Chief Development Officer

David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (Straz Center) is a nationally recognized not-for-profit performing arts center located in Downtown Tampa, FL on a picturesque nine-acre site along the Tampa Riverwalk. The 335,000 square-foot Straz Center is one of the largest performing arts complexes in the country and, since opening in 1987, has welcomed nearly 16 million guests for a wide variety of world-class events. Straz Center boasts one of the nation’s leading Broadway series and is internationally respected for leading accredited education and training programs, producing grand opera, and presenting a wide variety of concerts, performances, and events.

Straz Center is at a pivotal moment in its history. Straz Center is in the advanced stages of its $100 million Boundless: The Campaign for the New Straz comprehensive campaign with a goal of opening capital expansions in fiscal year 2028, including a new high-end donor lounge. Straz Center intends to leverage its new capital improvements while elevating its philanthropic brand as a top performing arts center in one of the fastest growing metro regions in the country, with the goal of recruiting the strongest performing arts center leadership team in the United States.

Straz Center seeks an innovative, ambitious, and creative Chief Development Officer (CDO) to lead a comprehensive fundraising program during a period of transformation. The ideal candidate will design a cutting-edge fundraising program focused on maximizing new and existing opportunities in major and planned gifts, corporate and foundation giving, annual giving, prospect identification, stewardship, and engagement. The CDO will lead the completion of the $100 million Boundless comprehensive campaign while positioning the team to remain in continued campaign modality.

The ideal CDO will lead a comprehensive refresh of Straz Center’s well-functioning fundraising program, imbuing its operations with creativity and technological innovation to inspire greater affinity and support from prospects, donors, and members of the Board of Trustees. The candidate will play an integral role in deepening donor affinity and interest in Straz Center by designing a world-class stewardship and donor experience program, identifying new creative fundraising approaches, and elevating Straz Center’s philanthropic brand and program.

To support Straz Center’s vision for sustainable philanthropic growth, the CDO will carry a personal portfolio of existing donors with a focus on leading prospect research and identification of new individual, corporate, and foundation prospects. The successful candidate will have experience managing large staff teams, leading a comprehensive fundraising program, and developing best practices, policies, and systems for the development team, particularly for prospect identification and data management systems designed for growth.

As a key member of Straz Center’s leadership team, the CDO will serve as a chief spokesperson, fundraiser, and advocate for Straz Center with prospects, donors, the media, leaders, and the general public, with a goal of inspiring greater brand awareness, dedication, and philanthropic support. The candidate will collaborate with internal leadership to lead brand elevation campaigns to increase awareness of Straz Center’s philanthropic brand and not-for-profit status.

The CDO will report to the President and CEO, serve on the leadership team, and lead a team of 16 development professionals with seven direct reports. The candidate will support and engage the President and CEO and board members in philanthropy, providing meaningful activities and effective support. The CDO will serve as staff liaison to the Development Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Straz Center for the Performing Arts has retained Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC to facilitate this executive recruitment. Please send confidential inquiries and applications directly to Freeman Philanthropic Services, LLC via e-mail at StrazCenterCDO@glfreeman.com.