WE're HIRING A DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Location: Durham, NC
Salary: $100,000 + Full Benefits
Reports to: Executive Director
Type: Full-Time, Exempt


TO APPLY:

Send your resume, cover letter, and three references to Hayti's hiring team at info@hayti.org by August 10, 2026.


About Hayti

Hayti Heritage Center is Durham's living cultural memory. Housed in a 135 year-old National Historic Landmark, we are the arts and culture arm of the St. Joseph's Historic Foundation, the institute that has held the line in the Hayti District for fifty years.


We center Black artists. We pay artists for their work, every time. We produce programming that honors Black life as memory, imagination, critique, and joy. We are building toward an endowment, a transformed Fayetteville Street corridor, and a 2029 World University Games moment that will bring an international audience to our doorstep.


This is not a building that used to matter. This is an institution that matters now more than ever.


the Role

We are in the most ambitious development period in the organization's history, and we are building the infrastructure to match. The Development Director will own the major gift portfolio, lead individual donor cultivation and stewardship, and serve as the primary relationship manager for the donors and prospects who will share Hayti's next chapter.


This is not a grant-writing role. The DD's domain is relationships: identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding high net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporate partners who want to invest in what Hayti is building.


You will join an organization mid-momentum. There are active major gift conversations already in motion. There is a season, a gala, a membership program, and a donor event calendar that creates genuine cultivation touchpoints. There is an Executive Director who will be your primary co-steward on every relationship at $50K and above.


Key Responsibilities

Production, Back of House & Event Logistics

Pre-Event

  • Collaborate with the Artistic Director to build production timelines for each season event including performances, dialogues, film screenings, art exhibitions, workshops, etc.
  • Confirm artist and performer technical riders; translate requirements into actionable equipment and staffing plans
  • Coordinate rehearsal schedules, load-in logistics, and sound checks with artists, vendors, and the facilities team
  • Conduct a pre-event walkthrough to verify space setup, equipment functionality, and venue readiness

Day-Of

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for technical and operational event execution in support of the Artistic Director
  • Manage artist check-in processes and support stage management needs during events
  • Oversee green room setup and artist hospitality, ensuring a welcoming and well-prepared environment for performers and speakers
  • Manage backstage/back-of-house operations for performances and dialogues, ensuring operational excellence and artist care throughout the season
  • Monitor event flow and resolve technical or logistical issues in real time, escalating to the AD as needed
  • Ensure front-of-house and patron experience aligns with Hayti's standards for a welcoming, professional environment in collaboration with front-of-house staff
  • Lead dialogue/Q&A room setup and manage transitions between performances and post-show discussions

Post-Event

  • Oversee load out, equipment return, venue reset, and coordination with vendors following each production
  • Document any equipment issues, damages, or operational notes for future planning in collaboration with Operations Manager and Technical Staff
  • Maintain inventory of production and back-of-house supplies; oversee tech rentals when needed in collaboration with Technical Staff


Venue Rental Management

The Program Manager serves as the primary on-site point of contact for all venue rentals, picking up the client relationship after intake and paperwork have been completed by the Operations Director. Responsibilities include:

  • Manage the artist membership program
  • Welcome and orient rental clients (artists, organizations, and institutions) upon arrival and serve as their main point of contact throughout the event
  • Verify that all spaces, equipment, and furniture specified in the rental contract are properly set up and available prior to client arrival
  • Conduct a walk-through with the client at the start of the rental to confirm setup and document the condition of the space
  • Coordinate with technical support staff as needed for A/V, lighting, or other equipment requests outlined in the contract
  • Monitor the event to ensure compliance with venue policies, occupancy limits, and accessibility requirements
  • Address and resolve any issues that arise during the rental, escalating to Artistic Director as appropriate
  • Conduct a post-event walkthrough with the client to assess the condition of the space and equipment
  • Document any damages, excessive cleaning needs, or policy violations with photographs and written notes
  • Ensure all rented rooms are fully reset to standard configuration at the conclusion of each rental (furniture, equipment, and supplies)
  • Coordinate with the cleaning crew to ensure post-rental cleanliness meets venue standards
  • Determine whether to retain or refund the security deposit based on the post-event walkthrough assessment and documented condition report
  • Communicate deposit decisions to the client promptly and professionally, providing written documentation as needed
  • Complete and file post-rental reports to track usage, client feedback, and any recurring operational needs


Safety, Compliance, and Cleanliness Oversight

  • Conduct pre-event walkthroughs to ensure venue safety and cleanliness (in collaboration with subcontracted cleaning crew)
  • Monitor compliance with occupancy and accessibility requirements during events


Cross-Department Collaboration

  • Work closely with Hayti staff to integrate rental and programming activities with broader institutional initiatives
  • Support organizational learning by sharing insights, lessons learned, and best practices from events and rentals


Qualifications

  • 3+ years of experience in event production, stage management, venue operations, or patron services
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills; comfortable juggling multiple events
  • Clear and friendly communicator, especially in high-pressure moments
  • Technically literate: familiarity with basic A/V setups, stage plots, digital enablement platforms, and ticketing systems such as Eventbrite and NeonCRM preferred
  • Artistic programming and/or curatorial experience strongly preferred
  • Commitment to Black arts and cultural spaces; experience working in community-centered environments is a plus
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends, aligned with event scheduling


Compensation & Benefits

Salary: $100,000 annually

  • Full benefits package, including health insurance, PTO, and professional development