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THE CHORUS OF WESTERLY
Position openings
OTHER JOB OPENINGS HERE
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ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATE
Posted: September 13, 2023
Schedule: Full-Time
Reports to: Deputy Executive Director
Applications: Being accepted now.
Submit applications and questions by email only
to jobs@chorusofwesterly.org.
NO phone calls or drop-ins.
Review will begin immediately. Search may close at any time without notice.
See below for instructions on how to apply.
The Chorus of Westerly seeks applicants to become its Advancement Associate, a full-time position. Reporting to and receiving direction from the Deputy Executive Director, the Advancement Associate is a key position to the success of all communication and development aspects of the organization. The Associate will assist in a major capacity with all Chorus marketing and communication efforts, as well as fundraising and development projects, special events, and administrative support for other organizational activities as needed. The position is a full-time position with a regular weekday schedule that will be adjusted as needed around Chorus of Westerly major functions and events (including some nights and weekends). The position is an exempt position that is benefits eligible (health, retirement). The starting annual salary for this position is $55,000.
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The functions, duties, and tasks of the position include, but not limited to:
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- Develop communications materials for the Chorus and Kent Hall including the creation of brochures, press releases, marketing collateral, e-communications, as well as maintain the Chorus’s websites. In addition, oversee the Chorus’s social media, managing and updating it frequently.
- Develop strategies to sustain and nurture the subscription program to recruit new patrons and ensure renewals. In addition, develop strategies to increase individual ticket sales for Chorus concerts.
- Develop and engage recruitment plans for new singers and program participants, as well as create and manage social activities and other opportunities for current singers, Chorus parents, patrons, and volunteers, in support of member and patron retention.
- Manage and oversee the patron and donor database system, patron and donation correspondence, and generate patron and donor reports and program lists as needed for all advancement efforts.
- Research grant and funding opportunities, help write prospective grants or requests for funding from prospective foundations, companies, or individuals.
- Along with the senior staff, serve as a representative of the Chorus in the community by attending networking events and identifying areas for engagement, outreach, and growth in the local region.
- Attend and work all major Chorus events, camps, concerts, and other activities, serving as a lead support to the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director in any capacity needed and executing other duties as assigned.
Schedule
Throughout the year, the hours for the position will be on weekdays on a schedule that is mutually agreed upon with the Deputy Executive Director, which will likely include at least one evening a week to correspond with Chorus rehearsals. For Chorus concert weeks and/or special event weeks, the Advancement Associate will work an adjusted schedule during those times that will include required full day weekend work with several longer days. It is expected the Associate will attend the Chorus of Westerly’s Children’s Camp in August and be fully available to work every Chorus of Westerly concert, special event, and fundraiser. The Associate will also work extensively on and at the annual Summer Pops concert in Wilcox Park held every June.
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Qualifications
The Advancement Associate will be a vital member of the Chorus of Westerly management structure. They will engage in many important projects for the organization in different areas and in different roles. They will interact with many people in various ways from a wide variety of backgrounds, often times in fast-paced or demanding situations (such as on concert weekends or at major fundraising events). As such, candidates for this position must be excellent communicators. They must also be comfortable, willing, and able to direct, lead, and organize individuals and teams and be able to think creatively and take initiative as needed.
At the same time, candidates must also understand the nature of a mid-size nonprofit organization and that all staff members within the Chorus team must be prepared and willing to help out with any project that is assigned to them, and willing to work on their own or as part of team in a secondary or supportive role. The candidate must be able to take instruction thoughtfully and diligently from Chorus senior staff members, clearly following the procedures, schedules, requests, and criteria given to them.
The candidate will have experience working (or volunteering in a leadership or lead capacity) in communications and/or development, and have experience working in some capacity in the arts sector, the not-for-profit sector, or in a similar position in another field that the candidate can demonstrate is applicable to the position description. Significant volunteer roles or leadership in the arts or not-for-profit sector, or collegiate leadership experience in these areas, can qualify for this type of past experience. The candidate will also have extensive experience in the use of social media for public relations, marketing and/or fundraising purposes, while also possessing strong writing skills.
The ideal candidate will have public relations and/or marketing experience for events or arts organizations. The ideal candidate will also have a basic familiarity with the media vehicles in southern New England and the skills and ability to successfully engage with them. The ideal candidate will also have some background in the concepts and systems of development and advancement in the arts and/or nonprofit sector. The ideal candidate should be a confident writer, a good researcher and very comfortable with computers and using databases. The ideal candidate must also be able to effectively communicate the “story” of the organization in various forms.
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To apply
Please send (1) a short cover letter addressed to Hannah Veale, (2) a resume/CV, (3) a personal case statement (written in any length and in any style you wish) about how the arts have impacted your life, and (4) the names of three professional/academic references with whom you have worked with in some capacity in the past three years.
These items should be sent only via email to jobs@chorusofwesterly.org. Do not drop these items off at the Chorus of Westerly/Kent Hall or mail them to the Chorus of Westerly. All questions should only be sent to jobs@chorusofwesterly.org. No phone calls or walk-ins to Kent Hall at this time. Candidates are encouraged to send their materials in as soon as possible as review of applications will begin immediately. The position will be opened until filled, and the search is subject to end at any point in time without notice. The Chorus of Westerly is an equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V.
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To Learn More About the Chorus of Westerly:
Web - http://chorusofwesterly.org
Facebook - http://facebook.com/chorusofwesterly
Twitter - @choruswesterly, Instagram - chorusofwesterly
Music Director – Andrew Howell
Executive Director – Ryan Saunders
Deputy Executive Director – Hannah Veale
Board Chair – Rudi Hauser
The Chorus of Westerly is a certified 501(c)(3) charitable arts organization. The Chorus is beginning its 65th concert season.
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