Development & Community Outreach Officer

Fund Development Officer (Part-Time)

Brott Music Festival

Hamilton, Ontario | Hybrid

Part-Time (Approximately 20–25 hours per week)

Reports to: Executive Director

About Brott Music Festival

Brott Music Festival (BMF) is one of Canada’s leading orchestral summer festivals and the home of the National Academy Orchestra of Canada. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, BMF presents orchestral masterworks, pops programming, opera productions, chamber music, and community engagement initiatives.

Through its Festival and Academy, BMF uniquely combines professional performance with advanced artist training, serving as both a premier summer cultural destination and a nationally respected development program for emerging musicians and vocal artists.

Community philanthropy plays a vital role in sustaining BMF’s artistic excellence, opera productions, and Academy training programs.

Position Overview

The Fund Development Officer (Part-Time) plays a key role in strengthening Brott Music Festival’s culture through annual giving, monthly giving program growth, donor engagement, fundraising events, and community outreach.

This is a relationship-focused and highly visible role that represents BMF within the Hamilton community. The successful candidate will help grow predictable annual revenue through direct appeals and monthly giving while deepening relationships with patrons, partners, and supporters.

Operating within a lean organization, this position requires both strategic coordination and hands-on execution.

Key Responsibilities

Annual & Monthly Giving

• Coordinate and execute annual giving campaigns, including:
  • Direct mail appeals o Email fundraising campaigns (in collaboration with Marketing
  • Year-end giving initiatives
• Develop and grow BMF’s monthly giving program, including:
  • Recruitment strategies
  • Donor upgrade pathways
  • Retention and stewardship initiatives
  • Campaign messaging that highlights sustained impact
• Monitor performance of annual and monthly campaigns and provide regular reporting.
• Maintain and update donor records in CRM.
• Support donor acknowledgment processes, including tax receipting and stewardship communications.
• Assist in developing strategies to improve donor retention and increase average gift size.

Fundraising Events

• Support planning and execution of fundraising and donor cultivation events, including:

- Donor receptions

- Opening night events

- Special cultivation gatherings

Community fundraising initiatives

• Coordinate logistics, invitations, guest lists, and on-site donor engagement.
• Assist with sponsorship fulfillment and donor recognition.
• Attend Festival concerts and events to engage with donors and prospects.

Community Engagement & Outreach

• Represent Brott Music Festival at community events, networking functions, and arts gatherings.
• Build and nurture relationships within Hamilton’s business, cultural, and philanthropic communities.
• Identify potential individual donors and cultivate new prospects.
• Support outreach efforts that expand BMF’s donor base beyond traditional audiences.

Donor Relations & Stewardship

• Assist in preparing donor communications, impact updates, and stewardship materials.
• Support recognition initiatives across Festival, opera, and Academy programming.
• Help create compelling impact messaging that connects giving to artistic excellence and training outcomes.
• Support Executive Director and leadership with donor meeting preparation and followup.

Administrative & Reporting Support

• Maintain accurate donor tracking and reporting systems.
• Assist in preparing funding reports and stewardship summaries as required.
• Ensure compliance with fundraising best practices and CRA guidelines.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in fundraising, development, nonprofit administration, or community engagement.
• Experience supporting annual giving campaigns and/or managing monthly giving programs preferred.
• Experience supporting fundraising events.
• Strong relationship-building and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Comfortable attending events and representing the organization publicly.
• Experience with CRM systems preferred.
• Familiarity with the performing arts or cultural sector is an asset.

Core Competencies

• Relationship-driven and community-oriented
• Organized and detail-focused
• Professional and confident ambassador
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Comfortable working flexible hours during Festival season
• Passionate about arts, culture, and education

Why This Role Matters

Predictable philanthropic support is essential to Brott Music Festival’s long-term sustainability. By strengthening annual appeals, building a robust monthly giving program, and cultivating meaningful community relationships, the Fund Development Officer directly supports BMF’s artistic programming, opera productions, Academy training, and cultural leadership in Hamilton.

This role helps transform one-time donors into long-term supporters and ensures that community investment continues to fuel artistic excellence.