Development Director

The Ashkenaz Foundation, Canada’s leading presenter of global Jewish music, art and culture, and producer of the world-renowned Ashkenaz Festival, invites passionate professionals to apply for the position of Development Director. Reporting to and collaborating with the Artistic and Managing Directors, the Development Director will join a vibrant team of experienced professionals dedicated to excellence. Together, this team collaborates in overlapping spheres of responsibility, to bring into fruition one of the world’s foremost festivals of Jewish music and culture, as well as a year-round event series. Ashkenaz is a community-oriented work environment with attractive benefits and opportunities for growth. We value employee satisfaction and retention. We foster a positive and supportive atmosphere that can contribute to both individual and collective success.

The Development Director is responsible for creating and implementing an overall resource development strategy and ensuring revenue targets are met. The Development Director oversees private fundraising efforts (including stewardship and administration), corporate and business sponsorships/partnerships, grant submissions and reports (public and private) and oversees the Raiser’s Edge database. Priorities for the current cycle, culminating with the 15th biennial Ashkenaz Festival in September 2026, will include: maintaining existing donor base while cultivating new donors; creation of programs to attract younger donors; creation of new fundraising methodologies and events/initiatives; pursuit of increased corporate and business sponsorships; improvement of donor relations and stewardship; and steering the overall diversification of Ashkenaz revenue streams by identifying new funding opportunities.

The Development Director stewards relationships with donors, funders and other key stakeholders, participates in relevant professional networks, and develops partnerships with other arts, civic, and Jewish community institutions. The Development Director may also participate in the development and implementation of the organization’s communications and marketing strategies, and its Strategic Plan.

The ideal candidate for this position will possess the following qualities:

• an educational background in fundraising/development, business administration, arts management or a related field
• minimum 5 - 7 years relevant work experience, preferably in arts/non-profit sector or Jewish community, with experience in a management/leadership role
• demonstrated skill in private fundraising and stakeholder relations
• strong familiarity and experience with grant applications (public and private) or similar proposal writing
• superior writing and communication skills
• excellent social skills and comfort with public speaking
• familiarity and skill with contemporary computer programs and web-based business tools (including social media)
• experience collaborating with non-profit boards an asset
• energetic, positive, fearless, outgoing, self-directed, detail-oriented, passionate, collaborative; an out-of-the-box thinker able to take initiative and willing to go the extra mile to achieve highest-possible results

About Ashkenaz

The biennial Ashkenaz Festival is the largest Jewish cultural event in Canada, and is among the largest events of its kind internationally. Since 1995, the Festival has taken place every two years at Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre and at satellite locations across Toronto. Each edition of this multidisciplinary event includes approximately 80 acts from Canada and around the world (including 250+ artists and performers) working in music primarily, but also theatre, dance, film, literature, craft, and youth/family programs. The world-renowned Festival draws a diverse, multicultural audience of over 60,000 people.

In addition to the Festival, the Ashkenaz Foundation also produces 15-20 events during non-Festival intervals, including concerts, lectures, panels, films, and more.

Interested and qualified applicants should send a resumé with cover letter as soon as possible to: Samantha Parnes, sam@ashkenaz.ca

Start date: ASAP

The Ashkenaz Foundation is committed to equity, diversity and accessibility in the workplace and welcomes and encourages applications from Black and racialized peoples, people who identify as LGBTQ2+, women and non-binary people, and persons with disabilities.

To request any access solutions that you may require to participate in the application and recruitment process, please contact sam@ashkenaz.ca.

The Ashkenaz Foundation thanks all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.