Director of Development

Job Location
:
On Site/In Person;
Hybrid/Other

Job Type
:
Full Time

Date Posted
:
September 3, 2026

Network(s):
Development

POSITION: Director of Development

ORGANIZATION: Merola Opera Program was founded in 1957 and named in honor of San Francisco Opera’s first general director, Gaetano Merola. Merola operates in close artistic collaboration with San Francisco Opera, but is a financially independent nonprofit organization governed by its own Board of Directors. Merola is responsible for its own fundraising, primarily from loyal members and foundations.

Merola’s mission is to define the future of opera. The Merola Opera Program is an internationally respected model for building strong careers in opera, with a proven balance of training, performance, and individualized support. Merola trains and develops the finest young opera singers, pianist/coaches, and stage directors and invites passionate supporters to be part of the journey.

Their team includes an energetic lean staff and a dedicated and engaged Board of Directors. The organization currently has an annual operating budget of approximately $4 million with a $50 million endowment and $1 million operating reserves. Merola is entering an exciting period of growth as it approaches its 70th anniversary, with ambitious plans to expand philanthropic investment, deepen engagement with its loyal donor community, develop new sources of support, and strengthen the organization's long-term financial sustainability.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP: The Director of Development reports directly to the Executive Director.

POSITION SUMMARY: The Director of Development will serve as Merola's senior development leader and will be responsible for designing and executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy to strengthen the organization's financial sustainability and expand its philanthropic base.

Working closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, staff, artists, alumni, and key community partners, the Director of Development will lead major gifts, planned giving, annual giving, foundation and corporate support, event strategy, and donor engagement. This is an opportunity for an entrepreneurial and relationship-oriented development professional to build upon Merola's extraordinary artistic reputation, compelling mission, distinguished alumni network, and loyal donor community.

The successful candidate will be a builder, a strategist, and an experienced frontline fundraiser -- someone who enjoys personally cultivating and soliciting donors while also building the systems, processes, volunteer engagement, and organizational culture necessary for long-term fundraising growth.

The Director of Development will inherit a deeply loyal donor community and strong foundation of philanthropic support while having the opportunity to build and develop the next iteration of Merola's fundraising program -- expanding major and planned giving, building new donor pipelines, strengthening fundraising systems and practices, and creating a more proactive culture of philanthropy across the organization.

Build and manage a robust portfolio and prospect pipeline, employing disciplined prospect identification, moves management, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies to expand Merola's donor base and increase major gift support.

Personally cultivate, solicit, and steward major donors and prospects, developing individualized strategies designed to deepen engagement and secure significant philanthropic commitments.

Serve as a highly visible and accessible relationship-holder for Merola's donor community, regularly engaging supporters and prospects at performances, donor events, meetings,…