Chief Development Officer

Aspen Leadership Group is proud to partner with the Boston
Symphony Orchestra in the search for a Chief Development
Officer.

Reporting to the President and Chief Executive Officer, the Chief
Development Officer (CDO) will conceptualize, organize, and
implement a comprehensive and strategic fundraising program in
support of the BSO’s mission and vision for the future. The CDO
will collaborate with senior BSO executives, development staff,
Trustees, Advisors, and other volunteers to position the BSO for
philanthropic partnership with donors at all levels, cultivate
transformative gifts, and ultimately enhance the BSO’s regional,
national, and global impact. The CDO will oversee individual
giving; planned giving; corporate initiatives; foundations and
government relations; donor and volunteer engagement; development
research, information systems, and analytics; and development
communications. The CDO will examine and continually strengthen all
dimensions of the development program in consultation with the
President and CEO. The CDO will recruit and inspire a
high-performing development team; establish an analytic basis for
strategy and decisions regarding philanthropy at the BSO; and
unleash the potential of the existing prospect pool and
substantially expand its dimensions. The CDO will be a proven
fundraising visionary and strategist; an effective listener; and a
strong collaborator with an ability to build a robust and
productive network of partnerships. This position is primarily
based in Boston, Massachusetts and requires relocation to the
Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, Massachusetts for the summer
season. Housing is provided in Lenox.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra engages millions of people each year
in the remarkable diversity and wonder of orchestral music and
maintains homes at its iconic venues, Boston’s Symphony Hall and
Tanglewood in Western Massachusetts. From the Boston Pops Fireworks
Spectacular on the Charles River Esplanade to free community
concerts throughout Greater Boston, an annual BSO Youth and Family
series at Symphony Hall, humanities programs at the Tanglewood
Learning Institute, and tour performances in concert halls around
the world, the BSO remains committed to innovation, creativity,
artistry, cultural relevance, education, civic engagement, and
making orchestral music accessible to audiences of all ages,
backgrounds, and levels of familiarity. Celebrated for its diverse
programs, passionate performances, and tradition of innovation, the
Boston Symphony Orchestra—under the artistic direction of Andris
Nelsons since 2014—has been at the forefront of artistry for more
than 140 years. At home, abroad, and through recordings,
television, and radio broadcasts, a deep and inclusive
commissioning legacy, and a history of cultivating emerging
artists, the BSO reinforces its status as one of the world’s most
accomplished and versatile ensembles, attracting world-renowned
guest artists, composers, and conductors.

“America’s Orchestra,” the Boston Pops—under the direction of Keith
Lockhart since 1994—has led the way in creating concert experiences
designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of musical tastes. The
orchestra’s storied approach to programming combines light
symphonic favorites with film music, Broadway, jazz, pop, indie
rock, country, big band, gospel, and the Great American Songbook,
frequently in collaboration with household-name artists. Along the
way, the Boston Pops has grown into the most recorded and most
beloved orchestra in the country. Pops performances are punctuated
annually on July 4th by its Fireworks Spectacular, a free outdoor
event that since 1974 has drawn tens of millions of in person
attendees and television viewers.

Hailed as America’s premier summer music festival, since 1937
Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra and provides a unique experience of musical performances
of the highest artistry amid the pastoral beauty of the Berkshire
Hills of Massachusetts. At the heart of the Tanglewood season are
BSO performances led by the world’s great conductors. Tanglewood
also presents performances by the Boston Pops, the highly
successful Popular Artist Series featuring stars from a wide array
of genres, and chamber music concerts by eminent soloists and
ensembles in the acclaimed Ozawa Hall. The Tanglewood Music Center,
initiated in 1940, offers spectacular performances by its talented
Fellows, who spend the summer honing their skills as young
professionals by working closely with BSO musicians and guest
faculty throughout the summer. Tanglewood is also the year-round
home of the Tanglewood Learning Institute, which offers programs
designed to deepen understanding of music, the arts, and the human
spirit in the beautiful Linde Center, Tanglewood’s newest venue,
which opened in 2019.

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and
experience and at least 10 years of advancement experience is
preferred for this position. The Boston Symphony Orchestra will
consider candidates with a broad range of backgrounds. If you are
excited about this role and feel that you can contribute to the
BSO, 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 Boston
Symphony Orchestra and the responsibilities and competencies
presented in the position prospectus.

The salary range for this position is $400,000 to $450,000
annually.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra 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 Jeanette Rivera-Watts
at [email protected].

To apply for this position, visit:
https://opportunities.aspenleadershipgroup.com/opportunities/1429.