Development Associate
DESCRIPTION
Location: Partial-hybrid, DC metropolitan area, with expected travel throughout the DMV and greater New York area. Travel to our Capitol Hill office is required once a week.
The Organization
Opera Lafayette (OL) is the preeminent American interpreter and producer of period-instrument opera from the 17th through the 19th centuries. The organization performs its annual season in Washington, DC and in New York, NY offering a unique work environment with a small and highly collaborative staff. Opera Lafayette maintains office space in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC and offers flexible remote work opportunities.
Overview
The Development Associate supports all aspects of OL’s contributed-income program. The Associate is responsible for maintaining accurate, useful donor and prospect information; coordinating gift processing, acknowledgements, benefits fulfillment, reporting, and development communications; supporting Annual Fund and event fundraising; assisting with donor cultivation and prospect research; and ensuring timely follow-through on development priorities.
Working closely with the Executive Director (ED), the Development Associate helps build and sustain a strong, donor-centered fundraising program. This position requires attention to detail, sound judgment, discretion, strong written communication skills, the ability to manage multiple projects in a collaborative environment, and a genuine affinity for building relationships.
Responsibilities
· Maintain PatronManager records for contact, pledges and payments, interactions, communications, events, relationship managers, and next steps.
· Process and acknowledgement gifts, maintain complete donor records, gift designations, tax documentation, and supporting materials.
· Track donor giving, engagement, benefits, renewals, and opportunities for upgrades, new donor cultivation, and ticket-donation conversion.
· In partnership with Finance, prepare bank deposits and documentation, and coordinate monthly gift reconciliation.
· Support Annual Fund donor-communications, and crowdfunding campaigns across print and digital channels, include segmentation, lists, schedules, content support, deadline and response tracking, and reporting.
· Maintain the grants calendar and coordinate deadlines, materials, submissions, reporting obligations, and funder records.
· Support annual benefits and other cultivation, stewardship, and donor recognition events, including invitations, guest lists, RSVPs, recognition, and follow-up.
· Research prospects; prepare donor reports and prospect briefings; track relationship information and next steps; and support cultivation and stewardship activity.
Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s degree and at least two years of development or related work experience.
· A passion for arts fundraising and the ability to build relationships with patrons, donors, and colleagues.
· Flexibility and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
· Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, discretion, and sound judgement.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
· Working knowledge of donor databases or customer relationship management systems (CRMs) preferred.
· Experience with PatronManager, Kindsight/iWave, or FoundationSearch is a plus.
· Commitment to working as part of a small team and to embracing new ideas.
· Availability for occasional evening and weekend work associated with performances, donor events, and annual benefits.
· Love for and knowledge of opera are highly desirable.
Desired Start Date: October 1, 2026
BENEFITS
Pay Range: $55,000 - $62,000 Annual
Generous paid vacation and paid sick/personal time package; health care benefits; 401(k) plan; flexible scheduling and/or remote-hybrid work, as appropriate.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants should submit a chronological résumé and a separate, detailed cover letter in PDF format to operalafayette@operalafayette.org with “Development Associate” in the subject line.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Application Deadline: October 31, 2026
Application Email/Link: operalafayette@operalafayette.org