Summary
Description
Title: Development Manager – Contract or Employee
Reports to: Executive Director/CEO
About CherryArts: CherryArts is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that believes access to art is for everyone and artists are essential.
We are dedicated to providing access to art experiences and investing in arts education. Our signature event, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (July 3-5, 2026), brings together 250 juried visual artists and more than 150,000 visitors annually on 4th of July weekend. In addition to the Festival, CherryArts supports the community year-round through programs like our Mobile Art Gallery and Student Art Buying Program to nurture future generations of art supporters and expose young minds to the many social and individual benefits of experiencing and creating art.
Role Overview: We are seeking a Development Manager to help us expand corporate partnerships, strengthen sponsor engagement and increase sponsorship revenue in support of our mission.
The ideal partner will bring demonstrated success in sponsorship, donor, and grant cultivation for nonprofits, festivals, or cultural organizations, with a proven track record in sponsorship sales or corporate partnerships within these sectors, along with strong relationship-building, communication, and negotiation skills to deliver customized, mutually beneficial partnerships.
Responsible for cultivating, contracting and managing corporate sponsorships that support the CherryArts mission and programming. This role will focus on growing sponsorship revenue, developing creative partnership opportunities and ensuring exceptional sponsor engagement and fulfillment.
Employment Type
Preferred: Contracted individual (1099) or firm equivalent, contract-to-hire option after the Festival.
Also considered: Full-time employee (W-2)
We are prioritizing candidates who can see the 2026 festival cycle through and demonstrate fit and results.
Contract Term: Start ASAP through August 31, 2026 with option to extend.
Key Responsibilities
- Researching and prospecting new potential sponsors across relevant industries.
- Sales outreach conduct solicitation, presentations and negotiations with prospective sponsors; tailor packages and activations for their priorities.
- Mission forward storytelling that leverages CherryArts’ education impact and year-round programs to design high-value partnerships.
- Create and refine sponsorship levels, benefits and activation opportunities tailored to CherryArts events and programs.
- Draft and finalize sponsorship agreements in collaboration with CherryArts leadership.
- Manage sponsor experience pre, during and post-event, ensuring all benefits are delivered.
- Provide fulfillment reports, measure outcomes and recommend improvements for future partnerships.
- Retain and grow existing sponsors; proactively communicate timelines and deliverables.
- Stay informed on sponsorship trends, pricing strategies and activation best practices.
- Maintain accurate records and reports providing timely updates on revenue, pipeline, and prospect activity.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in related field
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience in sponsorship sales, corporate partnerships or development, preferably in the nonprofit, festival or cultural sector.
- Demonstrated success in closing multiple five and six figure sponsorships and building long-term partnerships.
- Excellent relationship building, presentation, communication and negotiation skills.
- Highly organized and able to manage multiple projects, deadlines and relationships simultaneously.
- Creative thinker with a solutions-oriented approach.
- Willingness to work evenings and weekends leading up to and during major events.
- High standard of integrity and professionalism
- Keen sense of self-motivation
- Organized with attention to detail
- Computer proficiency (Apple Operating System / Microsoft Office / Salesforce / Constant Contact / Zoom / Slack)
- Passion for the arts, community events, nonprofit sector
- Ability to lift 50lbs and remain active for extended periods of time during the Festival
Salary, Benefits & Hours (Employee Option)
Full-time, 40 hours/week; hybrid workplace. Salary range: $60,000 – $70,000 and performance bonus, commensurate with experience. Benefits include 9 paid holidays, PTO, sick leave, employer-sponsored health & dental, and a 403(b) with 4% employer match.
(Contracted Employee) 30 hours/week (seasonal peaks especially around the Arts Festival. Compensation: Competitive retainer and performance bonus/commission structure, commensurate with experience.
Our Commitment to Equity
CherryArts is committed to inclusion of people of all races, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations. We believe access to art should be universal and representative of all communities. We actively work to recognize inequities and implement practices that reflect these values.
To Apply
Contractor (preferred): Email a concise proposal (scope, approach, sample timeline, 2 – 3 recent sponsorship wins/values, and two references) or
Employee: Email resume, cover letter, 2 – 3 recent sponsorship wins/values, and two references
to Tara Brickell, Executive Director/CEO at tarabrickell@CherryArts.org by December 10th – Phone: (303) 355-2787 x219.
