EMPLOYMENT & INTERNSHIPS

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 The Annual Fund Manager is a key member of Pittsburgh Opera’s Individual Giving team, responsible for managing all aspects of the annual giving program (gifts under $10,000) and coordinating multi-channel fundraising campaigns. This role drives donor engagement, renewals, reactivation, and acquisition through creative strategy, data-informed decision-making, and seamless execution across print, digital, and on-site channels. The position also supports donor benefit fulfillment and plays a vital role in community engagement, serving as staff liaison for key donor affinity groups to deepen connections between supporters and the art form.

Principal (Essential) Duties

1. Annual Fund Management
   • Serve as project manager for Pittsburgh Opera’s annual fund and membership programs (gifts up to $9,999), from planning through execution and evaluation, ensuring smooth coordination between Development, Marketing, and Artistic teams.
   • Develop and execute a unified calendar of direct mail, email, digital, and on-site campaigns—including year-end, Giving Tuesday, and special appeals.
   • Craft compelling fundraising and stewardship messaging consistent with institutional voice and goals.
   • Lead special fundraising initiatives such as Noteworthy monthly giving, Giving Tuesday, and mini-sponsorships.
   • Collaborate with the Senior Manager of Individual Giving to identify when annual fund donors are ready to move into a gift officer portfolio for upgrade.
   • Partner with Marketing to produce annual fund materials and ensure cohesive creative across all platforms.
   • Coordinate with the Donor Relations Associate on accurate gift processing, renewals, and acknowledgments.
   • Deliver donor benefits and related stewardship communications—including digital email updates, impact content, and recognition—ensuring timely, meaningful engagement and accurate acknowledgment in listings and program books.
2. Data, Systems and Reporting
   • Maintain accurate donor data and segmented lists in Tessitura to support appeals, campaigns, and stewardship.
   • Produce and analyze reports on giving, retention, and campaign results to guide strategy, forecasting, and goal-setting.
   • Track and reconcile annual fund revenue; assist with budgeting and goal-setting alongside the Senior Manager of Individual Giving.
   • Implement data-driven workflow improvements to boost efficiency, data integrity, donor experience, and team coordination.
3. Community Engagement
   • Serve as staff liaison for the New Guard and the New Guard Executive Council; coordinate and attend all meetings and events.
   • Serve as staff liaison for the Friends of Pittsburgh Opera; coordinate and attend all board meetings.
   • Work with the Donor Relations Associate to create and distribute all Friends of Pittsburgh Opera event invitations (excluding the fashion show).

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) or Raiser’s Edge and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint)
5. 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
6. Familiarity with and appreciation of opera/classical music; high energy and passion for Pittsburgh Opera’s mission
7. 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. Proven experience in fundraising within the arts, particularly in opera or classical music
3. Strong collaborative skills with experience self-motivating and working independently
4. Demonstrated success in soliciting and securing four-figure gifts
5. Candidates must be available to work nights and weekends.

Salary Range: $55,000-$59,000

To Apply:
Please contact Kristin Gatch with a cover letter and resume. 

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.

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!

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