Deputy Director of Development, San Francisco Symphony

The San Francisco Symphony (the Symphony) is among the most adventurous and innovative arts institutions in the United States, celebrated for its artistic excellence, creative performance concepts, award-winning recordings, and standard-setting education and community engagement programs. Since it was established in 1911, the Symphony has grown in acclaim under a succession of distinguished music directors: Now led by the visionary conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, who completes his tenure as the Symphonys 12th Music Director at the end of the 202425 season, the San Francisco Symphony is redefining the orchestral landscape for the modern era.
The San Francisco Symphony presents more than 200 concerts and presentations annually for an audience of nearly 350,000 in its home of Davies Symphony Hall. A cornerstone of the organizations mission, the San Francisco Symphony provides some of the most extensive education and community programs offered by any American orchestra. The Symphony's free music education experiences engage students in grades 112 throughout the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), serving more than 25,000 students annually.
In 2001, the Symphony became the first American orchestra to launch its own in-house record label SFS Media. Recorded live in concert and engineered at Davies Symphony Hall, SFS Media recordings showcase music by American composers as well as core classical masterworks. In 2004, the Symphony launched the groundbreaking multimedia Keeping Score series on PBS-TV and the web; the series was made available for unlimited free streaming on the Symphonys YouTube channel in 2020. In 2014, the San Francisco Symphony inaugurated SoundBox, an experimental and eclectic live music series, which takes place in an alternative performance space located backstage at Davies Symphony Hall. For its adventurous programming, the Symphony has been honored 19 times by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and the Symphonys recordings have garnered Frances Grand Prix du Disque and Britains Gramophone Award, as well as 17 Grammy Awards.
Community
Situated on the ancestral lands of the Ramaytush people, San Francisco is home to 875,000 residents and one of the worlds most distinctive and innovative metropolitan cities. The San Francisco Bay Area is a popular destination for those seeking gorgeous landscapes, some of the worlds finest wines, waterfront towns, nightlife, and diverse cuisines, coupled with top-tiered educational institutions, distinguished arts and culture organizations, and innovative workforce options. The nine-county Bay Area is home to approximately 7.8 million ethnically diverse residents; approximately three-fifths of the regions residents are Latinx/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and African American.
San Francisco Symphonys Davies Symphony Hall is in the heart of San Franciscos Civic Center, adjacent the San Francisco Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, SFJAZZ, the Asian Art Museum, Herbst Theater and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The Bay Area has the largest aggregation of research universities and federal research institutions in the nation. The University of California, San Francisco and Berkeley, and Stanford University among others, are key drivers of innovation and entrepreneurship.
San Francisco is home to more than 900 IT and Software, Social and Digital Media, and Life Sciences and Biotech firms.
Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Officer, the Deputy Director of Development (DDD) is a key strategic leader and is the second most senior position on the Symphonys Development Team. The DDD is responsible for strategy and contributed funding from individuals, foundations, and government supporters and overall growth of private philanthropy. The DDD works regularly with the Chief Philanthropy Officer, Board leadership, fundraising volunteers, and supports the Development Committee of the Board. Managing a portfolio of 4550 Major Gift and Planned Giving prospects totaling a minimum of $3 to $5 million annually for the Annual Fund. The DDD will also lead a team of nine development professionals, with four direct reports including a Senior Giving Officer, Maestros Circle; and a Senior Giving Officer, Foundation & Government. The ability to travel as needed to represent the Symphony around the Bay Area and northern California, and to be present at evening and weekend concert and events, is required.
Serve as a key strategic thought partner and leader for Chief Philanthropy Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Board of Governors, and volunteer leadership to ensure proper planning, management, and execution of the Symphonys fundraising efforts.
Participate as a member of the Development Leadership Team, contributing to other Development areas and overall division planning.
Manage a donor portfolio of 4550 households through all stages of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship totaling $3 million to $5 million
Attend and present at Board and committee meetings including Development, Gift Planning, Committee on Governors, etc. Create strategies with the Advancement Committee that build meaningful paths for the Bay Areas diverse community to engage in supporting the Symphony as donors, partners, advisors, and community ambassadors.
Advise board members, both individually and collectively, on best practices in community ambassadorship and donor cultivation.
Provide leadership and guidance for gift officers to maximize productivity, increase contribution levels, and establish performance metrics to track and evaluate regularly against annual goals.
Ensure gift officer portfolios are robust and managed through best practice to achieve ambitious revenue goals.
Oversee discovery efforts for new donors at all levels of giving through a variety of channels including but not limited to direct mail, telefunding, and personal solicitation.
Maintain a broad knowledge of tax laws that impact charitable giving, personal assets, and estates.
The Deputy Director of Development (DDD) will have the willingness to engage and work with different perspectives and demonstrate an openness to new ideas, complemented by outstanding interpersonal skills. Demonstrating an ability to engage donors at all levels, trustees, senior leadership, staff, and other key members of the Symphony community, the DDD will model accountability and diplomacy as foundational skills in the role.
Influencing Others and Interpersonal Skills The capability to influence others ways of thinking, decisions, and actions while building rapport and relating well to all kinds of people.
Time and Priority Management The acuity to develop initiatives and demonstrate self-control in time and priority management while identifying and overseeing resources, tasks, systems, and people to obtain results.
Applications and Inquiries
The San Francisco Symphony is a fully committed equal employment opportunity institution and welcomes applications from all qualified persons, including th]]