About Swallow Hill:

Founded in 1979, Swallow Hill Music (SHM, Swallow Hill) is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) organization that strives to positively impact the quality of people’s lives through music. SHM operates a music school and three performance venues at its Broadway & Yale location, and produces outreach activities and community events throughout the Denver metro region as an SCFD-funded Tier II organization with a $6 Million annual budget (2019).

In addition to music therapy sessions, Swallow Hill’s flagship early education program “Little Swallows” is provided for students across the city. The organization is the producing partner for concerts at Denver Botanic Gardens, Four Mile Historic Park, the Butterfly Pavilion, the Clyfford Still Museum, and various music venues. Swallow Hill is a nationally-revered hub for concerts, classes, and community, and is a recipient of both the Mayor’s and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, and an inductee of the Colorado Music Hall of Fame and Folk Alliance International’s Business Lifetime Achievement awards.

Job Summary:

Swallow Hill Music is seeking a dynamic and experienced Development Director to lead our fundraising initiatives and build upon our successful programs. The Development Director will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to increase revenue, cultivate relationships with major donors, corporate and foundation partners, and continue to grow our membership program. This role requires a strategic thinker with a proven track record in fundraising and donor engagement who will oversee development staff and contractors, and work closely and collaboratively with the CEO, department leaders, and Board of Directors to increase overall revenue. As part of a $5 Million dollar budget, it is anticipated that the Development Director will generate a million dollars in restricted and unrestricted revenue. 

Responsibilities

• Develop, plan, and execute a comprehensive development program to achieve or surpass annual revenue goals for foundation, corporate, major and individual donors, members, and planned gifts 
• Plan, coordinate and participate in all aspects of the fundraising cycle including identification, introduction, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of all donors in partnership with staff and board leadership
• Create and manage annual development budgets, with corresponding goals and outcomes. 
• Supervise a Membership & Individual Giving Manager, contract grant writer, capital campaign consultant, direct mail firm, event coordinator, and other consultants and vendors as needed
• Work with Swallow Hill’s marketing team to integrate development into all marketing efforts across the organization and maximize investments in materials and messaging
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board and:
  • Provide support, education and leadership to enhance the Board’s ability to identify and engage new funding prospects;
  • Provide reports to the Board regarding development strategies, tactics and the achievement of goals;
  • Work to elevate and expand Swallow Hill’s culture of philanthropy and brand awareness
• • Monitor expenditures of grant funds, in conjunction with the Finance and Outreach Departments, in order to prepare and submit financial reports for funders
  • Assess and update current systems, policies, and procedures for development efforts including:  cultivation, stewardship, gift/pledge processing, fund reporting, acknowledgments, and tracking within Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud

Qualifications

Qualified applicants must have a minimum of 5 years of experience in development including 3 years of senior management experience, a successful track record in fundraising with a high level of leadership and fiscal management skills. Experience in major gifts, experience working with direct mail or direct marketing teams is preferred. 

The successful candidate should have a passion and enthusiasm for Swallow Hill’s mission and strategic plan to elevate music education and performance in the community. 

The ideal candidate will have a knowledge of the philanthropic community of the Denver Metro area, will be able to leverage existing relationships, and excel in making connections.

Experience with Salesforce or a similar CRM system is preferred.

Transition and Collaboration

As part of the transition process, the new Development Director will work in tandem with the outgoing Development Director, who will remain on as a contractor as needed. This collaboration is crucial to ensure that gifts currently in flight are stewarded properly and relationships with donors are maintained.

EEO Statement

Swallow Hill provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Swallow Hill complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

We will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities or whose service requirements interfere with a religious belief, unless doing so would result in undue hardship or a direct threat to Swallow Hill Music.  Please contact human resources at 303.777.1003 to request accommodation, or for questions/concerns regarding this policy.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

To Apply

Send a cover letter and resume to development@swallowhillmusic.org. Include Development Director in the subject line. Only those candidates who are selected for interviews will be contacted.  

Research shows that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every qualification. Our hiring process values various lived experiences. If you’re excited about this role, we encourage you to apply even if your background or experience doesn’t perfectly align with the job description.