Associate Director of Development
DESCRIPTION
The Dallas Opera is a world-class performing arts organization producing outstanding mainstage and chamber opera repertoire, attracting national and international notice, committed to extensive community outreach and education, and managed to the highest standards of artistic excellence, accountability, efficiency and financial sustainability.
Between 2021-2024, TDO executed a successful $25M+ campaign to raise new gifts and increase annual giving. When the campaign ended in June 2024, TDO’s annual fund reached $8M and is poised for growth. The Associate Development Director plays an instrumental role supporting the growth of TDO’s annual fund.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the Director of Development, the primary functions of the Associate Development Director are to provide (1) team leadership and personnel management; (2) high-level leadership in all aspects of fundraising operations, specifically donor communications, events and stewardship, and fundraising analytics and reporting; and (3) strategic oversight of events and Inner Circle and Friends membership management. This position leads both the team of three responsible for all donor related events, donor communications, data entry, revenue forecasting, reporting and donor recognition, and the individual giving team responsible for Inner Circle and Friends giving. This position collaborates closely with Finance, Marketing, and the Director of Tessitura Operations and Strategy to ensure accuracy of reporting, data integrity, and strategic donor communications, and with the Director of Development to set strategy and implement plans to support fundraising goals. Specific responsibilities include:
Leadership and Personnel Management
Represent Development team as a senior staff member in organizational meetings; plans, prepares, and facilitates weekly Development team meetings
Directly manage operational team of three – Development Database Coordinator, Development Communications Coordinator, and Events/Crescendo Manager, as well as Individual Giving team responsible for Inner Circle and Friends donors
Provide coaching, goal setting and performance evaluations; establish priorities and performance metrics for team and monitor progress for direct reports
Offer strategic guidance for Crescendo (under 45 program) program to support ongoing audience development growth efforts
Attend Dallas Opera events and performances to support fundraising efforts and staff, assist with other fundraising or donor stewardship activities, as needed
Operational Oversight and Accountability
Maximize existing sophisticated technology to communicate with donors in a personalized way so that donors feel appreciated and receive invitations to numerous season events
Coordinate with Marketing to ensure communications calendar compatibility and coordination of fundraising messages across the organization
Develop and guide donor communications plans and touchpoints (website, email, invitations, and other communications) designed to build lasting relationships
Oversee calendar, messaging and mailings for annual fund appeal efforts, including appeal letters, emails, social media, and additional communications
Manage and proof all donor recognition in program books, signage, website, other formats; oversight of partnership benefits delivery
Provide centralized oversight of data analytics and reporting at team, executive and board level, including Development gift entry, creation/updating of plans and pipelines, weekly GAAP, cash and plans/steps reporting, and alignment of annual revenue budget strategy with database reporting outputs
Serve as Development’s leadership to provide guidance on gift entry standards and resolve issues with the Director of Tessitura Operations and Strategy
Manage Development reporting to track solicitation and fundraising progress and fiscal year forecast; review donor analytics to provide information needed to make informed decisions, set goals, and create plans to best maximize fundraising results
Events and Individual Giving
Work with Director of Development to develop annual fundraising plan and goals based on past results and data analytics, provide underwriting goals aligned with expenses for all signature and community/corporate engagement events
Develop annual plan of donor events to maximize sponsorships, fundraising, cultivation of new donor relationships and stewardship of existing donors
Manage the annual development expense budget, reconcile and report on expenditures
Other duties as assigned
Candidate Qualities
Minimum 5-7 years in fundraising and team management, database expertise, communications, or a related area
Proven results and management strategies leading a development operational team
Strong analytical skills related to data management, extraction and reporting and understanding of how this information is used by Development
Demonstrable understanding of how databases operate and how to extract reporting aligned with Development team’s needs concerning annual budget, donor prospect management; and specific experience with Tessitura preferred
Exceptional communication skills related to people – ability to communicate effectively with donors, patrons, volunteers, and colleagues; and technical skills - written, verbal and interpersonal; strong writing and editing skills required
Possess outstanding editorial skills, including the ability to distill a story to its key components while adhering to proper use of language and punctuation
Manage projects from concept to completion, including coordinating people, deadlines, and analytics to deliver consistently impactful products. Attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to balance short and long-term priorities, adapt quickly to changes in work environment and duties, processes, and technologies.
Passion for opera or the arts preferred
Technical skills: knowledge of Tessitura, Blackbaud and other CRMs; Microsoft office software and Google Suite. Previous working knowledge with email platforms and content management systems is a plus
Ability to work nights and weekends during season while also maintaining office hours
Desired Start Date: June 1, 2025
BENEFITS
Pay Range: $100,000 - $100,000 Annual
Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, PTO, paid parental leave, sick leave, 403b savings plan with employer matching, complimentary tickets to performances, and professional development opportunities.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please send a cover letter and résumé to recruitment@dallasopera.org, using the subject line “Associate Director of Development.” Please send Word or PDF file only. No phone calls, please.
Application Deadline: June 30, 2025
Application Email/Link: recruitment@dallasopera.org
JOB CONTACT
Sara Newman, Human Resources Administrator