Work for Haymarket

Open Position

Job Title: Director of Development

Reports to: General Director

Classification: Full-time, non-exempt

To Apply:

Submit resume and cover letter to: Chase Hopkins, General Director at chase@haymarketopera.org

Company background

Haymarket Opera Company is a leader in the historically informed performance of 17th- and 18th-century opera and oratorio. Since 2010, Haymarket has enriched Chicago and the Midwest’s cultural landscape with vivid, period-authentic concerts and staged productions, often presenting Chicago or U.S. premieres of Baroque and Classical masterpieces. For more than 15 seasons, Haymarket has combined exceptional musical artistry with historically inspired staging, choreography, sets, and costumes. Through close collaboration with singers, instrumentalists, directors, and designers, the company brings to life the full theatrical and emotional depth of early opera. Critics have hailed Haymarket as “lovingly detailed” (The New York Times), “painstakingly authentic” (Chicago Classical Review), and “among the most impressive period-performance ensembles today” (Musical America). Opera News praised its work as “creatively staged, beautifully sung, and superbly played,” while Classical Voice North America highlighted its “legendary commitment” to historical performance.

Notable projects have included a pandemic pivot through which Haymarket reached over 800,000 households with a filmed trilogy of Handel operas. The company’s partnership with WFMT has brought its work to a global audience via the Saturday Matinee Broadcast series, heard by over one million listeners worldwide. In 2022, Haymarket premiered and recorded Joseph Bologne’s L’Amant anonyme, released on Cedille Records with support from the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Fund for Vocal Recordings. Vinci’s Artaserse was released in 2026 as the company’s second Cedille release. The company’s partnership with Chicago’s legacy early-music ensemble The Newberry Consort includes a concert presentation of Peri’s Euridice, the oldest surviving opera, and a 2026 co-production of Monteverdi’s timeless masterpiece, L’Orfeo. In 2025 Haymarket made its debut at the Ravinia Festival with a semi-staged concert presentation of Handel’s Alcina starring Nicole Cabell and Elizabeth DeShong. 

Named one of the “Ten Best of the Decade” by the Chicago Sun-Times and featured in the Chicago Tribune’s “Top 10 Classical and Opera Performances,” Haymarket continues to reimagine early opera with integrity, artistry, and passion, reminding us that great art transcends time.

Position Overview

Haymarket Opera Company seeks a full-time Director of Development to serve as a key member of its leadership team and a strategic partner to the General Director. This is an opportunity to help shape the next phase of growth for a nationally recognized company with a clear artistic identity and increasing visibility. The Director of Development will lead all aspects of fundraising, including individual giving, institutional support, and development operations. Annual contributed revenue currently exceeds $1 million and is poised for continued expansion. This role is responsible for achieving contributed revenue goals, strengthening donor relationships, and building a sustainable, forward-looking development program that supports Haymarket’s artistic ambitions.

Why this role is exciting:

This is a rare opportunity to build and lead a development program at a pivotal moment in an organization’s growth. Haymarket has established a strong artistic reputation and a dedicated base of support, and is now investing in expanded staffing and infrastructure to match its ambitions. The Director of Development will play a central role in shaping Haymarket’s growth by developing strategy, deepening relationships with donors and institutions, and helping bring distinctive artistic projects to life. This position offers meaningful ownership, direct collaboration with leadership, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the organization’s trajectory. This role is both strategic and hands-on, requiring a leader who can build relationships, develop systems, and actively drive fundraising results.

Key Responsibilities

The Director of Development is responsible for achieving annual contributed revenue goals and building a sustainable fundraising program that supports Haymarket’s artistic and organizational growth.

Individual Giving (40%)

• Lead and achieve Annual Fund and contributed revenue goals, including campaigns, appeals, and board giving, with particular focus on the production sponsor program

• Serve as a frontline fundraiser, conducting donor meetings, cultivation strategies, and gift solicitations

• Manage and grow a portfolio of individual donors through identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship

• Develop and implement long-term strategies to expand individual giving and strengthen donor retention

• Cultivate mid-level donors and identify pathways for major gift growth

• Partner with the General Director and Board of Directors to support donor engagement and solicitation

• Oversee direct donor communication, including gift processing, acknowledgments, and stewardship

• Develop and implement a planned giving program in partnership with the General Director

Institutional Giving (25%)

• Manage a portfolio of foundation and institutional funders, including proposal development, submission, and reporting

• Lead strategy for institutional funding, including identifying prospects, aligning projects with funding priorities, and setting revenue goals

• Write and edit grant proposals in collaboration with leadership and staff

• Oversee grants calendar and ensure compliance with all funder requirements

• Build and maintain relationships with program officers and institutional partners

• Collaborate with Bookkeeper to manage restricted funds and financial reporting

Development Operations (20%)

• Lead development planning, budgeting, and forecasting in partnership with the General Director

• Translate fundraising data and reporting into actionable strategy and performance tracking

• Oversee gift processing, acknowledgments, pledge tracking, and financial reconciliation

• Ensure integrity and effective use of the donor database

• Develop and refine systems for tracking performance, benchmarking, and reporting

• Supervise, mentor, and support the Development Coordinator

Development Events (15%)

• Lead planning and execution of fundraising events, including annual gala and donor cultivation events

• Ensure events align with overall fundraising strategy and donor engagement goals

• Evaluate event effectiveness through financial performance and donor feedback

Other duties: As assigned by the General Director. 

Compensation, Benefits, and Qualifications

• Salary range: $70,000–$75,000, commensurate with experience

• Health insurance: 85% employer-covered

• Retirement: 100% employer match up to 5% of salary

• Vacation / PTO: Generous paid time off, including vacation and holidays

• Hybrid work environment, with 1–2 days per week in-office

• Required attendance at Haymarket performances, donor events, and key organizational activities

• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences and industry engagement

Core Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in fundraising or nonprofit development

• Demonstrated success in cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts from individuals and/or institutional funders

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience with donor communications and grant writing

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

• High level of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment in handling confidential information

• Experience with donor database systems and standard office tools (Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Zoom)

Location: Candidates should be based in the greater Chicago area.

• The organization is based in the Chicago area with an office in downtown Chicago at 77 W. Wacker Drive. 

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing a portfolio of donors and advancing relationships through the full fundraising cycle

• Knowledge of charitable giving vehicles, including donor-advised funds, IRA giving, and other tax-advantaged strategies

• Experience with grant writing, reporting, and institutional fundraising strategy

• Familiarity with budgeting and financial tracking related to development activity

• Experience in the Chicago arts and cultural landscape

• Passion for opera, classical music, or the performing arts

To Apply:

Submit resume and cover letter to: Chase Hopkins, General Director at chase@haymarketopera.org

We recognize that candidates may bring a range of experiences. If you are excited about this role but do not meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply.

Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled.

Haymarket Opera Company is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or marital status.