Director of External Affairs

Position: Director of External Affairs

Reports To: President & Chief Executive Officer

FLSA Status: Full-time (40 hours), exempt, salaried

Salary: $60,000-$70,000 annually, dependent on experience

Direct Reports: Development Manager;
Director of External Relations (part-time);
Brand Storyteller (indirect);
Creative Media Intern (indirect)

Work Environment: Hybrid. Virtual/remote administrative work. Expected attendance at performances, special events, and other external activities.

Musicopia's mission is to inspire, educate, and connect children, youth, and their extended communities through collaborative music and dance experiences. Musicopia envisions shaping and empowering the next generation through equitable access to the arts: cultivating lifelong creative expression, confidence, collaboration, multicultural understanding, and joy.

• Provide pathways to the arts
• Inspire learning through the arts
• Champion cultural and human diversity
• Promote the development of self-efficacy
• Create environments of mutual respect, well-being, and belonging
• Support participants in finding safe spaces for self-expression
• Enrich the communities in which our participants live and thrive

As of January 1, 2026, Musicopia and long-time affiliate Musicopia Dance (formerly Dancing Classrooms Philly) merged with Musicopia Inc as the surviving entity. This strategic merger brings to the forefront the importance of dance to youth development, while continuing to champion the power of music. Learn more about Musicopia’s work and impact icopia.org.

In collaboration with the President & Chief Executive Officer, the Director of External Affairs leads Musicopia’s fundraising, institutional giving, marketing, communications, and community engagement efforts. This role is responsible for developing and implementing integrated fundraising and communications initiatives to grow contributed revenue, strengthen donor and funder relationships, elevate Musicopia’s visibility, and align external affairs activities with the organization’s mission, values, programs, and long-term sustainability.

The Director serves as a frontline fundraiser, departmental leader, and key partner to staff and Board members in advancing Musicopia’s philanthropic and public engagement goals.

• Develop and implement a written, metrics-driven Development Plan with clear goals, timelines, and assigned responsibilities, in partnership with the President/CEO and Board leadership.
• Work with the President/CEO, staff, and Board to identify, cultivate, and steward individual, corporate, foundation, and government prospects.
• Serve as staff liaison to the Board’s Development and Marketing Committee and provide regular updates on fundraising progress, priorities, and opportunities.
• Manage department staff through clear goals, coaching, collaboration, and ongoing professional development.

• Oversee donor and prospect activity across individual and institutional giving, including cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, and tracking.
• Guide major gift and sponsorship strategies through prospect research, prioritization, solicitation planning, and support for staff and Board engagement.
• Oversee giving opportunities, campaigns, and special events that deepen donor relationships and support revenue growth.
• Attend fundraising, corporate, and cultivation events throughout the year, including occasional weekends and evenings.

• Oversee the full grant lifecycle, including prospect research, calendar management, proposal development, submission, award administration, compliance, reporting, and funder stewardship.
• Write, edit, and/or oversee grant proposals, letters of inquiry, reports, project budgets, organizational narratives, and supporting materials.
• Partner with program, finance, and communications staff to gather data, align budgets, monitor deliverables, maintain accurate records, and fulfill funder recognition requirements.

• Oversee development operations, including Salesforce, gift processing, acknowledgements, calendars, prospect tracking,…