Development Intern - Urgent Hire

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) was founded over 125 years ago, performing its first concert at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Music Hall in 1896. Today, the PSO is one of the finest, most acclaimed orchestras in the world, having toured and recorded extensively throughout its history and boasts of multiple GRAMMY nominations and wins. It also owns and operates Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts, an historic movie theater which in 1971 became home to the PSO and the cornerstone of what is now called Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. In 2008, Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck became the PSO’s ninth music director following in the luminous footsteps of Victor Herbert, Fritz Reiner, William Steinberg, André Previn, and Lorin Maazel, among others. In addition to presenting more than 100 performances each year at Heinz Hall, both with and without the Orchestra, PSO boasts award-winning Learning & Community Engagement programs that reach more than 30,000 youth and adults each year in and around the Western Pennsylvania region. 

INTERNSHIP TITLE: Development Intern 

DATES: Summer 2024 

JOB PURPOSE AND REPORTING STRUCTURE:

• The Development Intern is an integral part of the PSO’s fundraising team, with a primary focus on projects that support the Annual Fund. The Intern will receive projects from Development staff across the Individual, Corporate, and Foundations & Government teams and can expect a holistic and hands-on experience among a fundraising team of about 15 people.
   
• Reports to: Associate Director of Corporate Support 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Key project areas include donor and prospect research, proposal and grants, donor acknowledgement communications, and donor stewardship. Intern will collaborate with and receive special guidance from various Development staff, dependent on the project. Experiences within these project areas across Development teams may include: 

• Develop a thorough understanding of fundraising concepts, methods, and channels (mail, phone, email/web). 

• Observe fundraising efforts for a targeted donor segment utilizing each primary fundraising channel, with the possibility of managing a specific solicitation towards this segment.

• Conduct prospect research utilizing data retrieved from iWave, Tessitura, and via internet research/public records, with a special focus on fundraising leads for Learning & Community Engagement programs and other special initiatives of the PSO.

• Assist in donor stewardship and the implementation of donor benefits projects and events.  

• Gather and compile data for institutional funder reports. 

• Continue research projects on comprehensive fundraising programs from Pittsburgh-area arts organizations, other peer orchestras, and past PSO fundraising efforts. 

• Assist in general administrative needs such as mailings, filing, writing gift acknowledgements, and account management in the Tessitura database. 

• Other duties/projects as assigned.

​​​​​​​REQUIREMENTS:

The ideal candidate must possess the ability to work independently in both remote and office environments, as well as function as part of a collaborative fundraising team. Other requirements include: 

• Interest in fundraising; appreciation of orchestral music a plus. 

• Strong statistical, analytical, and writing skills.

• Comfort with database and internet research. 

• Discretion in handling confidential information.

• Familiarity with Microsoft Word and Excel mandatory; knowledge of databases is preferred but not required. 

• Ability to work a minimum of 20 hours per week (Monday through Friday) May-August 2024; start and end dates to be negotiated based on candidate’s availability. 

• Ability and willingness to work irregular hours, including evening and/or weekends when necessary.

COMPENSATION 

This is an unpaid position, but the intern may qualify for compensation via an educational institution at which they are enrolled through Federal Community Service Work Study.  

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