Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Vice President, Development
Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Virginia, Minnesota, United States, 55792
Position summary
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra seeks a Vice President of Development to lead a talented and dynamic fundraising team. Reporting to the President and CEO, the Vice President will oversee a comprehensive development strategy that advances the mission of the Virginia Symphony to create world‑class performances, transformative music education, and purposeful community engagement throughout Southeast Virginia.
The successful candidate will be an effective collaborator, working within a tightly connected senior team. They will possess outstanding communication and leadership skills, a strong drive for achievement, and a passion for the arts. They will also demonstrate a track record of creating fundraising revenue growth and be highly motivated to set and exceed ambitious fundraising goals. They understand the power of philanthropy to transform organizations and communities and are capable of combining high‑level strategic and analytical thinking with superior tactical execution.
About the VSO The Virginia Symphony is Southeast Virginia’s only full‑time, professional symphony and is ranked in the top three percent of orchestras nationwide. Now in its 105th season, the VSO reaches approximately 100,000 patrons, students, teachers and families annually through outstanding performances and an unmatched array of education and community programs. Our administrative team is a committed group of experienced arts professionals who are on a mission to share generously the transformative power of music with everyone in our community. We seek the right experienced professional to contribute meaningfully to this important work and to help advance a new strategic vision for the organization.
Core Responsibilities
Prepare, oversee, and help execute a comprehensive annual development plan to include individual giving, foundation and government grants, corporate giving, and major gifts.
Articulate concrete annual fundraising metrics, including activity‑based cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship targets, and create a structure of accountability for meeting these targets.
Oversee the launch and execution of an endowment campaign including initial cultivation and solicitation of lead gifts, working closely with President and CEO, VSO Board of Directors, and volunteers.
Act as a major and planned gifts officer, including moves management for a portfolio of leadership gifts and personal cultivation and stewardship visits and meetings.
Assess existing pipeline capacity and assign and monitor donor portfolios in areas including (but not limited to) annual fund, planned giving, campaign fundraising, and grant writing and reporting.
Oversee the VSO planned giving program, including personal portfolio management.
Accelerate the pace of development work to meet and exceed revenue goals, including proactive management of the President’s meetings and solicitations.
Provide support for the VSO Board of Directors, including leading the board Development committee in partnership with the committee chair, stewarding annual and campaign board giving, and assisting with the annual board nomination slate.
Provide leadership and oversight of departmental staff, including hiring, firing, coaching, training, and performance management.
Develop annual departmental expense budgets and manage departmental resources (human and financial) in a way that optimizes results within budget. Monitor expense reports weekly and monthly.
Prepare monthly and annual summaries of fundraising results, accomplishments, and progress towards goals for the President and CEO and VSO Board.
Oversee volunteer management, gift processing, donor database management, telefunding, special events, and marketing efforts tied to fundraising activities, as appropriate.
Ensure maintenance of accurate and thorough records, including contact and call reports, giving history, biographical data, etc.
Represent the VSO as a member of the executive team at stakeholder meetings and events and steward important community partner relationships.
Create policies and procedures to support major gift fundraising. Present these policies to the President and CEO and Board for review/approval.
Perform specific other duties or tasks as may be assigned by the President and CEO to advance the understanding, cause, and mission of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Requirements
Minimum of 10 years of professional fundraising experience in progressive positions of responsibility.
Demonstrated success in personally soliciting and closing six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
Demonstrated success in leading fundraising teams and meeting ambitious annual revenue goals.
Experience with endowment or major capital campaigns.
Experience with fundraising data systems. Tessitura experience preferred but not required.
Experience stewarding public funding relationships with local and state government.
Experience working with volunteers, boards and committees.
Facility with Excel; ability to analyze and interpret data on donations and moves management.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects with strong attention to detail.
Ability to work evenings and weekends to support VSO performances and events.
Personal Attributes
Demonstrated team player.
Highly motivated and competitive; pursues ambitious goals without compromise.
Able to work independently towards established goals with limited oversight.
Adaptable and flexible; works gracefully under pressure and within tight deadlines.
Able to work effectively across teams to meet department and organizational objectives.
Excellent organizational, time management, and analytical skills.
Patron and donor focused with outstanding relationship skills.
Commitment to learning and capacity building with an ability to develop individuals and teams.
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The successful candidate will be an effective collaborator, working within a tightly connected senior team. They will possess outstanding communication and leadership skills, a strong drive for achievement, and a passion for the arts. They will also demonstrate a track record of creating fundraising revenue growth and be highly motivated to set and exceed ambitious fundraising goals. They understand the power of philanthropy to transform organizations and communities and are capable of combining high‑level strategic and analytical thinking with superior tactical execution.
About the VSO The Virginia Symphony is Southeast Virginia’s only full‑time, professional symphony and is ranked in the top three percent of orchestras nationwide. Now in its 105th season, the VSO reaches approximately 100,000 patrons, students, teachers and families annually through outstanding performances and an unmatched array of education and community programs. Our administrative team is a committed group of experienced arts professionals who are on a mission to share generously the transformative power of music with everyone in our community. We seek the right experienced professional to contribute meaningfully to this important work and to help advance a new strategic vision for the organization.
Core Responsibilities
Prepare, oversee, and help execute a comprehensive annual development plan to include individual giving, foundation and government grants, corporate giving, and major gifts.
Articulate concrete annual fundraising metrics, including activity‑based cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship targets, and create a structure of accountability for meeting these targets.
Oversee the launch and execution of an endowment campaign including initial cultivation and solicitation of lead gifts, working closely with President and CEO, VSO Board of Directors, and volunteers.
Act as a major and planned gifts officer, including moves management for a portfolio of leadership gifts and personal cultivation and stewardship visits and meetings.
Assess existing pipeline capacity and assign and monitor donor portfolios in areas including (but not limited to) annual fund, planned giving, campaign fundraising, and grant writing and reporting.
Oversee the VSO planned giving program, including personal portfolio management.
Accelerate the pace of development work to meet and exceed revenue goals, including proactive management of the President’s meetings and solicitations.
Provide support for the VSO Board of Directors, including leading the board Development committee in partnership with the committee chair, stewarding annual and campaign board giving, and assisting with the annual board nomination slate.
Provide leadership and oversight of departmental staff, including hiring, firing, coaching, training, and performance management.
Develop annual departmental expense budgets and manage departmental resources (human and financial) in a way that optimizes results within budget. Monitor expense reports weekly and monthly.
Prepare monthly and annual summaries of fundraising results, accomplishments, and progress towards goals for the President and CEO and VSO Board.
Oversee volunteer management, gift processing, donor database management, telefunding, special events, and marketing efforts tied to fundraising activities, as appropriate.
Ensure maintenance of accurate and thorough records, including contact and call reports, giving history, biographical data, etc.
Represent the VSO as a member of the executive team at stakeholder meetings and events and steward important community partner relationships.
Create policies and procedures to support major gift fundraising. Present these policies to the President and CEO and Board for review/approval.
Perform specific other duties or tasks as may be assigned by the President and CEO to advance the understanding, cause, and mission of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.
Requirements
Minimum of 10 years of professional fundraising experience in progressive positions of responsibility.
Demonstrated success in personally soliciting and closing six‑ and seven‑figure gifts.
Demonstrated success in leading fundraising teams and meeting ambitious annual revenue goals.
Experience with endowment or major capital campaigns.
Experience with fundraising data systems. Tessitura experience preferred but not required.
Experience stewarding public funding relationships with local and state government.
Experience working with volunteers, boards and committees.
Facility with Excel; ability to analyze and interpret data on donations and moves management.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects with strong attention to detail.
Ability to work evenings and weekends to support VSO performances and events.
Personal Attributes
Demonstrated team player.
Highly motivated and competitive; pursues ambitious goals without compromise.
Able to work independently towards established goals with limited oversight.
Adaptable and flexible; works gracefully under pressure and within tight deadlines.
Able to work effectively across teams to meet department and organizational objectives.
Excellent organizational, time management, and analytical skills.
Patron and donor focused with outstanding relationship skills.
Commitment to learning and capacity building with an ability to develop individuals and teams.
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