Development Officer, Annual Giving & Events

Cultural Human Resources Council; Victoria; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Victoria Symphony is seeking a Development Officer to coordinate annual giving, donor communications, and fundraising and cultivation events. You will work with the Director of Development and collaborate with Marketing, Box Office, and Finance to achieve campaign goals and timely follow-up.

You will manage donor relations, multi-channel communications, and calendar-driven engagement while supporting administrative tasks for the Foundation and Development team.

Qualifications

• At least four years of fundraising or development experience with a track record toward fundraising goals.
• Experience planning annual giving campaigns and producing donor communications (direct mail and digital).
• Experience coordinating fundraising or cultivation events, including schedules, budgets, and follow-up.

Responsibilities

• Plan and deliver annual giving campaigns and donor communications.
• Coordinate donor relationships and stewardship to grow giving.
• Manage donor communications, recognition, and event partnerships with internal teams.
• Oversee Gala planning and other fundraising activities with the Development team.
• Utilize Tessitura to prepare mailing/lists and analyze campaign results.

Skills

Fundraising

Donor communications

Event planning

CRM (Tessitura)

Stakeholder relations

Budget management

Writing

Education

Relevant degree or diploma

CFRE designation (asset)

Tools

Tessitura

CRM software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Development Officer, Annual Giving & Events

About the role:

The Development Officer coordinates annual giving, donor communications, and fundraising and cultivation events. Reporting to the Director of Development, you will help grow philanthropic support and build lasting relationships with donors and patrons. You will work closely with Development colleagues, Marketing and Communications, Box Office, and Finance to deliver campaigns and events with clear goals, thoughtful stewardship, and timely follow-up.

Responsibilities:

• Plan and deliver annual giving campaigns, including donor acquisition, renewal, monthly giving, and lapsed donor reactivation.
• Build and steward relationships with annual donors, including Musician’s Circle members, and identify opportunities for increased giving with Development colleagues.
• Coordinate donor communications and recognition, including the monthly newsletter, appeals, impact updates, and stewardship messages, in collaboration with Marketing and Communications.
• Maintain an 18-month calendar of donor communications, engagement activities, and events. Coordinate small donor gatherings featuring live music, donor lounges, receptions, dinners, and sponsor events.
• Coordinate Gala planning, raffles, auctions, and other fundraising activities, including timelines, budgets, guest experience, and follow-up, within a team led by the Director of Development.
• Work with hosts, vendors, and event partners; provide direction to staff and volunteers supporting assigned activities; and coordinate the delivery of donor recognition and sponsorship benefits.
• Use the donor database, Tessitura, to prepare mailing and event lists and analyze results. Document donor activity and agreements and work with Donor Services and Finance on campaign and event reporting.
• Provide administrative support to the Foundation for the Victoria Symphony as requested and contribute to Development team planning and related activities.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Candidate requirements:

• At least four years of relevant fundraising or development experience, with a sound understanding of fundraising principles and a record of contributing to fundraising goals.
• Experience planning annual giving campaigns and producing compelling donor communications, including direct mail and digital appeals.
• Experience coordinating fundraising or cultivation events, including schedules, budgets, guest experience, and follow-up.
• Strong writing and interpersonal skills, including confidence discussing giving opportunities with donors and building relationships with sponsors, volunteers, board members, and colleagues.
• Excellent organization, attention to detail, initiative, and the ability to manage competing projects and deadlines independently and as part of a team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and a fundraising database or comparable CRM, including preparing donor lists, segmenting audiences, and evaluating campaign results.
• Previous experience with or knowledge of Tessitura is a strong asset.
• Sound judgement, an understanding of ethical fundraising practices, and discretion in handling confidential donor information.
• Relevant degree or diploma, equivalent professional fundraising experience, or a combination of education and experience. CFRE designation is an asset.

The Victoria Symphony welcomes applicants with different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage applications from people underrepresented in the arts, including Indigenous and racialized people, people with disabilities, and people of diverse genders and sexual orientations. Please contact [e-mail] if you need an accommodation during recruitment.

Thank you for considering a role with the Victoria Symphony. We will contact candidates selected to continue in the recruitment process.

With a mission “to inspire, educate, and captivate our community through the transformative power of music,” the Victoria Symphony is one of British Columbia’s largest performing arts organizations. At its core are 44 professional musicians who perform across the region and contribute as educators at the University of Victoria, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and in private studios. The Symphony also plays a central role in Victoria’s cultural life through collaborations with many local arts organizations.