Chief Philanthropy Officer
Winston-Salem Symphony
Winston-Salem, NC
Anticipated Start Date: TBD
Description
Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with the Winston-Salem Symphony in the search for a Chief Philanthropy Officer.
Responsibilities
Reporting to the President & Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Philanthropy Officer will play a pivotal role in driving the philanthropic vision of the Winston-Salem Symphony (WSS) by overseeing the development, implementation, and management of an enterprising and strategic multi-year fundraising strategy designed to produce sustaining and transformational results.
The Chief Philanthropy Officer will build and nurture relationships with current and prospective donors, ensuring high-touch stewardship practices that strengthen commitment and expand the donor base across demographic, geographic, and programmatic segments. The Chief Philanthropy Officer will spearhead innovative fundraising strategies, leveraging technology and performance metrics to maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness. A key part of the role involves recruiting and training board members and volunteers, fostering a culture of giving, and leading annual campaigns that meet or exceed fundraising goals.
Additionally, the Chief Philanthropy Officer will collaborate closely with the President & CEO on the growth of major gift and planned giving initiatives, while overseeing all aspects of donor engagement, including cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. With responsibility for managing an active portfolio of major donors, the Chief Philanthropy Officer will drive strategic initiatives, including major fundraising campaigns, partnerships, and events. By providing leadership to the philanthropy team and fostering a diverse, high-performance culture, the Chief Philanthropy Officer will ensure that the organization’s philanthropic efforts align with its broader mission and objectives.
Requirements
A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and at least seven years of fundraising experience, including at least two years of direct supervisory experience, is preferred for this role. The Winston-Salem Symphony will consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds.
If you are excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the WSS, but your experience does not exactly align with every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. All applications must be accompanied by a cover letter and résumé. Cover letters should be responsive to the mission of the Winston-Salem Symphony and the responsibilities and qualifications specified in the position prospectus.
Salary Range and Employee Benefits
The salary range for this position is $120,000 to $125,000 annually. Winston-Salem Symphony is committed to the inclusion of all qualified candidates.
How to Apply for this Job
Winston-Salem Symphony is committed to the inclusion of all qualified candidates. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, or participating in the selection process, please contact Michael Carver at michaelcarver@aspenleadershipgroup.com.
About the Organization
The Winston-Salem Symphony is one of the oldest and most respected professional arts organizations in the southeastern United States. Founded in 1946 as a civic orchestra on the campus of Salem College, the Symphony has grown into a nationally recognized regional orchestra with seventy-six professional musicians employed on a per service basis. It also boasts a volunteer chorus of over one hundred voices, an inspiring and robust music education program, and is committed to the power of community partnerships to enhance inclusion and accessibility. In addition to being lauded for its high-quality performances and excellent education offerings, the Symphony is recognized for its longstanding commitment to fiscal integrity; it is in a solid position when compared to other orchestras in the field and enjoys a loyal and expanding audience and patron base. The Winston-Salem Symphony’s mission is "to bring music to life." This simple statement embodies layers of meaning.
Through its performance, education, and community engagement partnerships the Symphony aspires to realize its vision of a community where live music connects all people to inspire a more vibrant and creative region. The Symphony is committed to values including creativity, innovation, and excellence (in expected and unexpected places); education (through inspiring learning opportunities that enrich listening experiences, expand knowledge, and foster musicianship for people of all ages); inclusivity (serving the interests of the community by fostering inclusion and accessibility for all); and financial sustainability (maintaining the community’s confidence through responsible stewardship of the public’s investment).
Presently in its 78th season, the Winston-Salem Symphony orchestra is under the artistic direction of Michelle Merrill, whom the Symphony was delighted to welcome as its new Music Director in June 2023 following a highly competitive international search. The orchestra routinely performs thirty Winston-Salem Symphony concerts each year, augmented by a multitude of smaller ensemble performances throughout the region, performances as the pit orchestra for Piedmont Opera’s two annual mainstage productions, and other contracted performance services. Its professional musicians trained at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and at other highly respected conservatories throughout the country.
Half of the Symphony's musicians hold more than one advanced academic degree, and many have played with the finest orchestras in the country. Today, they share their gifts on the Symphony's concert stages and in its classrooms while serving — and often leading — the faculty at UNCSA, Wake Forest University, and the region’s other respected university music departments. The Winston-Salem Symphony has a long history of commitment to inclusion and accessibility yet appreciates that this is an ever-evolving process. The WSS began formalizing its commitment to inclusion in its 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. It deeply embedded this commitment to inclusion and accessibility throughout the four strategic imperatives of that plan and this commitment will again take center stage in the new strategic plan, which is under development.
This commitment stretches from its participation in the League of American Orchestra’s Catalyst Incubator Grant, designed to address and institutionalize sustained commitment to DEIAB and the League's Inclusive Stages project aimed at cultivating the diversity of its musicians (ongoing) to the Symphony's enhanced commitment to routinely represent diverse artists, composers, and musical styles, with special attention paid to programming the works of under-represented and unfamiliar composers. WSS has enhanced practices for identifying, cultivating, and recruiting members of the Board, staff, and volunteers who reflect the diversity of communities its serves, expanding its already strong commitment to local, state, and national arts, education, and social services partnerships that build bonding and bridging social capital.
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