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Director of Development Operations

Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc.

New York, NY

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JOB DETAILS
JOB TYPE
Full-time
SKILLS
Analysis Skills, Benchmarking, Best Practices, Business Intelligence, Business Operations, Business Strategy, Campaigns, Channel Management, Coaching, Communication Skills, Continuous Improvement, Cross-Functional, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems, Data Analysis, Data Entry, Data Management, Data Processing, Data Quality, Data Visualization Tools, Database Administration, Donor Development, Donor Relations, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Financial Metrics, Financial Operations, Financial Reporting, Financial Systems, Financial Trend Analysis, Forecasting, Fundraising, Fundraising Campaign, Higher Education, Information/Data Security (InfoSec), Investment Management, Leadership, Maintain Compliance, Management Strategy, Mentoring, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Multitasking, Nonprofit, Operational Improvement, Operational Strategy, Operational Support, Operations Planning, Operations Processes, Organizational Skills, People Management, Performance Analysis, Performance Metrics, Performing Arts, Policy Implementation, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Privacy Protocols, Problem Solving Skills, Procedure Implementation, Process Improvement, Project/Program Management, Reconciliation, Regulatory Requirements, Reporting Dashboards, Reporting Skills, Resource Management, Restricted Funds, Revenue Forecasting, Revenue Growth, Revenue/Sales Reporting, Risk Analysis, Sales Pipeline, Set Goals, Stewardship, Strategic Planning, Systems Administration/Management, Talent Management, Team Lead/Manager, Team Player, Theater, Time Management, Trend Analysis, Usability Engineering, Writing Skills
LOCATION
New York, NY
POSTED
26 days ago
Department: Development
Reports To: Chief Development Officer
Location: New York, NY (Hybrid)
FLSA Status: Exempt
Salary Range: $140k - $185k

About The Apollo
For over 90 years, the Apollo has been far more than a stage. It has served as a global center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, New York City, and the world. As the "soul of American culture," we have done more than discover artists like Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown; we have launched the movements that define the American identity. Today we stand on the threshold of our most ambitious chapter yet. Now, we are currently in a historic moment of "Culture in Motion" as we scale the model for a 21st-century audience. In 2025, we broke ground on a transformational renovation of our Historic Theater, a project focused on the intersection of preservation and modernization. When we celebrate our grand reopening in Fall 2026, the Apollo will operate as a complete cultural campus for the first time in its history. This expansion—encompassing six distinct venues, immersive performance spaces, and a modernized public lobby—fundamentally redefines our scale and impact as we approach our centennial.

The Apollo is an American cultural treasure. It is a vibrant non-profit organization rooted in the Harlem community that engages people from around New York, the nation, and the world. Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. It has also been a catalyst for social and civic advocacy. Today, The Apollo is the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity.
The Opportunity
The Director of Development Operations is a newly created leadership role responsible for building and leading the operational infrastructure that supports a high-performing development organization. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer, this position translates fundraising strategy and fundraising goals into disciplined execution through strong systems, data intelligence, financial rigor, and operational excellence.

This entrepreneurial leader will design and implement the processes, policies, technologies, and team structure needed to support the organization’s Apollo 2.0 campaign and future fundraising growth. The Director will oversee key functional areas including gift processing, donor relations, and prospect management, ensuring alignment, efficiency, and accountability across the development function.

Working in close partnership with the Chief Development Officer and fundraising leadership, the Director of Development Operations will drive forecasting, pipeline management, performance tracking, and cross-channel integration across institutional, individual, corporate, and stewardship strategies. While the Chief Development Officer focuses on external engagement and campaign leadership, this role ensures the internal development engine operates with clarity, consistency, and measurable impact.

This is a highly collaborative, cross-functional leadership role ideal for a strategic operator who thrives at the intersection of analytics, process design, team leadership, and systems thinking. The successful candidate will bring a builder’s mindset, strong project management skills, and a commitment to creating the infrastructure necessary for sustainable philanthropic growth.
Key Responsibilities
Development Operations Leadership
  • Lead and continuously improve the development operations infrastructure, including CRM/database management, gift processing, reporting, compliance, and operational workflows.
  • Establish best-in-class operational standards, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and accountability across the Development department.
  • Build, manage, and mentor a development operations team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
Gift Processing & Financial Coordination
  • Manage the accurate and timely processing, recording, acknowledgment, and reconciliation of all philanthropic gifts.
  • Ensure adherence to organizational policies and donor stewardship standards for gift acknowledgment and reporting.
  • Partner closely with Finance to reconcile revenue, support audits, track restricted funds, and ensure accurate financial reporting.
  • Maintain compliance with donor restrictions, legal requirements, and nonprofit best practices.

CRM & Data Management

  • Serve as the primary owner of the Development CRM, ensuring data integrity, security, usability, and consistent adoption.
  • Establish and set data governance standards, including data entry protocols, privacy practices, and ongoing data maintenance.
  • Coordinate with IT and vendors to implement new technologies and optimize system functionality.
  • Oversee donor segmentation, portfolio management, and prospect tracking in partnership with fundraising teams.
Analytics, Reporting & Business Intelligence
  • Develop and implement data analytics strategies to strengthen fundraising performance and decision-making.
  • Produce regular and ad-hoc reports on revenue, donor trends, campaign performance, and fundraising outcomes.
  • Build dashboards and performance metrics for senior leadership and Board reporting.
  • Provide actionable insights and forecasting analysis to support strategic planning.
Revenue Strategy Execution & Forecasting
  • Translate annual and multi-year fundraising goals into operational plans, performance tracking systems, and measurable benchmarks.
  • Lead monthly revenue forecasting, pipeline analysis, and variance tracking across all fundraising channels.
  • Identify risks to revenue goals and recommend proactive mitigation strategies.
  • Support development leadership with data-driven planning and resource allocation.
Campaign & Fundraising Strategy Support
  • Build the operational infrastructure supporting Apollo Rising 2.0 campaign.
  • Align annual fundraising plans with campaign strategies and long-term development goals.
  • Ensure campaign reporting, stewardship fulfillment, and donor engagement processes are well coordinated.
  • Support prospect management and portfolio strategy to strengthen donor pipeline development.

Donor Stewardship & Engagement Operations

  • Support donor relations through reporting, and tracking for communications and stewardship activities.
  • Develop reports and briefing materials for major donor cultivation and leadership engagement.
  • Partner with donor relations teams to ensure timely and meaningful stewardship reporting.
  • Strengthen operational support for donor engagement strategies across all giving levels.

Process Improvement & Staff Enablement

  • Design and implement policies and procedures related to gift processing, data governance, and development operations.
  • Train and support Development staff on CRM usage, reporting tools, and operational best practices.
  • Lead process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency and allow fundraisers to focus on relationship building.
  • Establish performance metrics, portfolio standards, and reporting discipline across the development team.​​​​​​​
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
  • Minimum of 7+ years of progressive experience in development operations, fundraising operations, gift processing, or advancement services.
  • At least 2–3 years of staff management experience, with demonstrated success leading teams and developing talent.
  • Demonstrated experience managing fundraising systems, donor databases (CRM), and operational processes that support revenue growth.
  • Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting fundraising performance metrics, financial data, and revenue forecasts.
  • Proficiency with CRM systems, financial systems/ERPs, reporting tools, and advanced Microsoft Excel; strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, balance competing deadlines, and drive projects to completion.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical, financial, and data concepts for fundraising and executive audiences.
  • Strong organizational and operational mindset with attention to both strategic priorities and operational detail.
  • Proven ability to build collaborative relationships and work effectively across departments and with distributed teams.
  • Demonstrated problem-solving skills, sound judgment, and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach.
  • Commitment to the organization’s mission, with the ability to quickly develop a strong understanding of its programs, strategic priorities, and fundraising goals.

Leadership Competencies

  • Strong people leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and motivate high-performing teams.
  • Strategic thinker with a focus on continuous improvement, operational excellence, and data-informed decision making.
  • High level of initiative, curiosity, and a growth mindset.
  • Strong systems thinker with the ability to connect processes, people, technology, and outcomes.
  • Collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
  • High degree of integrity and commitment to confidentiality and ethical data management practices.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working closely with or within a Finance department, including contributed revenue reconciliation and audit support.
  • Experience supporting complex fundraising campaigns or multi-channel development programs.
  • Experience with business intelligence and data visualization tools.
  • Direct experience with platforms such as Raiser’s Edge or Raiser’s Edge NXT, or similar fundraising and financial systems.
  • Experience in a cultural institution, nonprofit, higher education, or similarly complex development environment.

 

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About the Company

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Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc.

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