Chief Advancement Officer

About Boston Center for the Arts

Position Concept

Major Gifts and Philanthropy

• Build and manage a leadership giving pipeline valued at $1M+ annually, with accountability for achieving defined contributed revenue targets and moving prospects through all stages of the donor lifecycle.
• Manage, develop, and expand a portfolio of leadership donors and prospects capable of making transformational gifts.
• Lead and drive the cultivation, stewardship, and solicitation of leadership gifts in partnership with the CEO and Artistic Director.
• Develop personalized engagement and stewardship strategies for high-capacity donors.
• Strengthen long-term donor relationships through thoughtful communication, engagement opportunities, and institutional stewardship.
• Partner with the CEO to develop annual fundraising goals, revenue projections, and performance metrics, regularly reporting progress against contributed revenue benchmarks.

Advancement Strategy

• Develop and lead BCA’s comprehensive advancement strategy, including major gifts, annual giving, donor engagement, campaigns, and fundraising initiatives.
• Establish ambitious but achievable revenue goals and strategies to expand philanthropic support.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of major gift prospects and institutional supporters.
• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to align advancement priorities with organizational vision and strategic growth.

Board Engagement

• Partner with the CEO to activate the Board of Directors in fundraising and donor engagement.
• Support board members in cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting donors and institutional supporters.
• Provide advancement updates, fundraising strategy, and campaign planning support to board committees and leadership.

Strategic Partnerships, Community Engagement, and External Relations

• Build relationship-based partnerships that amplify and connect the work taking place across BCA’s campus, including collaborations with campus partners, artists, and cultural organizations, strengthening BCA’s role as a collaborative civic and cultural platform within Boston’s creative ecosystem.
• Expand BCA’s presence within Boston’s philanthropic, civic, and cultural communities.
• Identify opportunities for cross-sector partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborative initiatives aligned with BCA’s mission and strategic direction.
• Represent BCA at external events, convenings, and community engagements alongside the CEO and Artistic Director.

Marketing, Communications, and Institutional Brand

• Oversee BCA’s marketing, communications, and institutional brand strategy across all public-facing platforms.
• Guide institutional storytelling that amplifies the impact of BCA’s artists, programs, partnerships, and campus initiatives.
• Strengthen BCA’s visibility as a leading cultural hub and platform for civic and creative leadership.
• Ensure consistency of voice, messaging, and visual identity across organizational communications.
• Collaborate with leadership and program staff to translate artistic and civic initiatives into compelling public narratives.

Team Leadership

• Recruit, hire, manage, lead, and mentor staff responsible for development, marketing, and communications.
• Foster a collaborative and mission-driven culture across advancement functions and contribute to a positive, collaborative culture across the organization.
• Strengthen systems, workflows, and infrastructure that support long-term fundraising and communications success.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of advancement, direct fundraising, communications and/or external affairs leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success in securing major and leadership-level gifts.
• Experience overseeing marketing, communications, and institutional brand strategy.
• Strong experience working with boards, senior leadership, and high-level stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to build meaningful relationships, communicate institutional vision, and engage philanthropic, civic, and cultural stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate both collaboratively and entrepreneurially.
• Passion for arts, culture, civic engagement, and artist-centered world

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $135,000–$150,000 , commensurate with experience.
• Boston Center for the Arts offers 4 weeks of paid time off, and 2 weeks of additional paid administrative closure.
• Benefits: 80% BCA-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending plans, life and disability; and a 403(b) retirement savings plan.
• This is primarily an in-person position with 1 work-from-home day per week + a bank of remote days to use throughout the year.
• Complimentary tickets to BCA and BCA partner events and performances.