Manager, Donor Engagement

Ravinia® is both North America’s longest-running not-for-profit music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events by a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers make up a typical summer season on our two open-air and two indoor stages. Each year the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is featured in six weeks of concerts, many with Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. During the same summer months, the Ravinia Steans Music Institute provides young professional classical and jazz musicians with career-advancing training and concert settings.

Offstage and year-round, Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs engage 85,000 children and adults—in schools with little to no music curriculum, in our Chicagoland communities, and at our 36-acre park—in our mission to make music equitably accessible to all.

Ravinia embraces diversity in all forms and is committed to providing an equitable and inclusive environment for all staff, musicians, guest artists, audiences, and community members. Ravinia is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.

The Manager, Donor Engagement reports to the Director of Major Gifts. Primary responsibilities include working collaboratively with the Senior Manager of Major Gifts and Director of Major Gifts in the stewardship and cultivation of individual donors at the $10,000 and above level through the planning and implementation of 35+ events throughout the summer, as well as the Ravinia Steans Music Institute’s major donors.

 Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Engages in targeted stewardship and cultivation of donors at the $10,000 and above level through management and implementation of donor engagement events, mainly throughout the summer season.
2. Manages and implements approximately 35 individual concert sponsor events and 7 additional special events annually in a typical summer at Ravinia. Represents the Major Gifts team at each of these events.
3. Manages 2 post-concert receptions and 2 annual dinners to introduce RSMI donors to the artists they support and seeks other opportunities to engage with these donors throughout the year. Attends RSMI concerts as needed to deepen relationships with major RSMI donors.
4. Partners with the Major Gifts team in planning, preparation and execution of the Planned Giving program, including producing the Planned Giving Seminar.
5. Helps to strategically track donor engagement and facilitate increased support through use of AudienceView and monday.com. Works collaboratively with the Major Gifts team and department members to track major, planned, estate and endowment gifts and ensure proper donor recognition.
6. Acts as a point of contact for all major donors by providing frontline concierge service, including ticketing, donation, and dining reservation support, particularly during the Donor Ticket Request period. Provides on-site concert support when major donors are in the park during the summer and some off-season concerts.  
7. Helps Major Gifts team draft and send appeals, acknowledgement letters and general correspondence on behalf of the President and CEO, Chief Development Officer and Director under tight time constraints. Provides project management support for other annual Major Gifts team projects, including sponsorship tracking and recognition, staffing needs, and complimentary ticketing.
8. Works with Associate Director of Food & Beverage to help coordinate and liaise to the summer Freehling Room (Ravinia’s private donor dining facility).  Acts as an onsite donor resource at Freehling Room during key concert evenings throughout the summer along with the Major Gifts team.
9. Special projects and other duties as assigned.

• Event management experience or similar required, particularly Development cultivation and stewardship events preferred
• Excellent customer/donor service skills
• Knowledge of non-profit fundraising strategies, operations and procedures desired
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast paced and intense customer-focused environment
• Superior verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and relationship skills
• Excellent judgment and professionalism in interacting with the public
• Proficient skills in Google Suite, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint or similar software required
• Education and Experience: College degree or equivalent experience required
• Minimum of two to three years of experience in fundraising for a non-profit organization, music/arts highly preferred.
• Experience working with mid- to high-level donors highly preferred
• Experience with The Raiser’s Edge, monday.com, or AudienceView a plus

Working Conditions

Ravinia is a fast paced, patron focused environment that frequently requires employees at all levels to work evenings and weekends, especially during the summer Ravinia season, and a few events off-season. Employees embrace and actively support Ravinia’s culture of integrity, professionalism, collaboration, mutual respect, and patron focus. 

Benefits

Excellent health and welfare benefits including comprehensive time off, generous retirement savings plans, learning and mentorship opportunities, access to various staff working groups, and a general admission season pass to Ravinia events.

Qualified candidates should upload both a cover letter and resume

Office Location: Ravinia Administrative Office, 418 Sheridan Rd. Highland Park, IL 

Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success. We strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.