Development Operations & Research Coordinator

OPEN pOSITION

Department: DEVELOPMENT

Location: SEATTLE, WA

FLSA Status: NON-EXEMPT

Position Status: FULL TIME, REGULAR, SALARIED

Position Location: 60% ONSITE/40% LOCAL REMOTE. (Eligible for local remote work (with supervisor approval) after completion of the 90-day orientation period.)

Compensation: $52,000 - $60,000/annually

Reports to: Associate Director of Development – Annual Fund & Estate Management

Preferred Start Date: NOVEMBER 2026

This role helps make sure donations are recorded accurately, and donor communications are timely and clear. The Development Operations & Research Coordinator enters gifts into Tessitura, prepares acknowledgements and tax receipts, fulfills the research needs of the department to achieve fundraising goals, and helps the Development team keep donor records, reports, and communications accurate and organized.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. To perform this job successfully, an individual should be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

· Enter daily donations into Tessitura and save supporting documentation for records and audits.

• Process gifts made through corporate matching, donor-advised funds, IRA distributions, and stock transfers.
• Create and maintain donor acknowledgement letters, giving summaries, tax receipts, and other related documents.
• Manage email templates and processes for sending tax records to donors.
• Prepare monthly pledge and invoice billing documents.
• Help create and manage event check-in, gift processing, and receipting processes for fundraising events
• Answer questions and help resolve donor-related issues raised by the Audience Services team.
• Assist with Planned Giving records, coding, and documentation.

Examples of Additional Responsibilities include the following.

• Provide accurate and timely research (one-time requests, event-based, and comprehensive donor profiles) to the Development team and company leadership. Write high-quality profiles on donors, prospective donors, and prospect board members, including relevant biographical, philanthropic, and relational information.
• Work with the Development Operations Manager to create reports and analysis that help the company and department track goals.
• Partner with Development and Marketing colleagues to improve the donor experience and support contributed revenue through web tools and Tessitura.
• Work with the Development Operations Manager to support the annual audit by gathering, creating, and reviewing reports and backup documentation.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Bachelor’s degree or four years of equivalent professional experience.

Minimum two years of professional experience.

Strong attention to detail, especially when keeping records accurate and reviewing financial information.

technical Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient using Microsoft Office, formatting reports, and working with databases; Tessitura experience is a plus.

Physical Demands:

· This position typically works Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.

· During performance or fundraising event periods, the schedule may flex to include evenings or weekends as needed.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to indoor work conditions and will work with a variety of donors, guests, community partners, and staff. The noise level in the work environment varies depending on the activity in the building. It can range from very quiet to somewhat loud especially during performances, fundraising events, programs, or other activities involving large numbers of participants and/or music.

Background Check

Seattle Opera engages a third-party vendor to conduct background checks for all employees. Offer of employment is contingent upon the candidate successfully passing the background check. Any information unrelated to job duties will not be evaluated or have an adverse impact on employment.

Seattle Opera provides a generous benefits package which currently includes:

• Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Group Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Employee-funded 403(b) Savings Plan
• 80 hours (2 weeks) of vacation time (1st Year Accrual Rate with increases in years 2 and 5)
• 10 paid holidays plus 3 personal days per year
• 12 days of sick time per year
• Choice of fully funded transit pass, or 50% funded, special rate parking pass
• Staff ticket comps and class discounts

Seattle Opera is committed to racial equity and to dismantling historic barriers of oppression by creating an inclusive and equitable workplace. We believe that having staff, interns, and volunteers with diverse backgrounds enables us to better meet our mission. Seattle Opera is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal access and opportunity to anyone who qualifies, regardless of sex, race, age, color, religion, mental or physical disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and/or military status.

Learn more about our commitment to Equity and our Racial Equity and Social Impact Plan: https://www.seattleopera.org/about/commitment-to-equity/

Applications must be submitted using the online portal.

Please be sure to include both cover letter and a resume.

Early consideration deadline is October 15th. We will continue reviewing applications on a rolling basis if needed, until the position is filled.

When you submit your application, you will receive an automated message noting your materials have been received. Unfortunately, we cannot respond to all applicants due to the high volume of resumes submitted. No phone calls, please.