Title: Major Gifts Officer, BSO at Strathmore
Department: Advancement and Communications
Reports to: SVP, Chief Advancement & Communication Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Bethesda, MD
Effective Date: January 2, 2025

 

THE BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

For over a century, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been recognized as one of America’s leading orchestras and one of Maryland’s most significant cultural institutions. The orchestra is internationally renowned and locally admired for its innovation, performances, recordings, and educational outreach initiatives including OrchKids. With the 2005 opening of The Music Center at Strathmore, the BSO became the only major American orchestra with year-round venues in two distinct metropolitan areas, both specifically designed with the orchestra in mind. The 2024-25 season represents the 20^th anniversary of the BSO as Founding Partner at The Music Center, with annual concert seasons of 32+ concerts and an expanding line up of educational and community partnerships including a multi-year performance/educational residency at The Clarice in partnership with The University of Maryland.

In 2022, the BSO once again made musical history with its announcement that Jonathon Heyward would succeed Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder Marin Alsop as the Orchestra’s next Music Director. Heyward began his five-year contract in the 2023-24 season.

 

POSITION SUMMARY

The Major Gifts Officer, BSO at Strathmore, is a visible front-line fundraiser for the BSO in Montgomery County and the surrounding DMV (including Prince George’s County, DC, and surrounding communities in Virginia). The MGO contributes to the BSO’s major gift program (donors with the capacity to give $10,000+ annually) and Legato Circle (the BSO’s planned giving program and legacy giving circle) through the stewardship, cultivation and solicitation of a dynamic growth portfolio of donors and prospects. A professional fundraiser with strong ties in the region’s philanthropic community, the MGO is part of a dynamic, dual-market team of giving officers and regularly collaborates with colleagues and BSO Board leadership in lead generation, prospect identification and portfolio moves management. Key colleagues for the MGO will include the following advancement positions with dual-market giving responsibilities: Director of Events & Engagement (donor events and donor lounges), Director of the Annual Fund (broad-based membership programs with gifts of $75 – $2,999), Giving Society Officer (individual donors at the $3,000 – $9,999 level), Grants and Reporting Officer (foundation and public funding partners), Corporate Relations Officers (corporate partners), and Campaign Director (supporting the BSO’s comprehensive fundraising effort).

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

• Build and manage a dynamic portfolio of 75-100+ individual Maestro Circle and/or Legato Circle donors and prospects, including:
  • Holding primary responsibility for the qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of all portfolio accounts, deploying leadership to advance relationships or solicit gifts where necessary. A growth portfolio, the MGO will inherit a small number of existing accounts but will need to identify and develop new prospects to build a major giving portfolio for the BSO at Strathmore.
  • Providing regular metrics and reports on portfolio activity including annual plans for goals, visits, and stewardship.
  • Participating in the Prospect Management Group (PMG) for lead generation and strategy with peer gift officers.
  • Participating in the Governing Member Recruitment Council (GMRC) for lead generation and strategy with volunteers when required.
  • Participating in other working groups and/or task forces with colleagues and volunteers to support special fundraising/friend-raising campaigns as required, including but not limited to the annual Season Opening Gala Celebrations, the BSO’s Opera Advisory Council, and/or the BSO’s AAPI Advisory Council.
  • Supporting standardized operating procedures and data integrity to ensure compliance, providing updates to donor records and research notes for funder reporting, moves management and communications.
    • BSO systems include but are not limited to: Tessitura (CRM), TEAMS (working e-files), Asana (Project Management), and MarketSmart (major and planned giving prospecting)
• Provide on-the-ground insights and connections to inform institutional strategy for the BSO’s growth at and around Strathmore, including:
  • Supporting the SVP & Chief Advancement and Communications Officer (CAO), President & CEO and Governance Committee in board nomination and recruitment efforts.
  • Seek out opportunities for and work with senior BSO leadership to help ensure a visible presence at and around Strathmore and across the DC Metro region, with an emphasis on strategic goals and philanthropic/fundable opportunities.
  • Represent the BSO at Strathmore and at civic and cultural events, attending events as agreed with the CAO, and recommending engagement of the President & CEO to attend events as appropriate.
• Work BSO concerts and special events to entertain existing partners and prospects.
  • The MGO is expected to staff the Comcast donor lounge at BSO at Strathmore concerts
• Other duties as assigned

 

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• A high level of personal motivation, initiative and creativity
• A high level of integrity and extraordinary work ethic
• Comfort in asking individuals to commit their funds (gifts of cash, securities, and/or estate commitments) and/or talents to support the mission of an organization
• A superior communicator, able to work effectively and respectfully with donors, board members, volunteers, and colleagues
• Proficiency with office technology and donor information systems
• Passion for the mission of the BSO
• Energetic, self-motivated, flexible, and adaptable; able to multi-task and work independently in a hands-on work environment

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree
• A minimum of five years’ professional experience in fundraising with a proven record of success in meeting fundraising goals, with specific experience in major gifts (five and six-figure gifts)
• Demonstrated experience in producing persuasive solicitation and stewardship materials
• Experience with CRM, preferably Tessitura
• Proficient in Microsoft programs, including but not limited to Excel, Word, & Outlook. Ability to learn other software programs as needed.
• Knowledge of planned-giving tools, financial and/or estate planning concepts (preferred)
• Knowledge of the philanthropic community that supports the performing arts in Montgomery County and the surrounding DMV (preferred)

Salary: Salary range is $90,000 – $110,000 commensurate with experience, expertise, and other qualifying factors.

Position Type and Work Hours: This is a full-time role requiring at least 3 days per week in office (2 days in Bethesda, 1 day in Baltimore), possibly more when required. The Director must be able to work longer hours on nights/weekends as necessary. Occasional local or regional travel.

How to Apply:  Send a cover letter, professional resume, and relevant work samples with appropriate redactions (e.g., solicitation letter(s), stewardship communication(s), etc.) with salary requirements to Devojobs@bsomusic.org. Best apply by February 3, 2025.

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The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life and short- and long-term disability insurance.  In addition, a 403(b) and  paid vacation benefits.

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra  is committed to fair employment practices and equal employment opportunity regardless of age, ancestry, citizenship, color, creed, ethnicity, family-care status, gender identity (including characteristics and/or expression), marital status, matriculation at a college, medical condition (including HIV/AIDS), chronic illness, pregnancy, childbirth (or other related medical conditions), membership in a labor union or union activities covered by the Act, mental disability, national origin, personal appearance, height and weight, physical disability, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation and veteran status. 

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources.