REPORTS TO: Associate Vice President of Philanthropy, Annual Giving

POSITION SUMMARY: Develop and drive the strategy and implementation of a broad-based annual giving program to grow sustaining philanthropic support for the SLSO. Provide leadership for Friends of Music and Patron’s Circle programs, playing a leadership role in increasing revenue and participation among member/donors contributing at annual gift levels from $75 to $1,999. With staff colleagues and vendor partners plan, execute, and achieve ambitious revenue goals.

FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:

Serve as a member of the SLSO’s philanthropy team responsible for management and execution of Friends of Music ($75-749) and Patron’s Circle ($750-1,999) by securing broad-based community support with annual revenue responsibility exceeding $800,000.
Work as a key leader of the Philanthropy team to execute a multi-channel annual fund plan to secure recurring member contributions including direct mail, phone solicitations, digital and social media, e-solicitations, and on-site sales.
Provide guidance and support for all member/donor communications, events and stewardship plans.
Working creatively with data operations colleagues, develop and implement a broad-based solicitation plan to target existing donors and actionable new prospects to meet and exceed revenue goals and increase the number of active member/donor households.
Guide Friends donors through a structured process of cultivation, solicitation and stewardship.
Work closely with direct mail and tele funding partners and vendors to support Friends of Music and Patron’s Circle giving and to assess and understand results and response rates.
Manage revenue and expense budget and track metrics and ROI.
Coordinate Friends of Music stewardship efforts including volunteer thank you calling program and note writing efforts.
Coordinate and develop a comprehensive membership fulfillment program, including the creation, distribution, and tracking of member benefits, communications, and recognition materials to ensure timely and engaging experiences for all members.
Provide event and concert duty as assigned.
Assist other areas of the philanthropy team as needed.

POSITION QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of best practices in annual fundraising campaigns with deep experience in managing direct mail (online and regular mail), tele funding and social media at a scope and scale comparable to the SLSO. Working knowledge of not-for-profit, volunteer-based development programs, database management, data mining and analytics and event planning. Familiarity with development and office-based software, social media and marketing resources.

Experience:

Minimum of 5 years of broad-based fundraising experience, preferably in a membership organization, with a focus on annual fund campaigns encompassing all methods of direct marketing.

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, fundraising or related field, or equivalent experience.

Experience with the implementation of an annual giving plan, an ability to work proactively with staff colleagues and supervisory experience are all important.

Face-to-face solicitation experience is a plus.

Proficient with Microsoft Office products and experience with fundraising databases preferred.

Skills and Abilities:

Demonstrate excellent written, interpersonal and public speaking skills to communicate with internal and external contacts.

Display the ability to work with, influence, solicit, and close gifts from members and donors.

Show flexibility and initiative, as well as the ability to achieve independent goals, combined with the skills for thriving in a team environment.

Ability to analyze and segment data to effectively implement various annual giving appeals.

Ability to motivate and manage volunteers to support the SLSO’s mission and achieve organizational goals.

Strong ability to successfully manage multiple projects with close attention to detail and prioritization to meet deadlines.

High professional and ethical standards for handling confidential information.

Available to work events that are held during the evenings or weekends as needed.

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

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Director of Membership and Annual Giving