Director of Campaign and Philanthropy Operations

Company: Boston Lyric Opera

Company Location: Boston, MA

Job Location: Hybrid/Other

Job Type: Full Time

Date Posted: November 13, 2025

Network(s): Development

DESCRIPTION

Reporting to the Chief Philanthropy Advisor and in close collaboration with BLO’s General Director  & CEO, senior leadership team, and board leadership, the Director will serve as a strategic advisor  and key driver in helping BLO staff and volunteer leaders prepare for a comprehensive campaign. 

This includes designing and building campaign structure and related philanthropic protocols that  improve near-term and aspirational philanthropic outcomes; translating broad-campaign objectives  into actionable plans, ensuring clarity around campaign objectives; creating tools, dashboards, and  reporting for measuring overall philanthropic performance; and supporting donor pipeline  development and prospect management through data analytics and optimized resource allocation.

The Director plays a crucial role in the functioning of the Philanthropy department, serving as an  internal thought partner and key counsel for philanthropy data strategy, campaign reporting, and  performance assessment. They support the creation of KPI’s for the Philanthropy team’s activity  relevant to the success of the comprehensive campaign. This includes monitoring and reporting on  fundraising metrics at the institutional, team, and individual levels. This role supervises a  Prospect Researcher and helps to build BLO’s critical base of support through the application of  strategic data insights and best practices in donor screenings, prospect research and management,  and stewardship.

A central figure in creating a rhythm for the campaign that extends beyond but appropriately  synchronizes with the tempo of BLO’s seasonal productions, the Director will combine philanthropic  strategy with project management fundamentals and analytical acumen to foster transparency,  consistency, and accountability—not only in tracking campaign tasks and progress but also in  promoting more effective collaboration and alignment across philanthropy, external affairs,  artistic programming, and outreach.

A key priority for this role will be strengthening the organization’s data fluency and adoption for  improved strategic decision-making and impact assessment building towards readiness for a  comprehensive campaign. The Director will help staff at all levels to understand, trust, and  leverage fundraising data as a tool for decision-making, storytelling, and relationship building,  ensuring that insights translate into strategy and impact. They will also guide the adoption of  Tessitura and other tools to maximize donor engagement, measurement, and collaboration across departments.

Essential Duties:

Campaign Management

•  Support the Chief Philanthropy Advisor, General Director & CEO, and Board leadership in aligning  campaign activities with institutional goals and milestones.

•  Promote a robust portfolio management process that is informed by data insights, optimizes  prospect identification and research, streamlines activity tracking and reporting, and integrates  moves management and stewardship ensuring campaign goals are met.

•  Serve as the internal lead for the facilitation and accuracy of BLO’s fundraising and campaign  data, ensuring data integrity and alignment across teams.

•  Serve as liaison to internal leadership and philanthropic counsel for all campaign  activity.

•  As a co-liaison for the Campaign Committee along with the Principal Gift Officer, support  volunteer leadership’s philanthropic and campaign-related engagement and philanthropic  strategies—providing reports, tracking assignments, and ensuring timely communications.

•  Hold regular meetings with gift officers/philanthropy advisors to ensure cultivation strategies,  solicitations, and activity tracking are accurate and current.

•  Maintain and manage the primary campaign calendar, ensuring all deliverables, communications,  and events are coordinated and executed on schedule. Data & Budget Support

•  Partner with the CRM & Database Administrator to professionalize the use of Tessitura reporting,  analytics, and dashboard design in ways that improve the philanthropy team’s performance and  strategic decision-making.

•  Develop and maintain comprehensive campaign and related fundraising reports, revenue and expense  tracking, and forecasting tools to inform strategic planning and campaign goals.

•  Collaborate closely with Finance and External Affairs to ensure compliance and accurate campaign  fund tracking with accounting and fundraising best practices, GAAP standards, and IRS regulations.

•  Analyze ROI on appeals and fundraising activities, producing insights that guide on-going  infrastructure investments.

Process Building & Implementation

•  Design and document philanthropy policies, workflows, and standard operating procedures that  enhance efficiency, transparency, and accountability across the department.

•  Build infrastructure and systems that enable successful campaign execution, portfolio  management, and donor engagement.

•  Partner with leadership to establish clear team goals, performance metrics, and processes that  align with BLO’s strategic priorities and campaign goal attainment.

•  Oversee gift processing, acknowledgment, and stewardship systems, ensuring timely and accurate  donor communications.

•  Provide onboarding and training for Philanthropy staff on systems and process use, including  Tessitura.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement

•  Foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration within the Philanthropy team by  promoting shared understanding of systems, data, and processes.

•  Serve as a thought partner to colleagues across Philanthropy, External Affairs, and Finance to  align donor engagement, marketing, and stewardship initiatives.

•  Collaborate with senior leadership and board members to support alignment and transparency  across campaign and philanthropic activities.

•  Identify and advance opportunities to professionalize department operations, ensuring  consistency and integration across all fundraising initiatives.

The ideal candidate will bring many of the following professional qualities and experiences:

•  At least seven years of progressive experience in campaign and/or development operations,  fundraising analytics, or strategic philanthropy management.

•  Proven ability to manage campaigns, data systems, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

•  Advanced proficiency in Tessitura and familiarity with data visualization, segmentation, and  dashboard reporting tools, is ideal.

•  Demonstrated success translating complex data into clear, actionable insights that inform  fundraising strategy.

•  Experience designing and implementing business processes, tracking systems, and performance  metrics for development teams.

•  Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with a collaborative and  diplomatic approach.

•  Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing  priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

•  A commitment to equity, inclusion, and community engagement and an appreciation for the role of  the arts in civic life.

•  Proactive, productive team contributor with a positive attitude and a mindset that’s persistent,  results-oriented, and driven to succeed.

•  Excellent written and oral communication skills, behavioral and linguistic flexibility, and  intellectual and social curiosity.

•  Demonstrated ability to synthesize and prioritize information from a wide array of sources while  maintaining attention to detail and effectively managing overall workflow.

•  Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects effectively, and maintain a high degree  of professionalism and confidentiality in a team-oriented, complex environment.

•  Bachelor’s degree required.

Location and Schedule

BLO’s offices are located in the Opera + Community Studios in Boston’s historic waterfront neighborhood of Fort Point, a creative area for working and living artists. The Studios were established through a partnership with Midway Artist Studios and comprise 16,000 square feet of space designed as a hub for artistic creation and cultural collaboration, featuring multiple spaces, including BLO’s offices, gathering spaces, and rehearsal studios. BLO provides a hybrid work schedule, offering employees the opportunity to work primarily remotely, when circumstances allow.

Compensation

Compensation is highly competitive and budgeted in the range of $140,000 – $150,000 annually,  depending on experience. Boston Lyric Opera offers a competitive benefits package, which adds significantly to the employee’s total compensation package.

Boston Lyric Opera values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran’s status or any other protected category. BLO is an equal opportunity employer.

BENEFITS

Pay Range: $140,000 - $150,000 Annual