Reports To: Director of DevelopmentSupervises: Development InternsPosition Type: Full time, exempt POSITION SUMMARY The American Composers Orchestra (ACO) seeks a full-time Senior Development Associate to play a central role in executing and advancing ACO\'s fundraising strategy. Reporting to the Director of Development, this position owns key development operations including annual fund management, donor communications, database integrity, and event coordination. The ideal candidate brings strong project management skills, excellent writing, and a proactive, entrepreneurial approach to relationship-driven fundraising. This role is based in NYC and is primarily remote with required attendance at public events; candidates should be based in the tristate area. ABOUT ACO American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is dedicated to the creation, celebration, performance, and promotion of orchestral music by American composers. With a commitment to artistry, creativity, community, and equity, ACO produces concerts, pre-college and college education programs, and emerging composer professional development to foster a community of creators, audience, performers, collaborators, and funders. More information at www.americancomposers.org. ACO’s composer advancement and artistic programs include: EarShot Readings in NYC and in partnership with orchestras across the Americas CoLABoratory, which provides composers with opportunities to workshop and premiere adventurous new work Commissions and Consortia, including the Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program, a program of the League of American Orchestras in partnership with ACO EarShot Publishing, executed in partnership with Boosey & HawkesConcerts and recordings in NYC; recent venues include Carnegie Hall, Perelman Arts Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apollo Theater, Manhattan School of Music, and others CANDIDATE PROFILE ACO\'s staff is a dedicated team who share responsibilities and support each other\'s work. We are committed to building a workplace culture where all team members can bring their full selves with authenticity, and we actively seek to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from historically marginalized communities and backgrounds currently underrepresented in the orchestra field.The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of nonprofit fundraising experience and is energized by the intersection of arts advocacy and relationship-driven development. They have daily availability during standard work hours and evenings/weekends for donor events, thrive in a results-driven remote environment, and are comfortable engaging with a range of stakeholders — including individual donors, board members, foundation program officers, and peer organizations. They are highly organized, proactive, and bring a genuine enthusiasm for ACO\'s mission of advancing American composers and expanding who gets to make and hear orchestral music. This role is a key hire as ACO continues to expand its national fundraising capacity, and we offer meaningful opportunities for professional growth and development.ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Development Operations and Event PlanningWork closely with the Director of Development to create and implement successful development strategies, including leading the planning and execution of annual fund campaigns, appeals, and renewalsManage all aspects of special event coordination, including the organization\'s annual gala, from logistics and vendor relationships to donor communications and day-of executionProvide assistance to the Development Committee of the Board and other Board Members involved in Development activitiesDatabase ManagementManage and maintain the organization’s Salesforce donor database, cultivate methods/protocols and confirm compliance and consistency in order to maintain donor recordsCollaborate with the external bookkeeper to ensure accurate recording and reconciliation of contributionsDonor Stewardship & CommunicationsManage the organization’s online fundraising pagesManage the drafting and execution of all donor communications, including development-related email campaigns, web content, annual reports, and other collateral materialsWork closely with graphic design and print firms to ensure timely delivery of print materialsProvide administrative and operations support to the Development department such as answering donors’ inquiries via phone call and e-mail, managing digital files, scheduling, and other administrative tasks as neededOther duties as assigned in support of the organization’s fundraising goalsQUALIFICATIONS A Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of experience in nonprofit fundraising or equivalent experience. The ideal person should be highly motivated with a self-starter attitude and has the ability to consistently achieve results with excellence. The ideal candidate should possess the following strengths:Exceptional project management skills, handling multiple deadlines at onceExperience supporting fundraising events or campaignsExperience with Salesforce and Quickbooks is a mustUnderstanding of various graphic design and marketing platforms like Mailchimp and Canva is a plusAdvanced Google Suite skillsStrong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships across the organizationCapacity to execute detail-oriented work with accuracyAbility to work in a team setting and independentlySolid research and technology abilitiesWillingness to learn new skills and systems to support the growth of the teamExcellent writing and oral and interpersonal communication skillsSensitivity and discretion with handling confidential informationPositive attitude and willingness to be adaptable to dynamic needsAdaptability, flexibility, and enthusiasm
