The Symphony seeks an outgoing and energetic fundraising professional for the position of Development Support Specialist to join its dynamic, fast-paced, mid-sized development team. The team is responsible for raising a total of $10MM - $13MM each year from individuals, foundations, corporations, government and special events to advance the mission of the Symphony. The Development Support Specialist is a new role that will be critical to facilitating and participating in the team’s success and supporting the Vice President of Development. Responsibilities include admin support, meeting prep, project management, institutional funder relations support and management of the donor travel program.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Direct Support of the Vice President of Development
Work with VP of Development to set their strategic priorities.
Strategically manage VP of Development's time.
Act as gatekeepers.
Prepare for and follow up on meetings.
Manage internal and external communications.
Support the Vice President of Development and President & CEO with scheduling donor meetings, making reservations, and entering meeting notes into Tessitura.
Meeting and Event Preparation
Coordinate agendas for VP of Development approval before leadership team and board meetings.
Organize team retreats and attendance at conferences and other events.
Attend meetings that VP of Development can't attend and be proxy.
Create agendas and meeting notes for weekly development meeting.
Project Management
Oversee large, often cross-functional, organization-wide projects or initiatives; bring together important stakeholders and help drive decisions.
Research, perform benchmarking, analyze data, and make recommendations.
Propose the creation of new systems and processes to streamline operations.
Institutional and Government Relations Support
Assist VP of Development and Institutional Giving team in managing relationships with institutional funding partners, state and local elected and appointed officials and their staff. This includes scheduling meetings; assisting in developing engagement strategies; maintaining a calendar of communications to elected officials and creating communication pieces; managing invitations to programs and site visits; and recording outreach and activities in the database.
Donor Travel Program Management
Plan, organize and execute itineraries for Donor Travel Program, ensuring an excellent experience from start to finish.
Plan, organize and execute travel program advertising to generate interest and secure reservations. This may include copywriting and email campaign design.
Manage all reservations and logistics related to donor travel, including but not limited to, transportation, accommodations and on-site activities.
Coordinate with internal and external partners to develop engagement opportunities for donors during travel.
Work with Finance to prepare comprehensive and accurate reports related to Donor Travel Program, including budget and fundraising achievements.
OTHER INFO
Must be able to physically work in our Newark, NJ, office at least two days a week (with a move to Jersey City tentatively scheduled for 2025).
Must be authorized to work in the US without sponsorship.
Must be able to work some evenings and weekends; and provide own transportation to multiple NJ Symphony performance venues.
Hours: Full-time, Monday through Friday. Employees will work a hybrid schedule with two days in the office and the other days remote. Additional evenings and weekends may be required, specifically for working at concerts and events in multiple locations throughout northern and central New Jersey. Comp time is provided for hours worked for night and evening events.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Associate’s degree or equivalent experience, Bachelor’s degree preferred.
Technical understanding of CRM database software. Knowledge of Tessitura, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce and/or other donor tracking systems preferred.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
Experience in managing multiple projects and/or campaigns.
Prior experience in fundraising, arts or non-profit administration a plus.
PREFERRED SKILLS
Strong interpersonal skills in order to work collaboratively within the organization as well as with external partners.
Ability to multi-task effectively, including having good planning and organizing skills and ability to work under pressure.
Strong oral and written communications skills.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently, as well as to collaborate effectively in a team environment.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
The Emmy and GRAMMY Award-winning New Jersey Symphony is redefining what it means to be a nationally leading, relevant orchestra in the 21st century. The Symphony is renewing its deeply rooted commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by championing new, and often local, artists; engaging audiences for whom the inspiring depth and breadth of classical music will be a new experience; and incorporating the broadest possible representation in all aspects of our organization-all to better reflect and serve our vibrant communities.
With a new strategic plan in the final stages of development, the New Jersey Symphony now embarks on a bold vision for the future, the centerpiece of which will be a new Symphony Center that includes a 550-seat, versatile performance space in Jersey City. The Symphony Center will host New Jersey Symphony chamber music events and diversified programming, including non-classical music events, and become a permanent home base for the Symphony with offices and space for education programs. This transformational initiative and expansion into Jersey City will make the organization a community place-maker and will be the largest venue in Jersey City’s Powerho...use Arts District – a city that is on track to surpass Newark as the most populated city in the state.