Organization: Oregon Symphony
City: Portland

Type: Full-Time
Primary Job Function: Fundraising
Secondary Job Function: Fundraising
Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Description & Details

SUMMARY:  The Gift Officer is responsible for developing the donor pipeline by managing a portfolio valued at approximately $500K annually and comprised of 215 donors and donor prospects contributing mainly between 1,000 and $2,500+ annually.  The GO will focus on the annual appeal with additional asks for special events (such as gala, opening night, broadcasts, etc).  Additionally, the GO will work to secure planned giving commitments.

The GO will accomplish goals through phone and email communication, written appeals, organizational events, and face-to-face contact in 100+ 1:1 meetings annually. The GO will additionally be responsible for identification of new prospects, conducting prospect research, portfolio forecasting, maintenance of donor/prospect contact information in the Tessitura database, and stewardship of donors.

Position requires the flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed during concert season (approximately 3-5 nights per month).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage relationships with existing donors in the $1,000+ range, developing individual strategies for each donor to ensure regular contact with appropriate Symphony representatives.
• Cultivate and steward current and potential donors as appropriate to their giving level through opportunities to observe education and outreach programs, rehearsals, chamber music events, Parties of Note, and donor events with goal to identify and engage $1,000+ donors.
• Cultivate and steward current potential Encore society (planned giving) members.
• Manage special projects and corporate and foundation relationships when appropriate or as needed by the development department
• Actively engage in prospect identification and research to build a pipeline for new and increased donors.
• Take responsibility to ensure accurate gift entry, acknowledgments and pledge invoices for donors in assigned portfolio.
• When requested, assist in providing staff support to board development committees.
• Track and manage record of portfolio activity in Tessitura database.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to perform this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree plus 1+ years’ experience in Development, specifically with solicitation of leadership annual and/or major gifts; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Evidence of ability to achieve goals.
• Strong organizational skills; self-starter; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously; ability to effectively manage and grow relationships.
• Strong communication skills, both interpersonal and written; customer service focus; ability to interact effectively and empathetically, and build rapport, with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Experience with tracking work in a donor database. Working knowledge of Excel and other programs in the Microsoft Office suite. Experience with Tessitura a plus.
• Quantitative and logic skills; ability to budget and forecast with accuracy. Positive, imaginative, and pragmatic approach to problem-solving.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed during concert season (approximately 3-5 nights per month).
• Sense of humor required. Passion for live symphonic music a plus.

Last Updated: July 8, 2019