Director, Development Operations

hybrid
145 Wellington Street West 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5W 4J8
full-time . October 9, 2026

Description

Director, Development Operations

Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) – Toronto, ON | Permanent, Full-time

Reports to: Chief Development Officer

Leads: A team of three across prospect research, development operations and analytics

Status: Permanent Full-time

Great fundraising runs on great intelligence. Join us as Director, Development Operations, and lead the central function at the heart of TSO fundraising. This is where everything we know about our donors, prospects, and partners comes together, and where growth strategies for major gifts, individual giving, and corporate sponsorship take shape.

If you're a strategic thinker, a rigorous operator, and a leader who builds strong teams, come build the foundation that one of Canada's leading orchestras will grow on

The Role

The Director, Development Operations is a strategic and operational leader who sets the direction for, and runs, the systems and intelligence behind the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's fundraising: prospect strategy and pipeline governance, data and insights, campaign and major-initiative infrastructure, Tessitura and fundraising technology, and gift administration. Reporting to the Chief Development Officer as a member of the Development leadership team, you will work alongside the Directors of Philanthropy, Individual Giving, and Partnerships & Events to make sure every fundraising decision rests on reliable data, sound systems and clear insight.

This is a moment to raise the bar. The TSO's Tessitura platform has just been upgraded, the Development team has been restructured for growth, and major international touring and campaign initiatives lie ahead. You'll lead a capable team with a strong foundation, with the mandate to make Development Operations a strategic partner to every fundraiser in the department.

About the TSO

For more than a century, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has been a cornerstone of Canadian culture, steadfast in its commitment to musical excellence and to the vibrant communities we serve. Through acclaimed concerts, recordings, and tours, the TSO enriches audiences while reflecting the diversity of Toronto—one of the world's most multicultural cities. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno brings artistic vision and a sense of adventure to the 93-musician orchestra. Engaging audiences of all ages, the TSO leads a myriad of education, health-and-well-being, and community-access programs, including the tuition-free Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, cultivating the next generation of Canadian artists.

What you'll do

Set the department's prospect strategy and own its prospect management system – ratings, portfolio assignment rules, moves management standards and pipeline reviews – so that fundraising time goes to the relationships with the greatest potential.
Partner with the Directors of Philanthropy, Individual Giving, and Partnerships & Events to keep pipelines full, prioritized and moving, and to identify opportunities that span portfolios.
Direct proactive prospect identification in priority areas, including subscriber-to-donor conversion, mid-level and leadership giving upgrades, corporate prospects, and Board and volunteer networks.
Lead the department's data and insights function, turning analysis into clear recommendations on where to focus, whom to approach and where to invest.
Define the KPIs, dashboards and forecasts that the Chief Development Officer, Development leadership and the Board use to track performance, and maintain a single, trusted source of revenue and pipeline reporting, reconciled with Finance.
Lead performance analysis across giving streams – retention, acquisition, upgrades, lifetime value, donor migration and return on investment – and revenue forecasting for annual budgeting and campaign planning.
Partner with Marketing to use patron and ticketing data to identify donor prospects, and develop prospect scoring and predictive models as the function matures.
Hold full accountability for the department's operational readiness for campaign-scale fundraising, including gift-counting policy, pledge management, gift agreements, and recognition and naming records.
Lead campaign and major-initiative progress reporting to Development leadership, campaign volunteers, the Development Committee and the Board.
Own Development's fundraising technology strategy, roadmap and budget, and represent Development in the governance of the TSO's shared Tessitura database alongside Marketing, Patron Services, Finance and IT.
Lead major upgrades and new functionality, and assess automation and AI-enabled tools for value, cost and privacy risk.
Be accountable for accurate, timely and CRA-compliant gift processing, receipting, revenue reconciliation and the annual audit, in partnership with Finance.
Lead, mentor and develop the Development Operations team, building its analytical and strategic capability as the function grows.
As a member of the Development leadership team, contribute to departmental strategy, planning and budgeting, and lead cross-departmental operational initiatives.

What you'll bring

8+ years of progressively responsible experience in development operations, advancement services, prospect development or fundraising analytics, including experience leading a team that includes managers.
Demonstrated experience building or running the operational infrastructure for a multi-year fundraising campaign or comparable major initiative, including gift counting, pledge management, and campaign reporting to senior leadership and the board.
A track record of leading change – redesigning processes, raising team capability, and moving an operations function from transaction processing to strategic insight.
Strong understanding of major gift fundraising, the donor pipeline and moves management across a multi-stream program.
Advanced experience with an enterprise fundraising CRM, including system strategy, governance, reporting, and leading major upgrades or implementations. Tessitura experience is a strong asset.
Experience leading fundraising analytics for senior leadership, including KPIs, dashboards, revenue forecasting and donor performance analysis.
Experience managing an operating budget and vendor relationships.
Working knowledge of CRA receipting requirements, gift acceptance practice, and Canadian privacy and anti-spam legislation.
The ability to influence senior colleagues and present clear, decision-ready recommendations to executive leadership and the board.
Experience in a performing arts organization or another multi-revenue-stream nonprofit with a shared patron database is an asset, as is experience with prospect scoring, predictive modelling or AI-enabled tools.
Excellent judgement and discretion with confidential donor and organizational information.
Post-secondary degree or equivalent professional experience.

Why the TSO

Be part of an organization that believes music connects, heals, and inspires – and that great fundraising depends on knowing our supporters well. This is an opportunity to shape how one of Canada's most visible cultural institutions understands and grows its support: a seat at the Development leadership table, a newly upgraded Tessitura platform, a team ready to grow, and a horizon of international touring and campaign initiatives that will test and reward operational leadership at the highest level. You'll have the mandate, the tools and the partners across the organization to build a function that every fundraiser relies on.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $110,000–$120,000 CAD (commensurate with experience).

Benefits: 100% company paid benefits including Telus-Health Employee Family Assistance program (provided after successful completion of the first three (3) months of employment); Company paid pension contributions provided after the completion of one year of employment; 3 weeks vacation prorated during the first year, complimentary tickets to TSO concerts and a hybrid work environment.

How to Apply

Please use the link below to submit your cover letter and résumé, or go to https://www.tso.ca/employment and apply through the "Apply Now" button. Submissions are accepted until 5 November, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

TSO thanks all candidates for their interest; only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Our Commitment

The TSO is committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the City of Toronto and encourages applications from all qualified individuals. We are also committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code; if you require accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs.

Work Environment / Physical Demands

The work is performed primarily in a professional office environment, with extended periods of computer work requiring sustained concentration and close attention to detail. Workload increases during peak periods, including calendar year-end receipting, fiscal year-end and audit, and major system upgrades, when some evening and weekend work is required. The role includes occasional attendance at TSO performances and donor events at Roy Thomson Hall and other venues. Travel is minimal, with occasional travel for industry conferences. The TSO operates a hybrid work environment.

Compensation

$110,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Know someone who would be a perfect fit? Let them know!