Development Officer (Honolulu)

Children who make music embody commitment, discipline, teamwork, and persistence; all proven to be vital to success in school and to joy in life.

Each year, Hawaii Youth Symphony ("HYS") serves more than 750 children ages 7-18 statewide and produces and presents more than 40 orchestra, jazz, and ensemble concerts per season with a budget of $1.5 million and 20 employees. Incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1964, HYS has nearly 5,000 alumni and has introduced over 100,000 children to the joys of orchestral music.

Vision: Making music is a right, not a privilege.

Mission: To help youth develop to their fullest potential through orchestral music, in the setting of our Islands’ unique cultures.

POSITION SUMMARY: This position is charged with planning, organizing, and managing a donor-centric program that acknowledges, engages, and stewards donors. The Development Officer is responsible for providing strategic direction in prospecting potential donors including establishing and cultivating strong and meaningful relations with donors, constituencies, and agencies that provide philanthropic support for the Hawaii Youth Symphony. The Development Officer must maintain professional relationships with a variety of constituents, including but not limited to donors, students, parents, volunteers, and administrative staff while carrying out all required duties in a manner consistent with the policies, procedures, goals, and objectives established by the Board of Directors. This person will supervise part-time staff who will assist with contributions management, and also supervise event volunteers. Many HYS events occur on nights and weekends, and the person in this position will be expected to work accordingly.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Meet annual fundraising goals per the budgeted fund development plan

Manage all aspects of the annual fund and general contributions, ensuring accurate data entry, processing, timely completion of all acknowledgment letters.

Develop and maintain a successful corporate, foundation, and individual solicitation program, including the development and implementation of a strategic fundraising plan.

Identify, cultivate, and solicit philanthropic support by developing and maintaining relationships with existing donors and prospective donors; manage a portfolio of 50-75 donors and prospects at any one time. Communicate regularly with current and prospective donors to build relationships and secure grants and donations, including in-kind support and donations

Prepare or initiate preparation of all content and materials required for the following fund development activities, including annual direct mail appeal, proposals to individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Research or initiate research and data compilation on potential donors and grant opportunities. Maintain confidential files in Blackbaud Altru for reference.

Administrative Support

Provide staff support to the Board’s Fund Development Committee (FDC) and the Committee on Directors (COD), as directed by the President; assist committees with identifying prospects, providing prospect research/status reports, and other tasks as assigned by the President.

Provide regular fundraising status reports and identify fundraising opportunities to President and Board.

Participate in developing solicitation materials, case statements, and brochures; works in collaboration with other staff, consultants, and vendors to prepare reports and materials.

Provide general office support for Blackbaud Altru as needed. This may include training other staff members to generate reports from the database.

Accurately record donations and other pertinent donor information in Blackbaud Altru and generate reports in support of donor giving trends analysis, donor prospecting, and recommendations for stewardship related activities.

Manage and train part-time staff to accurately record contributed revenue in Blackbaud Altru.

Grants

Works with other staff to obtain data and information in order to develop grant applications.

Negotiates yearly renewal of Grant Agreements.

Monitors compliance and provides support for the implementation of grant-funded projects.

Facilitates the completion of grant reports and evaluation reporting systems.

Manages registrations for federated giving programs (e.g. AUW, CFC, GiveAloha, etc.).

Events

Initiates and assists in design and implementing regular donor and prospect cultivation and stewardship events – (open houses, larger group receptions, small 1:1 meetings), etc.

Works with the President and staff to coordinate the gala. Manages sponsorship package fulfillment and event donations.

Solicits in-kind donations for various events; manages auctions, drawings, and online/mobile bidding platforms.

Solicit vendor discounts and in-kind donations across all departments for various needs.

Vets, trains, and manages event volunteers and interns. Ensures work is completed satisfactorily and timely; coordinates appropriate levels of acknowledgment.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but not limited to the following:

Attend and participate in professional development activities, staff meetings, board/committee meetings as assigned, and 1:1 meetings.

Develop relationships with key staff and volunteers in order to continually identify prospective donors.

Recommend improvement and/or enhancements of job processes and work environment to ensure high-quality levels of service deliverables plus timely addresses appropriate needs with the supervisor.

Stay abreast of philanthropic trends in local, regional, and national communities and among peer organizations.

Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/ REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities needed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education & Experience:

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, donor relations, or nonprofit administration, from an accredited institution.

At least five years of professional experience; three or more years fundraising for a nonprofit organization is required. Experience in grant management is a plus.

Experience with, or willingness to learn Altru by Blackbaud and Microsoft 365. Must possess excellent spreadsheet skills. Experience with Wordpress a plus.

Appreciation for classical, orchestral, jazz, or improvised music a plus.

Able to set priorities; keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills.

Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders in a fast-paced work environment.

Commitment to professional development and best practices.

Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of the Hawaii Youth Symphony.

Physical & Mental Abilities: Must be able to perform job duties at a computer/desk and assist with light physical tasks such as carrying/delivering supplies (up to 25 lbs.) to and from event sites. Demonstrated project management, time management, and organizational skills with the ability to manage details of multiple and complex projects within firm schedules to effectively carry out events. Must be able to work with minimal supervision, exercise sound judgment and professional discretion; must be able to cope with constant interruptions, maintain concentration and alertness, work on several tasks at the same time, prioritize demands; and able to work under pressure of meeting those multiple demands and tasks. Must be able to communicate clearly, diplomatically, non-judgmentally, and effectively both verbally and in writing.

Attitudes & Attributes: Demonstrate a high-level of self-confidence; have strong and well-developed interpersonal skills; tact, diplomacy, and the ability to motivate multiple and diverse constituency groups. Maintain positive personal contacts; projects open, warm, and positive personal interactions (written and verbal). Must be able to maintain donor confidentiality at all times. Must have a commitment to quality and performance improvement.

Other Skills & Abilities: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to discern trends, issues, and potential problems and opportunities. Must have access to a vehicle, a valid driver’s license, a safe and responsible driving record, and current no-fault auto insurance, with at least the minimum State of Hawaii coverage requirements. Must be flexible with work schedule and able to work outside normal work shifts to include nights and weekends when necessary.

To Apply:

Visit HiYouthSymphony.org/about/employment and click the “Apply Here” link. You will be redirected to our application portal at ALTRES. Please complete the entire online form and attach the following as PDFs: Cover Letter, Resume, and a Writing Sample. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. No phone calls, please.