WHO WE ARE: The Florida Orchestra exists to INSPIRE-EDUCATE-UNITE and build community though the power of music. Celebrating our 55th season in 2022-23, The Florida Orchestra (“TFO”) is the largest professional orchestra in the state and largest performing arts organization that bridges the bay. TFO employs 71 full-time professional musicians and conductors, graduates of some of the top music schools and conservatories, under the leadership of internationally acclaimed Music Director Michael Francis. Excellence is behind our musicians, the music, and all we do. Each season, TFO offers more than 100 high quality music experiences, education, and outreach programs. Concert series include classical, popular, and light symphonic morning concerts in three major performing arts venues in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, as well as in theaters and other non-traditional venues throughout Tampa Bay, and free Pops in the Park community concerts. Beyond the concert halls, TFO programs bring the transformative power of music to schools, youth and senior centers, to underserved areas, and to those who would not otherwise have access to such opportunities. We put instruments in the hands of children, offer inspiration and joy to all ages and stages, uplifting comfort to those who most need it, and bring our community together.

The Florida Orchestra has a budget of about $11 million and an endowment of about $24 million.

WHO YOU ARE: Our ideal candidate is passionate about inspiring joyful giving. You want to dedicate yourself to fundraising on behalf of TFO in order to encourage and help donors realize their philanthropic goals through a relationship with our non-profit organization. With your proven track record of fundraising success, you bring significant experience identifying, cultivating, soliciting, securing, and stewarding major donors at the 5-6 figure gift level. Highly motivated, you are ready to embrace fundraising as your primary role and eager to take on the full responsibilities of the position. Your daily focus will be driven by results -- acquiring, maintaining, and expanding relationships with many donors and securing charitable contributions to ensure we meet and exceed monthly fundraising goals and achieve annual contributed revenue targets of more than $5 million. Your role will involve effective solicitation, retention, growth and stewardship of donors within an assigned portfolio throughout the fiscal year contributed revenue cycle, as well as prospect research and development of individual plans and approaches for new annual fund and major gift acquisitions. Impeccable personal integrity and authentic mission-driven passion for the fundraising role within nonprofit TFO are requisites. You will report to the Chief Development Officer. The position offers the right candidate the potential for mentorship by the CDO and professional growth within TFO Development. The work can be challenging but fulfilling, with the reward of a world-class orchestra and the joy it brings our community.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Successfully solicits and secures major gifts to meet and exceed established monthly individual and departmental fundraising goals and budgeted annual contributed revenue targets
• Engages, cultivates, solicits and maintains stewardship of donors within an assigned portfolio
• Guided by the Chief Development Officer, identifies qualified prospects, effectively validates donor priorities and capabilities, proposes and develops plans to convert and secure contributions
• Maintains and submits daily contact reports and regular donor and prospect updates with information, analysis, and recommendations to the Chief Development Officer
• Keeps accurate and timely records in TFO’s CRM system (Tessitura) to ensure capture of detailed information on interactions with donors and prospects
• Adheres to TFO established non-profit, departmental and fundraising best practices
• Maintains strict donor and organizational confidentiality; a signed NDA is required as a condition of employment
• Ensures appropriate donor acknowledgments, including tax letters, that are in line with regulatory standards and reporting requirements
• Works in close consultation with the Chief Development Officer to ensure a unified, coordinated donor outreach that will maximize fundraising productivity and ROI, including appropriate donor participation on committees and in fundraising events
• As assigned by CDO, assists with support and/or supervision of other Development department roles and responsibilities
• Assists with special projects
• Performs any additional/other duties deemed appropriate, as needed and as assigned
• This is an exempt position that often includes evenings and weekends during the concert season (September through May). Participation is required at events including regular weekend, day and evening concert duty at the Straz Center (Tampa), Mahaffey Theater (St. Petersburg) and Ruth Eckerd Hall (Clearwater), concert duty at other theaters and in non-traditional venues, public parks, as well as donor and community events  

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change by The Florida Orchestra based on the changing needs and requirements of the job, department, or organization. Duties, responsibilities, and skills are also subject to change.

The Florida Orchestra is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, national origin or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Demonstrate passion and interest for TFO mission and programs, commitment to non-profit service and specifically to fundraising role
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum five years of direct development experience and demonstrated results in fundraising with proven track record of successfully soliciting and securing 5-6 figure major gifts
• Knowledge of the greater Tampa Bay community, including philanthropists and businesses
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and especially Excel
• Skilled with CRM daily input and maintaining accurate and updated donor, prospect and solicitation records
• Must have or be able quickly to develop working knowledge of Tessitura and proficiency to regularly produce giving history, donor lists, segmentation and other reports
• Self-motivated, accountable, results driven, consistently demonstrate good judgment and decision-making, detail oriented, extremely well organized, excellent follow-up/follow-through
• Flexible, focused, high energy, able to work in a fast-paced environment while effectively managing day-to-day responsibilities and fulfilling requirements of the fundraising role
• Must be respectful, trustworthy and understand, accept and adhere to departmental and organizational hierarchy and appropriate and approved internal and external processes, including for contact and cultivation with board, patrons, donors and prospects, and with regard to proposals, programs and events
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, ability to connect and interact with people of all ages and stages with empathy, patience and utmost professionalism, remaining positive and finding solutions
• Must have a solid work ethic, able and willing to commit to the requirements of the role with in-person in-office hours 9 AM – 6 PM (TFO administrative offices located in downtown St. Petersburg), occasional late meetings, mandatory concert duty including nights and weekends, no overtime pay; no hybrid or remote work

Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to stop, reach, stand, walk, lift, pull, push, grasp, communicate, and use repetitive motions.
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee may lift and or move 20 pounds of materials.
• The position requires the individual to meet multiple demands from multiple people and interact with the public and other staff. 

About The Florida Orchestra

About The Florida Orchestra: Starting its 55th season, The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay’s leading performing arts institution, providing vibrant and innovative live symphonic music to audiences of all ages. Under the leadership of Music Director, Michael Francis, TFO performs classical, popular, rock and other concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Additionally, TFO is dedicated to connecting the community together through a variety of programs including Pops in the Park concerts, family and youth concerts, and music educational programs, many of which are provided at no cost to the community. The Florida Orchestra is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit and equal opportunity employer.

Connections working at The Florida Orchestra