Temporary

About the Opportunity

Opera Paralèlle (OP) is a thriving nonprofit arts organization dedicated to pushing the boundaries of contemporary opera. With a commitment to artistic excellence and innovation, collaboration, and relevant, diverse storytelling, we are in the midst of significant growth and expansion. As we undertake this exciting journey, we are seeking a proactive, collaborative professional  to join our team in the temporary, part-time position of Interim Development Campaigns & Events Manager (IDC&EM) to provide high-level development support during a seven-month staff parental leave.

Working closely with the Development Director and Development Associate, this role will help maintain momentum across annual fundraising campaigns, donor engagement, benefit event planning, and stewardship activities during a critical period in the organization’s season. This position is ideal for an experienced development professional who is comfortable stepping into an active fundraising environment, managing multiple timelines, supporting donor relationships, and helping execute campaigns and events with warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail.

OP is currently in the public phase of the Opera Parallèle Impact Campaign (OPIC), a three-year effort to raise the final $700,000 toward a $4 million goal. This temporary role may provide support for OPIC-related communications, stewardship, reporting, and donor engagement.

If you are passionate about the performing arts, have a background in fundraising, excel in relationship management, enjoy working with volunteers, and thrive in a kind, dynamic, creative, and growth-oriented environment, we invite you to apply and contribute to our thrilling journey of expanding artistic horizons.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising Campaigns

• Collaborate with the Development Director to plan and execute annual fund, major giving, and special campaign activities.
• Support direct mail and digital fundraising campaigns, including timelines, copy coordination, segmentation, production, and follow-up.
• Help ensure campaign messaging is compelling, accurate, donor centered, and aligned with OP’s brand and artistic priorities.
• Track campaign progress, donor responses, and follow-up needs in partnership with the Development Associate.
• Support campaign stewardship, including donor recognition, benefit fulfillment, and personalized follow-up.

Donor Cultivation & Stewardship

• Support the Development Director in maintaining and deepening relationships with individual donors, institutional funders, corporate partners, and campaign prospects.
• Help plan and execute donor engagement activities, including receptions, cultivation gatherings, open rehearsals, special invitations, and recognition opportunities.
• Attend OP performances and donor events as a member of the Development team.
• Coordinate personalized donor communications, including thank-you notes, meeting follow-ups, invitations, and stewardship touchpoints.
• Maintain awareness of donor giving levels, benefits, and engagement history in coordination with Development Associate.
• Serve as a knowledgeable and gracious representative of OP with donors, board members, artists, and community partners.

Benefit Event & Special Event Planning

• Support planning and execution of OP’s annual fundraiser, donor receptions, and other cultivation or stewardship events.
• Manage or support event timelines, invitation lists, RSVP tracking, guest communications, donor seating or recognition needs, and follow-up.
• Coordinate with vendors, venues, volunteers, board members, and internal staff as needed.
• Provide on-site support for fundraising and donor events, including guest welcome, donor care, volunteer coordination, and troubleshooting.
• Work with the Development Associate to ensure event data, attendance, gifts, pledges, and follow-up actions are accurately recorded.

Board & Volunteer Engagement

• Support Development Committee and board engagement related to fundraising campaigns, donor cultivation, and event participation.
• Help prepare donor lists, call sheets, campaign updates, and other materials for board or committee fundraising efforts.
• Assist with recruitment, coordination, and briefing of volunteers for performances, donor events, and benefit activities.

The actual hours spent working in each of these areas will fluctuate depending on operational needs each week. OP is a growing organization with many interdepartmental collaborations. Supporting and collaborating across departments is essential for every member of our team.

Who We’re Looking For

This section describes the skills and experience that are most important to this position. We realize not everyone will be equally strong in all of these areas. We also know you can bring strengths and talents beyond what we’ve described. If you are excited about this role and our mission, we welcome your application.

The IDC&EM  role would be best served by a person who has:

• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit fundraising, preferably in opera or the performing arts, culture, or community-based sectors.
• Strong understanding of donor cultivation, annual giving, stewardship, campaigns, and fundraising events.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including the ability to work comfortably with donors, board members, volunteers, artists, and senior leadership.
• High-level and demonstrated organizational and project management skills, including ability to be proactive while juggling multiple and competing priorities
• Experience supporting benefit events, donor receptions, and/or campaign activities.
• Familiarity with donor databases or CRM systems; experience with Salesforce, DonorSnap, or similar platforms preferred.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a small, fast-paced team.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends
• Passion for contemporary opera, performing arts, community engagement, and OP’s mission.

Location, Schedule & Physical Requirements

• OP’s administrative offices are located on the fourth floor of 44 Page Street in San Francisco, close to public transportation (BART and MUNI) and accessible by one set of stairs and one elevator.
• Events and performances of OP productions take place in varying local sites around San Francisco and occasionally throughout the Bay Area
• OP’s general office hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is expected that the C&IM will work at the OP offices a minimum of two days per week, with some flexibility depending on weekly demands. Some evening and weekend availability is required for performances, donor events, and benefit activities.
• This position requires the ability to sit at a computer, speak, and type for extended periods of time.

Compensation & Term

This position is temporary, non-exempt, and part time, approximately three days per week from August 31, 2026, through April 9, 2027, with some weeks busier than others. Base compensation is $34–$38 per hour, commensurate with experience, up to a maximum total of $30,000.

What We Offer

• A dynamic and collaborative work environment with a leading contemporary opera company
• Opportunities for professional development and growth
• Complimentary tickets to performances and events
• Paid sick leave, accrued at the rate of 1 hour earned per 30 hours worked (up to a maximum total of 72 hours), in accordance with the San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Ordinance
• After 90 days of employment, the opportunity to contribute to a retirement plan through OP’s  payroll provider, Paychex

How to Apply
Send your resume and a one-page cover letter explaining your interest and why you are a great fit for this position to employment@operaparallele.org with the subject line “Interim Development Campaigns & Events Manager Application – [Your Name].” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled; applications received prior to July 10, 2026, will be given priority review. Due to the volume of applicants, only candidates who will be invited to interview will be contacted.

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Who We Are

Based in San Francisco, Opera Parallèle is an award-winning contemporary opera company known for its innovative and boundary-pushing productions. Founded in 2010 by conductor Nicole Paiement, OP has been a driving force in redefining the operatic experience for modern audiences and is today one of the foremost presenters of new opera in the United States. Collaboration is in our DNA, as well as a drive to create and keep opera relevant and accessible for our diverse modern world.

A dedication to current issues, 20th- and 21st-century composers, immersive opera experiences, and intergenerational community engagement puts OP at the vanguard of making opera meaningful for today’s audiences. OP is on a growth trajectory, with increasing national visibility and a current organizational budget of $2+ million. OP is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors passionate about innovation and access in opera.

OP’s core expertise is in staging new opera and creating chamber (slimmed-down) orchestrations of larger operas adaptable to many venues, giving many works an afterlife and accessibility beyond their initial run. OP enjoys close relationships with creators and producing partners working in opera, the performing arts, and visual art, and its founders are often sought by today’s top composers to develop chamber premieres of operas they’ve debuted at top international houses.

OP is committed to creating an inclusive work environment through diversity of people, ideas, talents, and experiences. We value providing a culturally safe workplace, and we recognize that this looks different for everyone. Our work with existing staff and new hires to identify and respect cultural safety needs and build trust across the organization is ongoing, to ensure that all staff can feel engaged and thrive. OP is actively working on increasing fluency in equity issues and is participating in ongoing organization-wide engagement around inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We welcome open dialogue about how we can continue to improve our support for our community in all aspects of our work.

Please visit our about us page to learn more about who we are, what we do, and the values we embrace.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Opera Parallèle is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and maintains a policy of non-discrimination with respect to employees and applicants for employment. No aspect of employment will be influenced in any matter by race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, pregnancy, disability, medical condition (including HIV or AIDS status), genetic information or characteristics (or those of a family member), veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

We value a strong, diverse team, and women, trans- and gender-nonconforming folks, queer people, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. We acknowledge this list is incomplete and encourage you to apply if your lived experience informs your desire to support OP’s commitment to telling diverse, relevant stories through contemporary opera.