Philanthropy Officer

Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Sydney; On-site; AUD 78,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary tickets

Wellbeing program

Employee assistance

Job summary

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra invites applications for a Philanthropy Officer to work with the Head of Philanthropy to achieve fundraising goals and deepen donor relationships. The role focuses on renewals, major gifts, and cultivating new gifts in support of the Orchestra’s priorities.

Responsibilities include donor briefings, event participation, delivering the Noteworthy newsletter content, CRM stewardship in Tessitura, and providing VIP ticketing support.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in Philanthropy.
• Proven ability to build and maintain stakeholder relationships.
• Experience soliciting donations and meeting financial targets.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with initiative.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Head of Philanthropy and team to achieve annual fundraising goals and track against budgets.
• Solicit renewals and gifts from mid-level to major donors.
• Organise meetings and devise plans for ongoing and increased gifts.
• Craft persuasive messaging on impact to cultivate donor relationships.
• Log all donor activity in the CRM (Tessitura) and maintain records.
• Provide VIP ticketing support and coordinate donor events and newsletters.

Skills

Donor relations

Fundraising targets

CRM Tessitura

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Tertiary qualifications in a related field

Tools

Tessitura CRM

Job description

The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is Australia’s flagship orchestra, presenting extraordinary performances that inspire, challenge, and engage audiences in Sydney and beyond. Performing at the iconic Sydney Opera House and across NSW, the Sydney Symphony is committed to artistic excellence, innovation, and fostering a deep connection with our community. Through live concerts, digital programs, education initiatives, and collaborations with leading artists, the Sydney Symphony brings the joy of orchestral music to audiences everywhere. We value Integrity, Connection, and Joy.

THE ROLE

The Philanthropy Officer is responsible for working with the Head of Philanthropy and Philanthropy team to achieve fundraising goals in line with the budgeted annual income. The role is responsible for managing and strengthening relationships with current donors, securing renewals and cultivating new gifts in support of the Orchestra’s fundraising priorities.

The Philanthropy Officer contributes to fostering a culture of philanthropy across the organisation, ensuring that the Orchestra’s patrons and prospective donors feel valued, meaningfully engaged and committed to its mission.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work closely with the Director of Development, Head of Philanthropy and wider Philanthropy team to achieve annual fundraising goals, and track against monthly budgets.
• Strengthen and develop current donor relationships to successfully solicit renewal gifts and new gifts from Mid-level up to Major Donors.
• Organise and attend face-to-face meetings with donors and prospects and devise individual plans for ongoing and increased gifts to the Orchestra.
• Craft and deliver persuasive messaging regarding the Orchestra's impact to cultivate donor relationships and support fundraising targets.
• Actively participate in stewardship events, including assisting with event preparation and delivery, engaging with donors and prospects, and supporting timely follow-up to strengthen relationships and enhance the donor experience.
• Ensure all Supporter activity and Donor engagement is accurately logged in the CRM (Tessitura).
• Maintain accurate donor records in the CRM and shared document library.
• Prepare briefing documents for relevant campaigns, communications (physical and digital) and event invitations in consultation with the Marketing team.
• Provide VIP ticketing support to donors via phone or email as required throughout the year.
• Lead the end-to-end production and delivery of three annual digital editions of the donor newsletter, Noteworthy, including content collation, copy writing as required, image sourcing, and approval verification.
• Attend concerts, company events and perform other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in Philanthropy
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining positive connections with stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience soliciting donations and achieving financial targets
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills
• Show a high level of initiative by independently managing daily tasks and competing priorities
• Well-developed skills in the use of a CRM (knowledge of Tessitura highly regarded)
• Tertiary qualifications in a related field highly regarded
• Knowledge and passion for classical and contemporary orchestral music

DEVELOPMENT

• Professional development focused on donor engagement, fundraising strategy, relationship management, stewardship, major gift fundraising and the CRM, Tessitura.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Salary $78,000 - $85,000 plus superannuation
• Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programs
• Complimentary performance tickets

At the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all candidates. When applying, please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.