Opportunities
Earshot Jazz plays a vital role in sustaining our thriving musical community, including organizing events, publishing a monthly magazine, and supporting artists. Join our team to contribute your expertise while helping preserve and promote the rich jazz tradition throughout the Pacific Northwest. Available positions:
PDF version: Development & Communications Director
Status: Full-time, Exempt
Compensation: $75,000-$90,000 DOE.
Work Location: Seattle, WA. Hybrid work arrangement (minimum 2-3 office days).
Compensation and Benefits:
- 100% employee healthcare premiums (medical, dental)
- 15 days Paid Time Off
- 11 Paid Holidays
- Professional development opportunities
About Earshot Jazz
Founded in 1984, Earshot Jazz is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating jazz as a vital Black American art form through live performances, artist advocacy, and community engagement. For nearly 40 years, Earshot has supported artists, audiences, and educators. The annual Earshot Jazz Festival presents renowned local and international musicians. Year-round, Earshot hosts concerts, commissions new works, and publishes the Earshot Jazz magazine, chronicling Seattle’s jazz culture since 1984.
About the Position
Earshot Jazz seeks an innovative, strategic professional to serve as Development & Communications Director. This key leadership role collaborates with the Executive Director to raise Earshot Jazz’s total budgeted contributed income ($350,000 in FY2025) and oversee communications strategies. The Director will lead fundraising efforts, cultivate donor relationships, and manage major gifts, corporate sponsorships, and special events. They will also guide messaging to enhance Earshot’s visibility. The ideal candidate is an authentic relationship builder with fundraising experience and a passion for jazz and arts advocacy. Reports to Executive Director. Supervises Marketing & Communications Manager and Membership & Community Engagement Manager.
Key Responsibilities
Development & Fundraising:
- Manage a portfolio of major donors, conducting solicitations to meet fundraising goals.
- Design and execute fundraising strategies, including annual campaigns, grants, corporate sponsorships, and events.
- Collaborate with the Board to enhance Board fundraising effectiveness.
- Partner with the Executive Director to develop major gift strategies.
- Oversee grant seeking, including research, writing, submission, and reporting.
- Maintain donor database, process gifts, and ensure accurate reporting.
- Develop and maintain relationships with foundation officers and corporate partners.
- Attend Earshot Jazz concerts on a regular basis to engage the organization’s mission and create relationships with patrons.
Strategic Communications:
- Lead organizational communications strategically aligned with fundraising goals.
- Oversee the Marketing & Communications Manager to implement cohesive messaging.
- Review and approve marketing campaigns and major communications initiatives.
- Ensure integration of fundraising messages across communication channels.
- Support the Earshot Jazz magazine as an engagement tool for donors and the community.
Leadership & Team Management:
- Enhance membership and donor recognition with the Membership & Community Engagement Manager
- Supervise and mentor the Marketing & Communications Manager, providing performance reviews and development support.
- Foster collaboration between development and communications teams.
Board & Executive Support:
- Align development and communications efforts with the organization’s strategic vision.
- Support Board committees by preparing donor activity lists and materials.
- Conduct donor research to inform strategic outreach by the Executive Director & Board.
- Develop tailored marketing materials for fundraising campaigns.
Analysis & Budgeting:
- Track and manage development budgets to meet financial goals.
- Provide data reporting on fundraising progress and donor engagement.
Qualifications
Required:
- 5+ years of experience in development or related fields.
- Proven success in donor solicitation and fundraising strategies.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Adaptability and willingness to adjust direction as priorities evolve.
- Ability to manage and inspire teams while collaborating across departments.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Experience in grant writing and reporting.
- Proficiency in Google Workspace or Microsoft Office Suite, and Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
- Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems like Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or DonorPerfect.
Preferred:
- Experience developing multifaceted fundraising strategies.
- Experience with PatronManager
- Background in jazz or performing arts organizations.
- Knowledge of Seattle’s arts and philanthropy landscape.
- Experience in small arts organizations.
- Proven track record of meeting revenue goals.
- Entrepreneurial approach to managing multiple projects.
- Proficiency with WordPress, Mailchimp, Adobe Creative Suite, and Google Analytics.
To Apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and three references to jobs@earshot.org. No phone calls, please.
Earshot Jazz is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others from historically excluded communities.
PDF version: Marketing & Communications Manager
Marketing & Communications Manager (Part-time)
Status: Part-time (20 hrs/week), non-exempt
Compensation: $28-$30 per hour DOE
Work Conditions: Seattle, WA. Hybrid work arrangement, some evenings and weekends
Benefits (pro-rated for .5FTE): PTO and holidays
About Earshot Jazz
Founded in 1984, Earshot Jazz is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating jazz as a vital Black American art form through live performances, artist advocacy, and community engagement. For nearly 40 years, Earshot has supported artists, audiences, and educators. The annual Earshot Jazz Festival presents renowned local and international musicians. Year-round, Earshot hosts concerts, commissions new works, and publishes Earshot Jazz Magazine, chronicling Seattle’s jazz culture since 1984.
About the Position
Earshot Jazz seeks a creative, collaborative, and detail-oriented Marketing & Communications Manager to lead and implement strategies that amplify the organization’s mission and elevate its programs, magazine, and events. Reporting to the Director of Development & Communications, this role oversees integrated campaigns, magazine production, digital and print content, and advertising while supervising a team of creative contributors and contractors. A key member of a small, dedicated staff, this position is central to advancing visibility, audience engagement, and fundraising outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Communications & Brand Management
- Oversee creation of high-quality written and visual content that tells Earshot’s story.
- Ensure all public-facing materials reflect Earshot’s voice, values, and community impact.
- Ensure consistent branding and messaging across all platforms.
- Support event promotions, including the Earshot Jazz Festival and donor initiatives.
- Coordinate across departments to align communication strategies with membership and fundraising goals.
- Coordinate with the Earshot Magazine Editor to align the magazine editorial direction with broader campaigns to amplify Earshot’s priorities.
- Oversee the production of visual content, including photography and videography, for marketing and fundraising purposes.
Marketing & Advertising
- Manage integrated marketing campaigns (email, social media, print/digital ads).
- Maintain the Earshot website and social platforms with timely, engaging content.
- Manage all promotional media sponsorships, including fulfillment and reporting.
- Design marketing collateral, such as social media graphics, flyers, and event ads.
- Develop and track advertising plans for programs, events, and campaigns.
- Track and analyze marketing performance, website traffic, email metrics, and ad ROI.
- Create monthly reports on activities and insights to track goals and inform strategy.
Magazine Production and Oversight
- Collaborate with the Magazine Editor on monthly planning.
- Design layouts, prep advertising artwork, and ensure pre-publication readiness.
- Handle advertising sales, communication, invoicing, and collections.
- Support digital distribution with file prep and uploads.
Supervision and Team Management
- Maintain effective communication with external photographers, videographers, copy editors, and designers.
- Manage relationships with magazine vendors, ad clients, and distribution partners.
- Foster collaborative workflows across departments.
Qualifications
Required
- 3+ years of experience in marketing, communications, or content production, preferably in a nonprofit or arts-focused organization.
- Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience overseeing publication or content production processes.
- Proficiency with design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, InDesign), website management platforms (e.g., WordPress), social media and email marketing tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Hootsuite), and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) and SEO practices.
- Proficient in using a variety of social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
Preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Experience with project management, publication oversight, and media production.
- Experience in a jazz, performing arts, or community-oriented environment is a plus.
To Apply: Submit cover letter, resume, and three references to jobs@earshot.org. No phone calls, please.
Earshot Jazz is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others from historically excluded communities.
