Des Moines Symphony

THE POSITION:
The Director of Development of the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra & Academy serves as a key full-time member of the Symphony’s administrative leadership team.  Reporting to the Executive Director, the ideal candidate will have a proven track record in not-for-profit annual fundraising with individuals, corporations, foundations, and government sources.  Experience with endowment and capital campaigns, events, and planned giving will be a plus.

The Director of Development will oversee a department of two others and work directly with the Executive Director and the Symphony’s Board of Trustees to help realize the organization’s annual fund goals which currently total over $1.1 million including $300,000 in corporate sponsorships.  In addition, the position is directly responsible to the Symphony’s Foundation Board which oversees the endowment, presently valued at approximately $3.8 million. The Director of Development will be a principal representative and spokesperson for the Symphony throughout the community and some evening and weekend work is required.

Salary is commensurate with experience.  Medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement benefits are provided.

Bachelor’s degree with an accredited college or university and at least six years experience of demonstrated successful and increasingly-responsible management of not-for-profit fund development, including staff leadership, is required.  Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must.  Master’s degree, CFRE, and experience with a musical or arts related organization are preferred.

The Des Moines Symphony uses Microsoft Office, Windows XP, and The Raiser’s Edge 7.

IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS:   
We seek an energetic, motivated, creative, and experienced individual with highly developed interpersonal, communication, strategic, and relationship building skills.  S/he will be an enthusiastic advocate for the Symphony Orchestra and its Academy of Music and will be interested in making a professional career commitment to the Des Moines Symphony.

The Des Moines Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profit, full service professional orchestra formed in 1937 to enrich, educate and entertain the Central Iowa community by performing great orchestral music. The Des Moines Symphony Academy was launched in 2003 to provide quality music education opportunities for Central Iowans of all ages.  The Symphony Association, governed by a 16-member volunteer Board of Trustees and operating on an annual budget of more than $2.4 million, supports both the Academy of Music and its numerous education programs including four youth orchestras, and  the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director & Conductor Joseph Giunta, who this season celebrates his 20^th anniversary with the Orchestra.  Each season, the Orchestra performs seven pairs of Masterworks concerts, the traditional pops performance on New Year’s Eve, education concerts, and other special events in its home at the acoustically acclaimed Civic Center of Greater Des Moines.  Concerts are also heard on IPR/WOI 90.1 FM, the Radio Home of the Des Moines Symphony.  In addition, the Symphony produces and performs the annual Yankee Doodle Pops concert in July on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol, which this year attracted an audience of over 125,000.

Please submit a cover letter of application and resume to:

Richard L. Early

Executive Director

Des Moines Symphony

Civic Center

221 Walnut Street

Des Moines, IA  50309

Or via e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it       Visit us at: www.dmsymphony.org

Application screening process will begin on November 21.