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Posted: 09-May-25
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Type: Full Time
Salary: $65k-$75k
Required Education:
About the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra
Hailed as the musical cornerstone of its artistic community, the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra (ASO) has grown and flourished with the Anchorage community and celebrates its landmark 80th Season in 2025/26. The ASO is one of the state’s leading cultural institutions and arts producers, and has provided the musical foundation for countless other musical endeavors throughout the region. The Orchestra has shared music with hundreds of thousands of people over the decades, including generations of young people. The ASO has been and continues to be a companion to the community in times of celebration and of solace. In recognition of its leadership role in the community, the ASO was the first recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Arts Organizations.
The ASO has been described as “a cultural powerhouse for Alaska that is innovative, accessible, and always a bit unpredictable.” In the broadest sense, the ASO strives to provide Great Music for Every Life. Full orchestra concerts of works by great composers are the bedrock of the classical concert series, and the ASO also welcomes and seeks out opportunities to innovate, cross artistic genres, and honor musical traditions of various cultures.
The ASO’s core programming is a five-concert masterworks series with the full orchestra and renowned guest artists, as well as an imaginative pops series. The ASO was one of the first orchestras of any size to explore silver screen, multi-media, and cross-cultural programming as a way to reach a broader cross-section of the community, and has done so for decades. Commissioning through the Musica Nova program has also been central to the ASO’s mission for the past 19 seasons, and the ASO has introduced audiences to the work of many distinguished composers, including women and people of color.
The ASO has a robust education program and has developed new pathways for community engagement through the Music for My Neighbors program that provides access to concerts, education, and family events to students and youth, members of the military, clients of social service agencies, and others throughout the area. The Young People’s/Link Up Concerts (part of the Carnegie Hall education series), have filled the Atwood Concert Hall with local school children for decades. Both the Neighborhood and Family concerts are traditions that bring multi-generational families into the concert hall each season. And the ASO has collaborated with the Anchorage Concert Association to bring The Nutcracker to our community each Thanksgiving weekend for over 30 years. Finally, the ASO routinely implements best and emerging practices to reach new patrons and encourage successful audience development.
The ASO is governed by a Board of Directors and currently has an administrative staff of four. The Orchestra has an annual operating budget of $1.3 million and an endowment of approximately $4 million in a trust established solely for support of the ASO – including a recent gift of $1 million from Ed and Cathy Rasmuson. Elizabeth Schulze has completed her fourth season as the Music Director of the ASO, and she and the Board recently extended her contract for five more seasons.
The Position
The Director of Development and Community Engagement’s primary responsibility is the implementation of the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra’s fundraising/development objectives, policies and plans, and to assist the Executive Director in implementing programs that create and sustain pathways of participation by our community with its Orchestra.
Responsibilities
- Development
In counsel with the Executive Director, the Director of Development and Community Engagement will perform the following Development responsibilities:
- Oversee and maintain responsibility for all development activities for both operational and capital needs in concert with the Board including:
- Annual fundraising (Individual giving and donor relations)
- Foundation, Corporate and Government support
- Identification of potential funding sources.
- Plan and produce fundraising events with staff and volunteers.
- Coordinate all fundraising activities and prepare proposals, appeals, applications and reports for private, foundation, corporate and government agency support.
- Coordinate and manage all development aspects of the ASO’s major fundraising events including but not limited to Champagne Pops and Symphony of Wines.
- Assist members of the ASO Board of Directors and associated fundraising committees with Board-sponsored fundraising activities including but not limited to special events, fund drives and concessions.
- Coordinate the implementation of planned giving and endowment campaigns.
- Research new funding sources and funding opportunities, and initiate appropriate procurement processes.
- Maintain and/or supervise the maintenance of a computerized donor tracking system. Record all donor transactions and maintain accurate records of all cash gifts, pledges, in-kind contributions and corporate matching gifts.
- Coordinate all donor acknowledgments and pledge reminders.
- Coordinate donor incentive programs and activities.
- Community Engagement Programs
- The Director of Development and Community Engagement will assist the Executive Director in coordinating education programs such as Young People’s Concerts and Coaching Programs and in coordinating community engagement activities such as free concerts, free ticket programs, etc.
- Develop materials for Young People’s Concerts including announcements, teacher lesson plan packets, CDs and day of event materials. Coordinate reservations and communicate with teachers and school personnel.
- Collaborate with the Associate Director/Director of Marketing and Public Relations to create audience development initiatives that will build audience by increasing first time buyers, offer a program of discounts and incentives to encourage repeat attendance, and foster new community relationships through pre- and post-concert activities that educate, engage, and attract prospective ticket buyers.
- General Office Duties
- Attend all Board of Directors and Fundraising Committee meetings and others as required.
- Provide training and supervision to volunteers as requested by the Executive Director.
- Attend and assist with all ASO events and concerts as required.
- General office duties including but not limited to public interfacing, ticket renewals and sales, answering telephone, proof reading, typing, filing, etc.
- Other duties as assigned.
Reporting, Salary and Benefits
Reports to: Executive Director
Position is full-time, exempt, permanent position. Benefits include parking, paid vacation beginning at 2 weeks per year, annual sick leave, salary reduction program (403 B retirement). Salary $65k-75k DOE
Concert and special event tickets to all ASO activities are paid for by employer.
Application Instructions
The ASO is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, ethnicity, veteran status, or national origin.
Send:
- Cover Letter
- Resumé and Salary Expectations
- At Least 3 Professional References
- Writing Sample
- Without using AI (for example, ChatGPT), please write 500 words or less describing how the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra impacts our community.
All applications will be treated as confidential, and references will not be contacted without the applicant’s agreement. Electronic submissions are requested.
The position will remain open until filled.
Email Applications: AnchorageSymphonyApplications@gmail.com
Required Qualifications
- 3-5 years of experience working in Development, preferably at the Director level
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong communication, interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
- Must be able to effectively interact with multiple constituencies including Board, patrons, staff, and institutional and individual donors
- Candidates must have a passion for the performing arts
- Bachelor’s degree
- Ability to operate a MacBook; familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite software
- Ability to work nights and weekends
- Ability to work independently and follow through on projects and assignments
- Must reside in the Anchorage/Mat Su area, have valid driver’s license and an automobile, and must be able to lift 40 pounds.
Preferred Qualifications
- Professional experience with a symphony or other performing arts organization
- An established and successful track record in fundraising
- Experience and transferable skills necessary to effectively implement a fundraising plan
- An understanding of marketing and promotions practices
- Action-oriented, decisive, quick study with proven ability to accurately analyze information and must be able to act independently and take initiative
- An outgoing personality, optimistic attitude and the ability to provide superior customer service
- Responds to challenges with tenacity, integrity and patience