About the organization:
Field of Vision is a non-profit filmmaker driven organization with the mission to fund boundary pushing and innovative non-fiction cinematic work, that prioritizes inclusion on and off-screen, and provides tailored support and advocacy to create a more equitable and sustainable field for filmmakers.
Field of Vision has supported more than 290 films to date, including shorts, episodic-series, and feature-length documentaries and have supported more than 1,700 independent filmmakers and producers across their activities – of which 64% are from underrepresented backgrounds, 57% were female-identified and 50% filmmakers of color.
We provide a vital service to filmmakers through funding, mentorship, development support and short film distribution, and have a distinct focus in celebrating and championing artistic approach and artists who expand medium and form, with many of the artists we work with working across different mediums, from journalism, film and art.
Field of Vision was founded in 2015 and is at an exciting moment of growth as the organization left its former parent company this year to become a new independent, non-profit entity.
About the role:
Field of Vision seeks a seasoned “roll-up-your-sleeves'' Development Director who not only has expertise in foundation fundraising, corporate partnerships, and donor stewardship, but is eager to think outside the box in finding funding for our unique organization. The Development Director (DD) is responsible for all fundraising for Field of Vision, including cultivation of new and existing funding relationships, identifying and developing partnerships, developing and implementing public fundraising campaigns and strategies, and coordination of membership programs and donor events. The DD effectively and compellingly communicates Field of Vision’s mission, accomplishments, and financial needs to external audiences in both verbal and written form. The DD assists in leading ongoing conversations about fundraising vision, strategy, and idea generation to meet current goals and guide Field of Vision’s growth for the future.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the DD has significant revenue-generation, relationship building, stewardship responsibilities and has expertise in identifying prospects across multiple industries. The Development Director supervises the Strategic Partnerships Officer; previous corporate partnership experience is highly desired for the DD role. Additionally, the DD manages a Prospect Research consultant and an Email Campaign consultant.
This is an ideal opportunity for a passionate development leader excited by the creative possibilities of fundraising for an organization whose strength is its uniqueness and innovation, that works across multiple industries, and is constantly evolving to best support boundary-pushing artists.
Responsibilities of the role:
Develop and implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy to ensure that Field of Vision’s revenue meets its annual funding objectives and broadens its donor base through: foundation and government grant writing, corporate partnerships, individual and major donor recruitment and retention, digital fundraising, memberships, and in-person and virtual events planning.
Donor management:
Create and launch innovative fundraising initiatives and campaigns.
Regularly attend events to meet and cultivate prospective donors and partners.
Cultivate and formalize relationships with current and prospective individual funders, foundations, government, and corporations who are aligned with our values and principles.
Design and manage digital (email, social, etc.) fundraising campaigns.
Steward key donors and create new opportunities for donor engagement through periodic email updates, thank you calls, film screenings, and other opportunities.
Develop and manage a portfolio of prospective donors for Board and Executive Director to approach.
Create pitch decks in coordination with the Executive Director and Managing Director.
Manage the Strategic Partnerships Officer.
Develop new strategies to increase support from corporations and community partners, while strengthening already in place partnerships.
Strategize branding and marketing concepts for Field of Vision and our films.
Manage the Email Campaign Consultant.
In conjunction with the consultant, develop and oversee annual year-end appeal and other campaigns designed to support donor renewal and new acquisition.
In conjunction with the Executive Director and Managing Director, manage and plan for donor fundraising events, both virtually and in-person.
Grant writing and reporting:
Work closely with the Field of Vision team to gather data, client stories, and program news to prepare compelling narratives for funder audiences.
Oversee Prospect Research Consultant’s work in identifying foundation, government and corporate funders.
Write, review, and edit foundation, government and corporate grant proposals and reports, funder emails and other grant-related materials (one-pagers, information summaries, program briefs).
Coordinate stewardship of existing foundation donors, and identify and strategize around new private funding sources to meet ambitious annual fundraising goals.
Responsible for agreement execution and oversight of grant lifecycle reporting.
Systems, Processes, and Department Administration:
Oversee internal systems including prospect generation and management, donation processing and tracking, and donor acknowledgement.
Oversee maintenance of Field of Vision’s donor database (Airtable).
Develop and manage fundraising calendars of LOIs, proposals, and report deadlines.
Oversee maintenance of all department files, systems, and processes.
Assist the Executive Director with other tasks and projects, as needed.
Qualifications and Competencies:
5+ years of progressively increasing development experience, with strong preference for prior work experience in the arts, journalism, or documentary fields.
Bachelor’s degree.
Ideal candidates will join Field of Vision with established relationships in the arts, journalism, and/or documentary fields.
Prior experience in arts funding and corporate partnerships.
A true go-getter with a dynamic and proactive attitude to donor cultivation.
An out-of-the-box thinker excited and challenged by working in a non-traditional arts organization.
Ability to take initiative, set and respond to priorities, and drive projects forward from conception to completion.
Excellent independent judgment and initiative, as well as exceptional communication (including active listening) and interpersonal skills.
A high emotional intelligence and ability to cultivate external relationships easily.
Must possess the ability to work with multiple projects and changing priorities.
Ability to work collaboratively while maintaining a high level of confidentiality.
Highly organized, resourceful, accountable, and detail oriented.
Unquestioned integrity and commitment to Field of Vision’s mission.
Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with a diverse group of constituents, donors, and funders.
Must foster an inclusive and equitable work environment for our staff and promote a harassment and discrimination free workplace.
Preferred Skills and Experience:
Familiarity with Airtable
Prior work experience in journalism or documentary filmmaking strongly preferred.
A story-telling mindset with a strong human interest component.
Grant-writing experience.
Experience in marketing and public relations is a plus.
Location:
Remote, with strong preference for candidates in the NYC area.
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000. This is the range Field of Vision in good faith believes to be accurate at the time of posting. Incoming salaries are determined based on experience and internal equity.
Insurance:
Field of Vision currently offers comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance for employees, spouses, domestic partners, and children.
Paid Time Off:
Field of Vision offers unlimited paid time off and paid holidays.
Retirement:
Field of Vision offers a 401k program currently offering up to a 4% company match.
Additional Health and Wellness Benefits:
Field of Vision currently offers life insurance, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, HSA, and other health and wellness benefits, including professional development opportunities.
All positions at Field of Vision are filled without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, HIV/AIDS status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. We are deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe social change happens when people with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and identities come together with a common purpose. We strongly encourage applications from women, nonbinary individuals, people of color, neurodivergent individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
Field of Vision is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact jobs@fieldofvision.org or 917-828-0276.
Field of Vision is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application.