EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIPS

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A typical day at the office?

The 2018 Diamond Horseshoe Ball.
Photo by Andrew Stein, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Employment

Full time
Pittsburgh Opera does not currently have any full time openings. 

Internships
Pittsburgh Opera is not currently seeking paid interns at this time.

Ambassadors
Learn about becoming one of our Student Ambassadors or Voice Teacher Ambassadors below.

DONOR RELATIONS ASSOCIATE
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Download a PDF of this job listing here. 

The Donor Relations Associate for Pittsburgh Opera is a key development team member, involved in individual giving fundraising initiatives, gift procedures, and event planning in partnership with the Senior Manager of Individual Giving. This position supports donor engagement through creative campaigns and benefit administration, event planning and logistics, and data management.

Principal (Essential) Duties
1.    Donor Engagement:
•    Work with the Senior Manager of Individual Giving to build engagement and digital warming campaigns at all levels of the donor experience, creating copy, content, and messaging themes.  
•    Manage donor benefit administration - communicate benefits to individual donors, staff donor recognition events, assist in preparation of donor listings.
•    Provide support for technology and software to ensure that the donor experience is seamless through all aspects of gift making, from contribution through recognition.
•    Prepare prompt acknowledgement for Pittsburgh Opera donors and event supporters.

2.    Events:
•    Plan and oversee select cultivation and donor engagement events.

3.    Fundraising:
•    In partnership with the Senior Manager of Individual Giving, coordinate and execute fundraising appeals to secure gifts of less than $1,000, including but not limited to direct-mail, digital campaigns, mobile giving, social media, telefunding, and on-site presence during events.
•    Manage and track donations.
•    Ensure deployment of monthly renewal letter series to individual giving donors. 

4.    Opera Community Engagement:
•    Serve as the Development liaison for the New Guard Executive Council, a young/emerging professional group. 
•    Collaborate with artistic, education, and community engagement teams to highlight opera initiatives and create awareness content.
•    Represent the opera company at cultural events, engage with patrons, and develop partnerships within the opera and arts communities.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
1.    Posess a positive, donor-centric approach to interfacing with donors and event volunteers.
2.    Superior written and verbal communication skills, as well as organizational and time management skills.
3.    Exceptional attention to detail, skills and understanding of how details effect, and are a part of, donor cultivation strategies and organizational goals and processes.
4.    Proficiency in donor/customer relationship management software, such as Tessitura (preferred), HubSpot, or Raiser’s Edge and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint).
5.    Proficiency in basic content creation software, such as Adobe Express and video editing software. 
6.    Professional and resourceful. Posess the ability to take initiative, and to manage multiple tasks independently and to thrive in an open, fast-paced office environment.
7.    Familiarity with and appreciation of opera/classical music; high energy and passion for Pittsburgh Opera’s mission.
8.    Knowledge of the opera industry, including an understanding of production costs and artistic funding needs.

Experience/ Education Requirements
1.    Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
2.    Two of more years’ experience in fundraising within the arts, particularly in opera or classical music.
3.    Candidates must have a valid drivers’ license, a personal vehicle, and be available to work nights and weekends. 

Apply
Please send resume and cover letter to Kristin Gatch at kgatch@pittsburghopera.org

 

ABOUT PITTSBURGH OPERA INTERNSHIPS
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The Pittsburgh Opera Internship Program seeks mutually beneficial relationships with individual interns who are interested in opera, whether from an artistic or an organizational perspective. Each intern will be provided with opportunities to be creative, to accomplish real-life work that furthers the mission of Pittsburgh Opera, and to develop personally and professionally. In return, Pittsburgh Opera will receive valuable assistance that contributes significantly to the organization’s goals.

Internships run at various times throughout the year and are available in several areas, including development, artistic, production, and education.

To apply for an internship, please send a letter of intent, resume, and a letter of reference from an academic advisor to:

Internship Programs
Kristin Gatch, Executive Assistant
Pittsburgh Opera
2425 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

No phone calls, please.

STUDENT AMBASSADORS
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Become a Student Ambassador!

Now is a perfect time to become a Student Ambassador, spreading the word about Pittsburgh Opera and enjoying exclusive benefits!  Established by five intrepid women in 1939, Pittsburgh Opera is viewed as one of the most vibrant opera organizations in the U.S., with a rich artistic tradition, outstanding educational programs, and a progressive outlook toward the future that we want you to be a part of. 

Even if you don’t know much about opera (yet!), if you’re outgoing and enthusiastic then we’d love to work with you. For those interested in a career in arts marketing or education, becoming a Student Ambassador is great opportunity to gain firsthand experience while enhancing your resume.  Student Ambassadors will be asked to hang posters on campus and to be a presence at campus fairs/events.  Most importantly, we want to hear YOUR ideas about how best to share Pittsburgh Opera with your fellow students.

As a Pittsburgh Opera Student Ambassador, you’ll receive:

  • A pair of complimentary tickets to each Benedum Center production
  • A free membership to the New Guard, Pittsburgh Opera’s young professional network
  • Networking opportunities with Pittsburgh Opera staff and other Student Ambassadors

If you can entice your fellow students to buy tickets over the course of the season, you can earn even more benefits!

  • 5+ tickets – Get the star treatment with a pair of VIP seats at the Song Shop concert of your choice
  • 15+ tickets – See the show before anyone else with an invite to a Benedum Center show final dress rehearsal

Please contact us via email letting us know why you would make a great Ambassador and an example of how you’d like to promote the opera on campus. We look forward to hearing from you!

VOICE TEACHER AMBASSADOR
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Pittsburgh Opera knows that the opera stars we love to see on stage would never be able to share the beauty and thrill of the operatic voice without the teachers that helped them along the way. We want to share our love for all voice teachers out there and connect with those who love opera singers as much as we do.

Pittsburgh Opera’s Voice Teacher Ambassador program is a new initiative designed for teachers both locally and beyond to enjoy exclusive benefits, share their perspective, and help continue to spread the operatic joy that Pittsburgh Opera is dedicated to bringing to the public. Established by five intrepid women in 1939, Pittsburgh Opera is viewed as one of the most vibrant opera organizations in the U.S., with a rich artistic tradition, outstanding educational programs, and a progressive outlook toward the future that we want you to be a part of.

Whether you are a seasoned professor working in a university or run a dedicated private vocal studio, if you are enthusiastic about developing the voices of the world’s opera divas then we’d love to work with you. Voice Teacher Ambassadors will be asked to share Pittsburgh Opera’s digital season of free operatic performances with their students and, as we return to in-person live theater, encourage their students to visit our stages and experience our productions first hand (special student priced tickets are always available). Most importantly, we want to hear YOUR ideas about how best to share Pittsburgh Opera with your students. Please contact us via email to discuss. We look forward to hearing from you!

As a Pittsburgh Opera Voice Teacher Ambassador, you’ll receive:

  • Complimentary tickets to Opening Night of each of our Benedum Center productions
  • Free admission to our Opera Up Close programs, which offer an in-depth look at the upcoming production with the artists that make them happen
  • Complimentary access to select Master Classes throughout the season
  • Access to complimentary “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the Arts” workshops
  • Virtual and In-Person Networking
  • Participation in surveys and “think tanks” with other industry professionals
  • Access to select educational resources