Individual Giving Officer

HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ASSOCIATION INC • Houston, TX

10h

About The Position

The Individual Giving Officer serves as a key fundraiser at Houston Grand Opera, working to identify individuals with the potential to make meaningful gifts to the organization and bringing them through all phases of the fundraising cycle, from donor qualification to effective solicitation and stewardship. This position will work closely with all departments throughout the company to secure special funding opportunities for donors and strategically partner with company leadership at all levels to secure them. The Individual Giving Officer may also manage special individual giving initiatives as needed, such as HGO’s Leadership Initiative, and work with the Director of Individual Giving to manage underwriting opportunities for mainstage performers, artists, productions, and initiatives at the $25,000 level and above. They will collaborate alongside other members of the Individual Giving team in the spirit of the team’s values of learning, trust, and respect, to advance the organization’s goals and fulfill its long-term vision. The ideal candidate will have a passion for the arts, excellent communication skills, and a proven track record of successfully soliciting and closing major gifts. Join Us! We are looking for talented, passionate, and dedicated people who are eager to make contributions to our community and our mission. If you are excited about this position but your experience does not align perfectly, we encourage you to apply! You may be just the right candidate for this position or another role at HGO. About the Houston Grand Opera The mission of HGO is to enrich our diverse community through the art of opera. We do so by creating, curating, exploring, and producing outstanding experiences centered around the human voice. HGO has received a Tony Award, two Grammy Awards, and three Emmy Awards – we are the only opera company in the world to win all three honors. Our strategic focus is two-fold: creating profoundly enriching experiences for our diverse audiences and clearly defining and positively promoting the HGO brand. We believe every team member enriches our organization by exposing a broad range of ways to understand and engage our community and discover, design, and deliver enriching experiences. Compensation and Benefits We offer robust benefits to full-time employees, including: Comprehensive and affordable health benefits. Generous paid time off. 403b retirement plan with employer match. Flexible work schedule. Professional development fund and opportunities. Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation. Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, arts administration, fundraising, vocal performance/music, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, with a focus on individual giving.
• Proven track record of soliciting and closing gifts from individual donors.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with donors, stakeholders, and community leaders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate HGO's mission, program, and impact to diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of fundraising best practices, donor cultivation strategies, and moves management techniques.
• Proficiency in donor management software and CRM systems (e.g., Tessitura, Raiser's Edge, Salesforce) for donor tracking, reporting, and analysis.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to attend donor events, performances, and meetings as needed.
• Knowledge of opera is a plus. But a passion for the performing arts is essential.
• Must thrive in a fast-paced group setting, be highly organized, and efficiency-driven.
• Self-motivator with analytical problem-solving abilities; confident, experienced decision maker.
• Detail-oriented individual with attention to process; sound judgment abilities; successful customer service professional; ability to manage up, down, and laterally; an interest in constantly developing acumen in self-observation, self-reflection, and self-correction; high level of personal and professional ethics.
• Irregular working hours, evening, and weekend work is required.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree preferred.
• Knowledge of opera is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Donor Cultivation and Stewardship: Develop and maintain strong relationships with major donors, patrons, and prospective supporters through personalized engagement strategies, including one-on-one meetings, events, and communication outreach.
• Major Gift Solicitation: Identify, qualify, and solicit major gift prospects with the capacity to make significant financial contributions to Houston Grand Opera. Create tailored solicitation strategies and proposals to secure major gifts in support of HGO's fundraising priorities.
• Proposal Development: Collaborate with the Philanthropy team, senior leadership, and artistic staff to create compelling funding proposals, impact reports, and case statements that articulate HGO's mission, vision, and funding needs to major donors and philanthropic partners.
• Donor Recognition and Benefits: Ensure that major donors receive appropriate recognition, stewardship, and benefits in accordance with HGO's donor acknowledgment policies. Coordinate exclusive experiences for major donors to deepen their engagement with the organization.
• Prospect Research and Pipeline Management: Maintain accurate donor records and gift documentation in Tessitura, the organization's donor database, to track donor interactions, solicitations, and gift commitments. Work to identify, target, and constantly cultivate new support for the organization alongside best-in-class stewardship of existing institutional supporters.
• Collaboration and Teamwork: Work collaboratively with the Philanthropy team, Board of Directors, volunteers, and other internal stakeholders to achieve fundraising goals and advance HGO's mission and strategic objectives. Participate in regular team meetings and strategy sessions. Assist with staffing of events as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and affordable health benefits.
• Generous paid time off.
• 403b retirement plan with employer match.
• Flexible work schedule.
• Professional development fund and opportunities.
• Discounted parking in the Theater District garage and nearby lots, plus easy access to Metro transportation.
• Free tickets to our mainstage and community productions and events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees