The May Festival, Vocal Arts Ensemble, and Cincinnati Boychoir are seeking a detail-oriented, enthusiastic, and forward-thinking professional for its Development Manager. Reporting to the Director of Advancement & Engagement, the Development Manager will work closely with staff colleagues to support the execution of comprehensive advancement plans, including but not limited to annual fund communications, donor stewardship, event management, grant submissions, and sponsorship fulfillment. The manager will assist in day-to-day execution of all development-related activities, and must be comfortable and effective at building strong relationships with the organizations’ donors, volunteers, and staff members. In addition to fundraising activities, the manager will support advancement event planning and management activities, including but not limited to attendance management, volunteer communications, and logistical plans.

 Development

• Assist in the cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship of current and future individual supporters, corporate/foundation donors, and other funding partners, including the annual ArtsWave and Ohio Arts Council application submissions; assist in efforts to develop a pool of broad-­-based givers and major gift prospects through data investigation and personal interaction opportunities
• Provide aid building and implementing a strategic benefits program, and actively engage givers and prospects through unique opportunities that connect passion with our missions
• Support the execution of board fundraising campaigns including contributions to annual fund, special projects, and community campaigns.
• Assist with any communication to donors, including, but not limited to: gift and pledge acknowledgement letters, solicitation mailings, tax statements, pledge reminders, invoices and benefit fulfillment packets
• Provide leadership in database management for maintaining accurate and up-to-date constituent records
• Support the development of formal fundraising proposals to major foundation (private and public) and corporate sources
• Draft and perfect annual fund campaign letters to fulfill overall individual giving strategy
• Identify prospective foundation and corporate grant opportunities for organizations, both locally and nationally

Special Events 

• Support the execution of advancement-related events, working with the Director of Advancement and Engagement and volunteers in establishing and achieving event goals.
• Ensure accurate and timely distribution of event communications and donor / sponsor benefits
• Assist with planning and execution of donor and fundraising events, including management of the donor suites during concerts and hosting donors at behind-the-scenes opportunities  

Management Responsibilities 

• Provide aid and support to ensure success of all aspects of fundraising goals and special events
• Ensure that all fundraising communications are accurate, timely and meet the brand standards of each organization
• Collaborate with Data Services Department to ensure donor correspondence and proper tracking is fulfilled including, but not limited to: pledge letters, acknowledgment letters, invoices, and gift agreements
• Support partnership with the Marketing and Communications departments, actively working with those teams to increase interdepartmental communications to deliver a core coordinated/unified message to effectively increase engagement of patrons
• Support organization’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access initiatives as well as supporting a respectful organizational culture 
• Other duties as assigned

The ideal candidate is a curious and enthusiastic individual with the ability to work collaboratively with staff, board of directors and other high-­-level volunteers. Must be a strategic and analytical thinker who is self-­- motivated, personable, and skilled at communicating passion and storytelling through written and visual campaigns.

• 3-5 years of related work experience with a proven track record of results.
• Experience in understanding the interests and needs of patrons to develop and deepen their connection
• Experience with preparing written and verbal communication
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and donor tracking software (Tessitura)
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage under pressure and with competing priorities
• Ease with public speaking on behalf of the organization
• Appreciation of choral and classical music 
• Flexibility to work outside normal office hours at concerts/events

The Cincinnati May Festival, Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Boychoir are three of the Greater Cincinnati area’s premier choral organizations. While the organizations are three separate 501(c)3 organizations with separate boards, budgets and artistic leadership models, the three organizations have a shared-services agreement with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra to provide administrative leadership to all three organizations. By this consolidation of resources and expertise, the cooperative management effort benefits all four organizations.

The May Festival is the oldest continuous choral festival in the Western Hemisphere and one of the only true choral festivals that remains in our country today. Featuring the May Festival Chorus and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Festival presents concentrated choral repertoire rarely found during the concert season. Five unique concerts are performed over two weekends, resulting in a magnificent array of choral masterpieces and little known gems that provide an unusual choral experience for audience and performers alike. Established in 1873, the May Festival is directly responsible for the development of Cincinnati’s modern musical life. Music Hall, the city’s primary concert venue, was built specifically to house the Festival's performances in 1878, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the fifth oldest orchestra in the United States, can trace its lineage back to this great tradition. The prestigious roster of May Festival Music Directors has included, among others, Theodore Thomas, Max Rudolf, James Levine and James Conlon. Current Artistic Leadership include Juanjo Mena as Principal Conductor, Robert Porco as Director of Choruses and Matthew Swanson as Associate Director and Conductor of the May Festival Youth Chorus.

VAE: Cincinnati's Vocal Arts Ensemble, a chamber choir of professional singers, was founded in 1979 and is entering its 40th Season in 2019-20. Led by Elmer Thomas, Founding Director, from 1979–1988, Earl Rivers, Director Emeritus, from 1988–2008, Donald Nally from 2009-2013, and starting in January 2014, Craig Hella Johnson, VAE offers an annual subscription series of distinguished choral programs in notable architectural and acoustic venues throughout Greater Cincinnati. In addition, VAE produces outreach programs for children, youth and seniors, as well as recordings for local and national broadcasts. Achievements over 30 seasons include two ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) Awards for "Adventuresome Programming of Contemporary Music," broadcasts on 220 National Public Radio stations through "The First Art," performances before conventions of the American Choral Directors Association in San Antonio and Chicago, and appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and May Festival.

Cincinnati Boychoir is a choir for male-identifying youth of all musical abilities from across the Greater Cincinnati Region.  Founded in 1965, the Boychoir is a teaching and performing organization that offers musical enrichment, performance, and touring opportunities.  Vocal ensembles are directed by professional music educators who teach a curriculum not only of musical skills but cultural appreciation, empathy, self-discipline, leadership, mentorship, and a spirit of volunteerism.  

Boys from grades 3-12 attend weekly rehearsals, and commit from 6 weeks to a full academic year. Each week, all boys come together for a combined rehearsal in which older boys are empowered as big brothers to younger boys, teaching them the nuts and bolts of music and singing, as well as how to tie their bowtie and more. The Boychoir presents approximately twenty annual performances in the greater Cincinnati region, and have performed concerts and completed residencies both at home and abroad. The Cincinnati Boychoir strives to be accessible to boys of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, so they have the opportunity to experience the life changing impact of immersive arts participation.