The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is seeking candidates for the position of Director of Development. The Director of Development will manage all fundraising programs for the PSO, creating and executing plans for maximizing contributed revenue. As an integral member of the senior management team, the Director of Development will play an active role as a thought-partner in planning for the organization’s overall advancement and future campaigns.
The Director of Development will take a leadership role both within the organization and externally, interacting frequently with all segments of the Plano and Collin County communities to establish relationships. Demonstrating a high degree of versatility and personal accountability, the Director of Development will focus intensely on achieving fundraising goals. Passion for this mission along with solid management skills and the ability to develop key community and corporate relationships will drive success in the role. The Director of Development is selected by and reports to the Symphony’s President/CEO and works collaboratively with the Board of Directors and all relevant Board Committees, Music Director, Symphony Guild, and PSO staff.
This is a full-time, exempt position with a competitive salary and benefits package. This position requires duties performed in-office 9:00-5:00 pm weekdays. Some nights and weekends are required based on PSO performances and other events.
The PSO maintains offices at 1635 Dorchester Drive in Plano and has programming throughout the year at a variety of venues throughout Plano and surrounding communities.
PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Fundraising:
· Collaborate with the President/CEO, board, staff, and potentially any Development Consultants to develop and implement a Strategic Multi-year Fundraising Program/Plan that employs fundraising best practices to meet and/or exceed PSO’s annual fundraising goals.
· Proactively support the President/CEO and Board to drive fundraising activity and personal engagement with top prospects.
· Maintain a personal portfolio of donors and actively seek out and initiate contact with current, lapsed, and potential donors, including individuals, foundations, and corporate partners.
· Assume the lead role in prospect identification and management, including the creation of strategies for cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, with an eye to the evolving demographics of the region and growing the PSO’s donor base annually.
· Represent PSO at donor events, social obligations, community events, and conferences as requested by the President/CEO.
Development Management and Operational Effectiveness:
· Oversee the development department’s programs, including the Annual Fund, community and government grants, corporate sponsorships, giving societies, special events, endowment campaigns, and planned giving programs to reach/exceed the fundraising goals set in the operating budget.
· Organize a department plan of work to achieve annual operating and future campaign goals.
· Oversee the production of all development collateral, including copy and design of donor materials, and work closely with the marketing team to ensure consistent branding and messaging.
Administration and Oversight:
· Prepare and monitor revenue and expense budgets, provide accurate reporting and analysis, and oversee the proper maintenance of donor and prospect records.
· Lead and mentor the development staff in utilizing available data to analyze fundraising results and potential opportunities.
· Develop relationships with all key colleagues and personnel to support annual giving programs, sponsorships, and special events and to create donor stewardship and recognition opportunities.
· Serve as an advisor and liaison to Board committees as designated by the President/CEO.
· Collaborate with the President/CEO and other staff on projects that support ticket sales, visibility, audience development, special events, public relations, volunteers, and marketing.
QUALIFICATIONS
· 5+ years of progressively responsible fundraising roles.
· Experience creating and maintaining a department budget.
· Experience managing a capital campaign is preferred.
· Understanding of planned giving and estate planning, enough to be able to guide and counsel donors.
· Experience in leading development efforts including grant writing, corporate donations, and individual giving; experience in the North Texas area is a plus.
· Experience in effective time management related to oversight of numerous fundraising programs and symphony events.
· Excellent project management skills: ability to multi-task, track multiple projects, and meet deadlines.
· Strong written skills and ability to be an effective and articulate spokesperson of the PSO in a wide variety of settings.
· Strong customer service mindset and relationship skills to build consensus and effectively interact with others.
· Willingness and ability to embrace and lead through change as the organization evolves.
· Experience with Spektrix, or other Customer Relationship Management platform(s) such as Tessitura preferred.
· Appreciation of music; basic knowledge of symphonic music is a plus.
· Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
· Ability to work evenings and weekends as required for performances, events, meetings, etc.
· Bachelor’s Degree.
· C.F.R.E (Certified Fundraising Executive) certification is a plus but not required.
· Bi-lingual applicants are encouraged to apply.
· Maturity and a willingness to collaborate with a multi-faceted fundraising team is essential.
· Knowledge of the North Texas funding community is a plus but not required—applicant should demonstrate an understanding of the fundraising process and ability to form lasting relationships with donors and funders.
ABOUT THE PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO), founded in 1983, is a cornerstone of the arts and culture community in the DFW Metroplex, serving North Texas with a mission to inspire, educate, entertain, and involve the children, youth, and adults of our community in the enjoyment of great music. Over the years, the PSO has become known for its innovative concerts, prolific education and community-centric programming, and commitment to both classical works and popular music.
At the heart of the PSO’s vision is a deep commitment to creating transformative experiences through the power of music. This commitment is evident in the Plano Symphony’s subscription concerts, its community engagement initiatives, and its education programs that reach across North Texas, bringing the art form to diverse audiences and inspiring future generations of music lovers.
Like many performing arts organizations around the country, the PSO is navigating the challenges of the post-pandemic landscape, including issues affecting attendance and contributed income. To address these challenges, the PSO has recently adopted a new strategic plan focused on financial and organizational sustainability, community impact and awareness, and innovation. The PSO’s annual operating budget has grown significantly over the past four years, from $1.5 million to over $2.7 million.
The City of Plano is the largest city in Collin County and one of the major areas of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It boasts a robust arts scene that is supported both by the City of Plano and other partners in and around the Metroplex. Plano’s economy is a significant part of DFW and home to major corporations. Plano was recently named one of the best places to live in the United States. With an excellent school system, the Plano Independent School District’s state-of-the-art concert hall, the Robinson Fine Arts Center, is home to the PSO’s concerts.
The Plano Symphony has grown into one of the state’s major regional orchestras and is highly regarded for its musical excellence, strong musicianship, and its ability to move seamlessly from the classical world into the pops universe. Currently, there are ten mainstage concerts, of which eight are subscription concerts with an average orchestra size of 65-70 musicians. The list of guest artists who have performed with the PSO is impressive and a testament to the high regard with which the orchestra is held in the music world.
The PSO is governed by a 30-member Board of Directors and has 14 staff members. The Symphony receives valuable support from the City of Plano and many individual, corporate, and foundation donors. This season, the Board of Directors changed from a bifurcated management model to a singular structure and appointed Gregory Patterson as President/CEO.
The PSO is privileged to have been led by Music Director Héctor Guzmán since its founding. After forty-plus years of service, the time has come for Maestro Guzmán to free up his time to pursue other adventures and opportunities. Pending approval of the PSO Board of Directors, Maestro Guzmán will transition to Music Director Emeritus at the conclusion of the 2026/2027 Season. The PSO is currently actively engaged in a Music Director search. The new Music Director is slated to join the PSO in July 2027.
PAYSCALE
This is a full-time, exempt position with salary and benefits.
Annual salary: Commensurate with experience; in the mid-sixties to seventies.
HOW TO APPLY
For consideration, interested individuals should send a cover letter, resume, and writing samples to hiring@planosymphony.org, using the subject line “Development Director Application.”
Any questions about this position may be directed to hiring@planosymphony.org. If a writing sample is not available, please contact the email address above for an alternative option.
THE PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The Plano Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. The PSO is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. The PSO seeks a broad spectrum of employees and is strongly committed to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment.