Director of Philanthropic Events & Partnerships

Organization Overview

The School of American Ballet (SAB) at Lincoln Center, founded by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, is the preeminent ballet school in the country. Our mission is to train professional dancers for careers in classical ballet. We provide the resources for a diverse pool of students to train at the highest level – with 15-25 a year going on to dance for New York City Ballet, our official but independent ballet company, and other major ballet companies worldwide. SAB has a far-reaching impact on the art form and enriches the lives of each student who comes through its doors, over 800 annually, ages 6 to 18. SAB has approximately 90 part- and full-time employees and an operating budget of $17 million. In the 2025-2026 school year, administrative employees are expected to work in person 4 days per week and may telecommute one day per work week.

Position Overview

As part of a broader effort to strengthen and align roles with strategic fundraising goals, the School of American Ballet (SAB) is recruiting a new Director of Philanthropic Events & Partnerships.

This role emphasizes frontline fundraising, relationship management, and strategic event leadership. The Director will oversee SAB’s major fundraising events, cultivate and steward donors and event leadership, and guide the overall event strategy to strengthen donor engagement and philanthropic revenue. The position also manages SAB’s corporate partnerships portfolio, with a focus on aligning sponsorship opportunities with SAB’s mission, fundraising objectives, and brand marketing strategy.

Reporting to the Director of Development and Marketing, the Director will bring a versatile skill set in team management, complex event execution, and personalized relationship-building with event co-chairs, sponsors, Board members, and volunteer leaders. The Director will work closely with the Director of Individual Giving to align donor strategies, stewardship plans, and moves management efforts across all constituencies, and in collaboration with the Marketing team to ensure partnerships strengthen and reflect SAB’s brand priorities and identity.

The Director will manage one direct report, an Event Assistant, ensuring high-quality donor engagement experiences and successful execution of all events and fundraising initiatives.

This is a full-time, exempt position, reporting to the Director of Development and Marketing.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a senior member of the Development and Marketing leadership team, shaping strategy for SAB’s philanthropic events and corporate partnerships.
• Partner closely with the Director of Individual Giving to coordinate donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies tied to events.
• Collaborate across the Development, Artistic, and Executive teams to integrate event fundraising into SAB’s overall donor and institutional strategy.
• Support the Executive Director, Director of Development and Marketing, and Board leadership in identifying and engaging new event chairs, committee members, and major donors.
• Establish revenue goals, budgets, and performance metrics for each major event.

Event Leadership & Fundraising

• Provide strategic and creative leadership for SAB’s signature fundraising events, including the Nutcracker Family Benefit, SAB Ball, and the Workshop Benefit, with a focus on maximizing philanthropic outcomes.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward event co-chairs, committee members, and individual donors to secure sponsorships, tables, tickets, and contributions.
• Develop compelling event concepts and experiences that advance donor relationships and reflect SAB’s mission and artistic excellence.
• Oversee logistics, production, and guest experience in collaboration with staff, consultants, and vendors.
• Lead post-event follow-up and donor stewardship in coordination with Individual Giving and Development Operations.

Corporate Partnerships

• Manage SAB’s portfolio of corporate and brand partnerships, stewarding current sponsors and cultivating new relationships.
• Partner with the Marketing team to ensure all corporate partnerships and sponsorship activations align with SAB’s brand identity and support broader brand visibility goals.
• Develop tailored sponsorship proposals and benefits packages that align with corporate partners’ philanthropic and visibility goals.
• Collaborate internally to ensure timely fulfillment of partnership benefits and accurate recognition in print, digital, and on-site channels.
• Track and report on corporate revenue goals and sponsor engagement metrics.

Team Management

• Supervise and mentor the Event Assistant, setting clear goals and ensuring the successful execution of all fundraising and cultivation events.
• Promote collaboration, accountability, and professional growth within the team.
• Manage relationships with external event vendors, consultants, and partners to ensure excellence and efficiency.

Requirements

• Approximately 5–7 years of progressive experience in fundraising and event management, preferably within a nonprofit or cultural institution.
• Proven track record of cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding major donors, event leadership, and corporate sponsors.
• Demonstrated success in planning and executing high-revenue fundraising events.
• Strong relationship-management skills with the ability to engage high-level volunteers, donors, and trustees.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication abilities; confident, polished, and donor-facing.
• Experience managing staff and motivating teams toward shared goals.
• Strategic thinker with strong attention to detail, follow-through, and creative problem-solving.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends for events and cultivation activities.
• A passion for the arts, culture, or education is strongly preferred.

Benefits

SAB offers a superior benefit package, including full health benefits, four weeks of vacation (plus two holiday weeks in December), and generous retirement savings benefits. 

The School of American Ballet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

The annual salary range for this position is $95,000-$105,000.