Opportunities

Development Director

South Dakota Symphony Orchestra

Sioux Falls, SD

About the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra

The South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO), based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is a 100-year-old institution and the state’s premier performing arts organization with the Washington Pavilion as its home. The SDSO curates a diverse collection of orchestral offerings each season through classical and pops concerts as well as chamber music, appealing to audiences from the very experienced to first-timers. Artistically, the SDSO is led by Maestro Delta David Gier, who has guided the orchestra to new heights and national recognition.

The SDSO is nationally recognized as a driver for how an orchestra engages with its community. The 65-member orchestra includes nine full-time musicians who perform throughout the community and the region. The SDSO’s renowned Lakota Music Project is the organization’s flagship engagement program. Music education programs include the South Dakota Symphony Youth Orchestra, Young People’s Concerts, the Music Composition Academies, and music enrichment opportunities in the classroom and for children in need. The SDSO is an organization striving to live equity, belonging, diversity, and inclusion, and to empower its many constituents to contribute and foster its growth.

The SDSO is now looking to add the role of Development Director to its team to continue its growth across the state and build support through deeper engagement with new and existing donors. The Development Director will implement the development plan and actively fundraise to increase revenue through enhanced relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, and institutional funders. This will be an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about the arts and bringing music to the broader community through the philanthropic support of others. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, results-oriented, fulfilled by engaging with others, and a thought-partner with the Executive Director on the optimization of the fundraising strategy.

The relevant experience to carry out the key accountabilities of the position include Donor Portfolio Growth and Engagement, Corporate Partner Relations, Board Relations, and Brand Ambassadorship and Advocacy. The Development Director will consider all revenue streams to grow donor support including appropriate key stakeholder partnerships, major gifts, annual campaigns, fundraising events, grants, in-kind gifts, and discussions around planned giving.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

The Key Accountabilities for the position include but are not limited to the following:

Donor Portfolio Growth and Engagement

Cultivate, solicit, and steward new and existing donors, using effective donor segmentation and the fundraising principles identified in our strategy.

Corporate Partner Relations

Identify and cultivate new corporate donors through proactive research and purposeful calls-to-action.

Board Relations

Engage the Board of Directors, its relevant committees, and the Advisory Board by building trusted relationships, leveraging experience, perspective, and networks, and inviting others to participate in the growth of the organization.

Brand Ambassadorship and Advocacy

Serve as a public voice for the mission of SDSO to increase brand awareness and ultimately increase revenue from multiple sources.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

SDSO offers a comprehensive compensation package including:

Competitive salary based on experience starting at $70,000
3% match on Simple IRA contribution
Health insurance package
Vacation/Sick/Personal Days
Ten Paid Holidays

Requirements

IS THIS ROLE THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU?

The ideal candidate for the position will match as many of the qualifications as possible listed in the bullets below:

Passion for the arts and South Dakota Symphony Orchestra’s impact across the state
High levels of emotional intelligence to build trust and get results through collaboration and connection
Passion to serve and help others maximize their community impact
Ability to hold self accountable to commitments, actions, and goals
Exceptional interpersonal skills, effectively communicating, building rapport and relating well to all kinds of people
Must be able to work well with a wide variety of individuals
Treat others fairly, regardless of personal biases or beliefs; diplomacy in interactions, ultimately conducting business in a manner that supports the mission
Some travel required
Bachelor’s degree required; preferred emphasis in fundraising, marketing and communications, public relations, or business.
Minimum of five years of community outreach experience with exposure to multiple fundraising functions and funding streams
Supervisory experience preferred