Senior Director of Individual Giving

HOUSTON SYMPHONY SOCIETY•Houston, TX

11d•$140,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director of Development, Individual Giving provides strategic and operational leadership for individual fundraising at the Houston Symphony, overseeing programs from Membership through Principal Gifts. The role personally cultivates and solicits major donors and manages a team of nine, including staff supervision, goal setting, budgeting, and performance tracking. Working closely with the Chief Development Officer and colleagues across the organization, the Senior Director advances fundraising priorities and serves as an ambassador for the Houston Symphony. The Houston Symphony, founded in 1913, is a performing arts organization with an annual budget of more than $42 million. It presents more than 130 concerts each year and runs education and community engagement initiatives throughout Greater Houston. Individual philanthropy supports its artistic excellence, access to music, and community impact.

Requirements

At least 7 years of progressively responsible fundraising experience, with demonstrated success in individual giving.
Track record of personally soliciting and securing six- and seven-figure gifts from individuals, foundations, and other philanthropic sources.
Experience leading, mentoring, and developing fundraising staff.
Strategic thinking and ability to turn organizational priorities into actionable plans and measurable results.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with ability to build relationships with donors, board members, senior leadership, and colleagues and represent the Symphony to diverse audiences.
Strong project management and organizational skills, including ability to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced environment.
Experience using data and donor database reporting to guide strategy and evaluate performance; Tessitura experience is preferred.
Sound judgment, integrity, and discretion in handling confidential donor information.
Bachelor's degree.
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends and travel as needed for donor events, performances, and meetings.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a nonprofit, cultural, or performing arts organization.
Experience with planned giving and endowment campaigns.
Knowledge of or interest in symphonic music.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for the individual giving team, overseeing fundraising from Membership through Principal Gifts.
Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate staff to build a high-performing, entrepreneurial team.
Develop and implement a long-term major gifts strategy and donor pipeline that grows philanthropic support across all giving levels.
Personally manage a portfolio of top donors and prospects, soliciting and closing six- and seven-figure gifts.
Work with the Houston Symphony Board President, CEO/Executive Director, Chief Development Officer, and Director of Principal Gifts and Endowment to plan and execute a major endowment campaign, including identifying, cultivating, and soliciting prospective donors and securing transformational gifts.
Coach team members on developing and strengthening donor portfolios, including prospect identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and moves management.
Develop stewardship strategies that deepen donor engagement and encourage long-term, multi-year, and legacy giving, using relationships with donors, board members, and Symphony leadership.
Work with the Board Development Committee Chair to set and execute Development Committee priorities.
Work with Development Operations and IT to build data tools and reports that track portfolio performance and progress toward fundraising goals.
Monitor and report on team performance and progress toward fundraising goals, holding the team accountable to Development Office benchmarks.
Manage the individual giving budget and monitor revenue and expenses.