Assistant Director of Development

Position Summary:

The Assistant Director of Development at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency is a key position in the growth and stabilization of this 116-year-old art school and residency program. A member of a development team that includes a fractional Development Director and a part-time Events Manager, the Assistant Director of Development manages grant research, writing and reporting, handles donor communications, board of directors’ administration, database management and works collaboratively on stewardship activities.

The Assistant Director of Development is a personable leader, who excels at engaging individuals in the mission of the organization. They are adept at translating the visual arts, in particular the value of time and space for artists to strengthen their research and craft, to a donor base. The Assistant Director prides themselves on their curiosity and ability to dig deep into the complexity of an art community, understand its history, its values, its stakeholders and its impact. They are quick to recognize synergy between the organization’s site, programs, participants, and experience with the right partners and stewards to support those assets.

With strong organizational and supervisory skills, the Assistant Director of Development can translate strategy into action with the flexibility to manage multiple streams of fundraising activity. They see opportunity readily and are motivated to action from a place of passion and commitment to the arts and education.

An active member of their arts community, the Assistant Director of Development participates in their local arts ecosystem. Is visible at events and programs and is comfortable advocating for Ox-Bow within appropriate contexts.

This role oversees a part-time events manager and any contracted grant writers. They work closely with the Executive Director on board administration, grant writing narratives and patron communication. They partner regularly with the communications and programming teams on donor focused communication, data compilation and identifying need. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Fundraising Implementation

• Manage execution of annual fund campaigns, including appeals, acknowledgements, and stewardship.


• Oversee preparation and submission of grant proposals and reports, and when applicable, with the Contractual Grant Writer


• Support major gift cultivation by preparing research, donor briefings, and follow-up materials.

Events Oversight

• Supervise the Events Manager in planning and executing fundraising events, including the summer Field of Vision benefit and fall Harvest Dinner in Saugatuck as well as other campus ticketed/cultivation events.


• Collaborate on the design of and manage Chicago based donor events


• Oversee off-site stewardship events, including building attendee list, communicating with partners and building itineraries in partnership with Development Director and Executive Director


• Contribute to events advancing Ox-Bow’s fundraising and donor engagement goals.


• Guide sponsorship outreach, donor recognition, and event follow-up.

Donor Communications & Stewardship

• Draft donor correspondence, acknowledgements, and stewardship materials.


• Maintain consistent communication with donors, ensuring timely follow-up and recognition.


• Collaborate with the communications team to produce donor-facing materials and event messaging.


• Travel to campus in Saugatuck-Douglas, Michigan regularly to meet donors, prospects and engage with the program and stakeholders with a significant presence June-August.

Database & Reporting

• Manage Ox-Bow’s development database, ensuring accurate data entry, gift processing, and reporting.


• Track moves management activity and provide pipeline updates to the Development Director.


• Generate regular fundraising reports to inform leadership and board decisions.

Board & Committee Support

• Schedule committee meetings via Boardable


• Ensure Board completion of contact information, contracts, minutes and other administrative tasks


• Prepare agendas, materials, and reports for Development Committee meetings.


• Provide support attending meetings and creating minutes when required


• Support follow-up on committee action items.


• Help engage Board members in fundraising activities and provide staff support.

 Supervision & Collaboration

• Supervise the Events Manager, ensuring alignment of events with overall development strategy.


• Supervise and coordinate with Contractual Grant Writer(s) to meet proposal and reporting deadlines.


• Work closely with the Development Director to implement strategic initiatives and align staff resources.

Relationship Building/Communication

• Be present in the visual arts community at major events, openings, talks or other events that align with Ox-Bow’s history, mission and stakeholder interests


• Identify opportunities for partnerships


• Maintain and develop relationships with community organizations and individuals


• Maintain and develop strong relationships with artists, with an emphasis on Ox-Bow staff, faculty and alum

Research

• Keep abreast trends in the arts, education, residency programs, environmental stewardship and historic sites.

Education/Job Experience/Certification

• 4–6 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with at least 2 years in a supervisory role.


• Strong organizational, project management, and leadership skills.


• Experience managing events, grants, and donor communications.


• Familiarity with fundraising databases and reporting.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with attention to detail.


• Professional, collaborative, and donor-centered mindset.

• Demonstrated interest in and passion for the visual arts

Special Knowledge and Qualifications

• Proficient with donor databases, Ox-Bow utilizes Bloomerang


• Knowledge in and passion for contemporary art


• Ability to work independently and across project teams with a strong attention to detail


• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, ability to translate contemporary art to diverse audience


• Highly organized and motivated


• Positive & optimistic outlook


• Proven skills and attention to detail


• Creative, out-of-the-box thinker


• Comfortable taking creative risks


• Thrives in dynamic environments


• Resilient & flexible project manager

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

• Physical Demands:
  
  
  
  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time and be able to move about in an indoor environment.
  
  
  • Operate computer, tools, and vehicles and must have the ability to use hands to move, set up, adjust, assemble, control, operate, or feel objects, tools or controls and reach with hands and arms.
  
  
  • Constantly communicate and exchange information with team members and must be able to effectively communicate correct information with partners, donors and vendors.
  
  
  • Read/comprehend, write, communicate orally, reasoning, and analytical abilities, and mental flexibility.
  
  
  • Frequently move objects up to 25 pounds.
  
  
  • The employee will occasionally climb, bend, squat, kneel, crouch, and reach above shoulder
  
  
  • Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus to compare and distinguish administrative data.
  
  
  • Hearing ability to perceive the nature of sounds at normal speaking level with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound.
  
  
  
  

• Work Environment:
  
  
  
  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly working in an indoor office work environment.
  
  
  • Position may involve extended work hours, weekends and holidays
  
  
  
  

• Travel:
  
  
  
  
  • Approximately 30% time on site in Saugatuck-Douglas, Michigan
  
  
  • Additional occasional travel for cultivation as directed
  
  
  
  

Working At Ox-Bow

Ox-Bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency, founded in 1910, offers a wide range of opportunities for artists at all stages of their careers. Our campus is nestled on a peninsular interdunal wetland in Saugatuck, MI. With programs that target degree-seeking students, professional artists and those new to the field, Ox-Bow builds a supportive frame in which artists can push their practices in new directions. Ox-Bow’s community is expansive and ever-evolving. Working at Ox-Bow is a unique experience. Our staff consists of both year-round and seasonal positions. Some staff live on campus during their working months, while others commute or work remotely both within the state of Michigan and beyond. 

Working at Ox-Bow is working at the intersection of education, hospitality and culture. Together we seek to create a welcoming environment that nurtures the creative process while building community across generations, career stages, disciplines and identities. With over 100 years of arts education behind us, we have a vast community of alumni, including staff, students, resident artists, faculty, and community supporters, who love and care for Ox-Bow. Working at Ox-Bow is to become part of that community and help sustain a historic non-profit arts organization for current and future generations of artists and art lovers. 

At Ox-Bow we have a vision to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, lend their creativity, and work in support of an evolving, yet historic, art school. We pride ourselves on thinking and acting creatively and recognize that part of what makes us a unique place for both our staff and students, is the talent and dedication of our employees. 

Ox-Bow is committed to diversity and inclusion, we believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity and national origin and work to reflect that in our classrooms, programming, faculty, staff and board.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Ox-Bow is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for its students, visitors, faculty, and staff, and to ensuring that educational and employment decisions are based on an individual’s abilities and qualifications. Ox-Bow does not tolerate unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or former military status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law, in its programs and activities, public accommodations or employment practices.