Los Angeles, California
Chicago, IL-Hybrid Workplace
Chicago, Illinois
Somers, Connecticut
Windsor Locks, Connecticut
Seattle, Washington
Posted: 15-Nov-23
Location: Los Angeles, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $70,000-$75,000
Preferred Education:
Additional Information:
The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) is a statewide arts service organization headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles. For more than 50 years, ACSO has been the network, the hub, and the advocate for classical music in California and the western United States. A resource built to advance the orchestra industry by connecting and empowering its advocates, ACSO serves over 130 organizations and their 2,500+ board and staff members. We support a diverse array of members, including professional, academic, youth, and community-based orchestras, choruses, festivals, and aligned businesses.
ACSO values and celebrates the rich histories and diverse cultures found throughout California and commits to continued investment in training, resources, and services for the orchestral field in the areas of diversity, racial equity, and inclusion.
To read the ACSO mission, vision, strategic plan, and Racial & Cultural Equity & Inclusion Commitment, visit acso.org/about.
POSITION
ACSO seeks a full-time Member Engagement and Development Manager who understands that relationships are at the center of everything we do and is deeply committed to building a healthy, vibrant, and inclusive classical music community.
This is a new position for ACSO to be fully established and realized by a motivated and experienced individual with strong program development, fundraising, creative, and entrepreneurial skills who is comfortable multitasking and navigating different timelines while working independently and also collaboratively with a small team. This position is best suited for an individual who brings at least five years of manager-level work experience and demonstrated success in independently running programs.
The ideal candidate will be informed about the opportunities, trends, and challenges within the performing arts sector on the statewide and national levels and understand how arts service organizations can advocate, support, and lead the industry forward.
This position is primarily responsible for advancing two key operational areas of the Association: 1) member engagement with programs and services, and 2) individual and corporate fundraising.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Member Programs and Services (45%)
- MEMBER RELATIONS
- Build relationships with and learn about members to inform program and service development
- Motivate members to engage with and utilize ACSO programs and services
- Work with the Membership and Marketing coordinator to collect and share news from the field and amplify members’ work using ACSO’s website, digital communications, and social media platforms
- Write and edit member communications and digital content
- PROGRAMS & SERVICES
- Stay abreast of the policies, trends, and challenges that impact our industry and identify thought-leaders, experts, and resources that could support our members
- Plan, implement, and evaluate the impact of virtual and in-person professional development programs (networking events, seminars, workshops, webinars, etc.)
- Respond to member requests for research or technical support and provide resources, guidance, and connection to experts as needed
- Conduct periodic member surveys to get feedback about what kind of programs and services are most needed
- Identify and leverage program partnership opportunities
- Engage with state and federal arts advocacy and help further ACSO’s advocacy voice
- Work with the Membership and Marketing Coordinator to develop and improve ACSO’s digital resource library and other website resources
- ANNUAL CONFERENCE
- Work as a key member of the team to ensure that the annual conference is successfully planned, executed, and evaluated
- Develop sessions, identify and invite speakers, suggest and plan content and activities
- For plenary sessions, write scripts, prepare speakers, and help stage manage
- Facilitate any onsite donor-related events or recognition efforts and fundraising initiatives at the conference
- Contribute to the conference program, collateral, and marketing materials
Fundraising (45%)
- ANNUAL FUND & INDIVIDUAL GIVING
- Oversee all aspects of Annual Fund campaigns, both digital and direct mail
- Lead strategies and activities for individual donor cultivation, solicitation, stewardship, recognition, and upgrades
- Create strategies to further connect members to ACSO’s mission and move them through the engagement pipeline to turn them from members into donors
- Work with the Membership and Marketing Coordinator to maintain the donor database and reports, gift processing, and acknowledgment letters
- SPONSORSHIPS
- Build relationships with and steward ACSO’s current sponsors: foundation and government funders, individuals, and corporate
- Manage the Conference sponsorship program, including creating strategies for new sponsorship cultivation, reviewing and revising sponsor benefits, researching prospects, and sending sponsorship invitations
- Develop a year-round sponsorship program in addition to conference sponsors
- MAJOR GIFTS SUPPORT
- Support the Executive Director and the Development Committee in advancing a major gifts strategy
- Help upgrade broad-based donors to major gift donors
- Support the board with major gift solicitation
- Function as staff liaison to the Development Committee
Other (10%)
- Support the Executive Director with board relationships, committee management, and meetings
- Co-supervise interns
- Represent ACSO at member concerts and events, partner meetings, and donor/funder meetings
- Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
- Minimum of five years of progressively responsible program development and fundraising experience, preferably within an association or nonprofit
- Experience conceptualizing, executing, and evaluating impactful professional development or training programs
- Ability to articulate the case for support and connect mission/vision with needs of constituents
- Experience developing and implementing strategies for annual fundraising, including experience with broad base direct response appeals and working with printing and mail shops
- Experience developing donor and sponsor cultivation strategies
- Experience with managing a program budget
- Experience working with nonprofit boards
- Excellent research and written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent relationship-building skills
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Experience working with data management systems
- Proficiency in Office 365 and Microsoft Office Suite
- Ability to travel within California to meet members, attend board meetings and conference
- An entrepreneurial spirit and a creative and positive approach to problem-solving
- Ability to wear multiple hats and thrive in a small nonprofit with a small but mighty team
- Passion and enthusiasm for the performing arts
HOW TO APPLY: Email resume and cover letter to ACSO Executive Director Sarah Weber at sweber@acso.org and put “Manager” in the subject line. This position will remain open until filled.
ACSO is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
