Director of Development
Organization
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, River City Brass (RCB) was launched in 1981 as the nation’s only professional brass band under the baton of Robert Bernat. Heading towards a 45th anniversary year, the ensemble is currently led by the celebrated conductor and virtuoso tuba player, James Gourlay, who serves as both General and Artistic Director. The organization supports a mission to entertain, educate, and engage individuals in the region and is comprised of 28 professional musicians who present a concert season of 40 performances in six regional venues. The organization also has multiple smaller ensembles that perform regularly and actively in the region and beyond. RCB has a history of touring internationally, commissioning new works, and producing recordings, with 20 commercial recordings to date. Introduced in 2019, the RCB School of Brass provides supplemental music lessons and ensemble experiences for brass students. It is currently located in the Penn Hills school district, but students from any region can apply to attend, with no audition requirements and scholarships available. River City Brass is a valuable cultural and educational resource to the Pittsburgh region, employing and supporting local artists and ensembles, participating in community events, working in schools all over the area to further music education, and collaborating with other non-profits throughout the year.
Position Summary
This is an exciting time to join RCB as plans are underway for the 45th anniversary season in 2026-27. The organization has re-branded with new logos, fresh outreach, and active social media platforms and looks forward to expanding its impactful programming and music education work, as well as strengthening its financial base of donor and patron support during this anniversary year.
The Director of Development at River City Brass is responsible for developing new fundraising strategies and leading all stewardship and cultivation efforts. This role will oversee all elements of fundraising for RCB – including individual, corporate, foundation and government support.
Working closely with the General and Artistic Director and the Board of Directors, RCB’s Director of Development will also develop strategies for planned giving, endowment contributions, and legacy gifts, ensuring financial sustainability into the future. The Director of Development will report to the General and Artistic Director and work collaboratively across the administrative team to ensure strategic alignment, accurate data management, and high-quality stewardship practices.
Core Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary contact for all donors across the full funding portfolio.
- Refine and expand the current annual fundraising plan with quantifiable goals, objectives, and timelines.
- Create calendar of events and campaigns to coordinate engagements across the organization, assigning specific responsibilities to staff, artistic personnel, and Board.
- Coordinate annual Gala with Board and staff. Connect to mission and artistic resources.
- Expand contributed revenue opportunities by stewarding existing donors and cultivating new relationships with corporate, foundations, government, and individual donors. Plan donor recognition events that provide additional opportunities for donors to build relationships with specific Board, staff, and artistic leadership.
- Use RCB concerts and events to identify and cultivate new donors.
- Plan, draft, and implement all appeals, aligning with Marketing and Communications staff to coordinate messaging and calendars.
- Implement all elements of the existing grants calendar of foundation and corporate grant relationships, writing all proposals and reports, and submitting in advance of deadlines.
- Identify and research new grant opportunities. Create opportunities for in-person meetings with foundation and corporate personnel and maintain grants calendar.
- Generate reports for staff that track progress against revenue and campaign targets. Share Development dashboards and progress reports with the Board on regular basis, course correcting with Board and staff as needed.
- Cultivate and steward relationships, ensuring timely correspondence and meaningful interactions and recognition.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in non-profit management, required. Experience in fundraising roles in arts and culture organization in Pittsburgh, preferred.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
- Knowledge of non-profit fundraising and budgeting. Research and Analytical skills preferred.
- Proven ability to build relationships and high-quality engagements with broad range of stakeholders. Strong interpersonal skills and professionalism required.
- Strong organizational skills, meticulous data management, and record-keeping required.
- Ability to set revenue goals and work independently and collaboratively as needed.
- Knowledge of the full cycle process and move management process preferred.
- Collaborative working style and passion for mission-driven work preferred.
- Proficiency in MS Office Suite required. Experience working with DonorPerfect or other CRM project management tools a plus.
Additional Requirements:
- Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
- Legally authorized to work in the United States. Visas cannot be sponsored.
- Ability to lift, sit for long periods of time, work at a desk, and climb stairs.
- Must be willing to reside within driving proximity of offices and concert venues.
Compensations and Benefits
Competitive benefits, PTO, observed holidays.
Position is Full-Time. Some weekend and evening work is required.
$75,000 annual salary
Work environment is currently hybrid with offices in downtown Pittsburgh, PA.
Please submit cover letter and resume to: careers@rcbb.com for consideration.