Director, Major Gifts - US

Who We Are:
Based in Stratford, Ontario, the Stratford Festival is one of the world’s foremost repertory theatre companies. It operates year-round, presenting a season of about a dozen plays each year between the months of April and November, a rich stream of digital content and hundreds of events designed to deepen understanding of the plays. For every person a theatregoer sees on our stages, we have seven people working behind the scenes, some of the world’s most dedicated and experienced arts workers.
The Stratford Festival is committed to ongoing work to support equity, inclusion, anti-racism and anti-oppression in all areas of our work. These areas include play selection, casting, marketing and public relations efforts, education programs, production, design, recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors.
Why You Should Apply:
• Creative work environment
• Paid operational shutdown in December, with flexibility of days being used at alternative times during the year
• Group Insurance Benefits
• Employer matched RRSP
• Employee Assistance Program to encourage work-life balance and strong mental health
• Complimentary & discounted ticket offers and events
• Employee discounts on merchandise and event space
• Being a part of the magic of live theatre!


The Director of Major Gifts – USA is responsible for leading strategic fundraising initiatives focused on cultivating and securing major gifts from U.S.-based individuals, foundations, and organizations. This role involves managing a robust portfolio of prospects, developing and executing comprehensive cultivation and stewardship plans, and organizing donor engagement activities across the United States to support the theatre’s mission and financial sustainability.
Reporting to the Vice President of Advancement, the Director of Major Gifts collaborates closely with the Artistic Director, Executive Director, Finance, Marketing, and other departments, as well as with senior volunteers and board members, to advance the organization’s philanthropic goals. This position also oversees administrative systems related to donor tracking and reporting, supports grant and endowment efforts, and contributes to cross-departmental initiatives that align donor engagement with institutional priorities.
Responsibilities:
• Strategic Fundraising & Program Development
◦ Collaborate with the Vice President of Advancement, Artistic Director, and Executive Director to develop and execute strategies for major gifts, managing a portfolio of several hundred US-based donors and prospects.
◦ Establish annual and multi-year fundraising goals in coordination with the Advancement Team and develop actionable plans to achieve revenue targets. Monitor and evaluate progress on an on-going basis and adjust strategies as needed.
◦ Support US-based fundraising initiatives, including grant requests and endowment fund development.
• Donor Cultivation & Stewardship
◦ Design and implement comprehensive qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans for major gift prospects, including individuals and foundations.
◦ Prepare customized proposals, presentations, briefing materials, and stewardship reports to support donor engagement.
◦ Conduct in-person meetings with donors and prospects, and maintain a visible presence during the performance season in Stratford and at donor events across the US.
• Relationship Management
◦ Serve as a primary representative for U.S. fundraising, collaborating with Marketing and key volunteers to plan and execute major gift cultivation events in strategic U.S. cities.
◦ Build and manage strong relationships with Board members, senior volunteers, and U.S.-based donors to advance prospect development and deepen engagement.
◦ Represent Advancement, alongside the VP of Advancement, on the Festival of America (FOA) Board of Directors.
◦ Support the VP, Executive Director, and FOA Chair in identifying, recruiting, and stewarding prospective FOA Board members.
◦ Identify and maintain a pipeline of potential candidates for the Festival’s Boards—including the Festival of America, Festival of Canada, and the Endowment Foundation—regularly sharing insights and candidate updates with the VP and Executive Director to support Board recruitment and succession planning.
• Collaboration & Reporting
◦ Collaborate with other departments—such as Marketing, Education, New Play Development, Langham Directors Workshop, Archives, and the Birmingham Conservatory—to align donor strategies with organizational priorities.
◦ Work with the Advancement team to integrate major giving efforts with annual US based major gift membership programs, includin