shakespeare Library is the ultimate resource for Shakespeare and his early modern world; it is home to a peerless collection that supports scholarship of the first rank, producing powerful performances on its Elizabethan stage, driving discovery within a distinguished international research community, and transforming education in its work with teachers and students across the United States. Situated in a landmark public building and home to a talented and dedicated staff, the Folger is poised to lead a conversation, nationally and around the world, about why Shakespeare and the early modern period matter. The Folger is succeeding in this role by redefining what a research library can be in the 21^st century, opening its doors to new kinds of collaborative scholarly and artistic inquiry, sharing its discoveries, collections and performances across multiple platforms – in person, online, and on the road.

Success at the Folger Shakespeare Library has come in many forms – in major discoveries made by its staff and members of its research community (regularly reported in the national media); in the enthusiastic reception of the ideas it shares with hundreds of thousands of media partners in its theater partnership; or in the countless students and teachers it reaches in person and online. About 3 million students use Folger editions of Shakespearean texts each year; about 1.5 million people access the Library’s digital offerings; and approximately 30,000 patrons visited Folger exhibitions and more than 36,000 patrons attended its stage productions during FY2015. In 2016, in partnership with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association, First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare is bringing the First Folio to all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The exhibition, which also includes panels and digital content, is engaging new audiences on a national scale never before realized by the Folger, while also garnering valuable exposure via media outlets such as PBS, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Guardian, and the BBC. The First Folio! tour is demonstrating the national and international reach of the Folger brand – and that the organization presents very well under the spotlight.

The convergence of an expanding brand footprint, an ambitious vision for the future, and an organizational focus on strengthening the development and marketing programs provides a favorable backdrop as the Folger seeks its first-ever Chief Advancement Officer (CAO). At a moment of cultural growth and collaboration, the staff and leadership of the Folger have grasped that its ability to succeed on a broader scale depends on its skill in coordinating and enhancing its marketing, communications, and fundraising efforts in a way that maximizes its philanthropic reach and inspires greater community and engagement. Working in a newly created position that reports directly to the Folger director, the CAO will maximize these opportunities, leading a talented staff and working collaboratively with a senior leadership team to enhance the Folger’s resources and institutional reach. The CAO will provide leadership during a likely capital campaign for a project that will decisively expand physical access to the Folger’s treasures, excite and engage a much wider audience with its collections and programs, and drive new forms of research. The CAO also collaborates with the director of the Folger and other members of the senior leadership team on overall organizational strategy, and is part of the executive leadership team that drives high impact programming, engagement and communication at the Folger, on the road, and online.

The Chief Advancement Officer serves as the chief development and marketing officer of the Folger, responsible for the direction and supervision of an advancement staff comprised of more than 12 professionals across the following functional areas: major, principal, and institutional giving; annual giving and memberships; capital campaign initiatives; development operations; institutional and program-specific marketing and communications; and special events.

The Folger is seeking a proven leader, manager, mentor, and collaborative colleague who is comfortable leading major initiatives and supporting the leadership of others, and has a track record of effectively leading organizational change. The Folger seeks an innovator in both philanthropy and marketing, who possesses credibility and passion for Shakespeare and the humanities, and has deep experience in major gifts fundraising. S/he must be a student of modern philanthropy best practices and able to effectively leverage an advancement model through the strategic, forward-thinking integration of corresponding functions.

Required background and qualifications: bachelor’s degree, advanced degree preferred; minimum of seven to 10 years of experience in progressively responsible development leadership positions, which includes work in all functional areas (individual giving, institutional giving, annual giving, planned giving, stewardship, board relations) and participation in a major capital campaign, preferably within a major cultural institution, nonprofit organization, educational institution, or other environment of similar complexity; demonstrated ability to provide management oversight, leadership, and direction with at least five years of significant supervisory experience, including experience creating and managing a budget; in addition to possessing excellent fundraising abilities, must have the breadth of skills required to devise macro-level external relations strategies, including those related to organizational branding, marketing, and communications; particular strength in developing the case for support and strategic, complex, and innovative fundraising plans, and executing against those plans to achieve goals and objectives; hands-on experience with six and seven-figure gifts and greater, including cultivation through solicitation and stewardship; demonstrated ability in planning and executing integrated, strategic marketing and communications in support of achieving programmatic, institutional, event, and fundraising goals; experience identifying, nurturing, and motivating volunteers; ability to extract and analyze data to make effective, efficient decisions about donor strategy and process.

The Folger Shakespeare Library has retained Diversified Search to assist in this confidential search process. Inquiries, nominations and applications (current resumes and cover letters) should be directed electronically to:

Gerard F. Cattie, Jr.

Managing Director

Practice Leader – Development & Philanthropy

Diversified Search

The Chrysler Building, 405 Lexington Avenue, 49^th Floor, New York, NY 10174

gerard.cattie@divsearch.com

212.542.2587

PI94629803