Development Intern

Music@Menlo is seeking two Development Interns for its 2024 season. Interns will have the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience in all facets of a nonprofit development department and acquire valuable insights on the inner workings of an internationally renowned arts organization. As critical team members in the development department, interns will also work collaboratively with the events and hospitality, merchandising, and patron services teams to gain experience in executing donor events, fulfilling membership benefits, cultivating and stewarding festival supporters, soliciting in-kind contributions, managing and analyzing development data, researching individual, corporate, and foundation prospects, and interacting as frontline members of the administrative team with the more than 5,000 ticket buyers and 500 donors who attend fifty public and private events during the three-week festival period.

Responsibilities

Pre-festival:

• Plan and execute individualized communication plans for all festival constituents including home hosts, event hosts, donors, volunteers, and staff. This includes event invitations, thank-you cards, and gifts.
• Assist the development department in cultivating relationships with over forty home host volunteers, including attending home host meetings, creating information packets for hosts, and assisting with artist arrival and departure transportation
• Solicit in-kind food and beverage donations, decorations, and discounts from local businesses
• Study and learn about the many details of the festival to ensure an in-depth understanding of all facets of the organization, including programming, venues, schedule of private and public events, artist roster, ticketing policies, and membership benefits
• Conduct prospect research for senior staff
• Assist the marketing department with drafting patron communications
• Coordinate with other intern groups on select projects as required to develop clear and effective internal and external communications, gaining an understanding of an office environment and project management

During the festival:

• Serve as a public representative of the festival and provide excellent customer service to patrons and community members
• Staff and assist in the execution of post-concert dinner parties and other special events which includes name tag creation, picking up and delivering food and beverages, setup, serving, break down and cleanup
• Help maintain donor records in Music@Menlo’s customer relationship management database
• Track event RSVPs and communicate all pertinent information to staff and interns
• Produce daily development reports for the senior staff including prospect research
• Assist with setup, staffing, and break down of concessions tables
• Accompany artists to host homes and introduce them to hosts
• Manage and track the written thank-you card process for all festival teams, including the distribution of thank-you gifts for over fifty festival volunteers and in-kind donors
• Assist the patron services team with pre-concert box office duties for free events, including setup, patron check-in, and premium seating setup

Qualifications

The ideal candidates will have an interest in nonprofit fundraising and management; interest in high quality, exemplary customer service; interest in learning and growing in a fast-paced environment; strong organization and interpersonal skills; positive energy and a willingness to pitch in and be a team player wherever needed; the ability to think quickly, be flexible, and adapt to unforeseen situations; creative thinking to solve last minute challenges; sound judgment, tact, diplomacy, and flexibility with different personalities and working styles. Through this internship, interns will have the ability to further develop these job skills as well as learn new skills.

In addition, the following qualifications are required to ensure a meaningful, well-rounded experience for interns:

• Ability to remain calm and pleasant in a fast-paced environment, as well as make good decisions quickly
• Ability to work independently but integrate with a larger, cohesive team
• Sound judgment, tact, diplomacy, and flexibility with different personalities and working styles
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25lbs

Dates, Compensation, Work Hours, Misc. Info

Internship dates are June 17 through August 13, 2024. This is a full-time, seasonal, non-exempt position. Hourly compensation is at the rate of $16.00 per hour. Work hours through July 5 will be approximately 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday allowing for a one half-hour lunch. Beginning July 8, the work schedule will change to include various forty-hour work week shifts, which may begin mid-week and may include Saturday and Sunday hours plus paid overtime. All interns are required to complete a successful background check. Minors will be required to secure a State of California minor work permit before commencement of and as a requirement for employment.

Our full-time interns are eligible to participate in our generous benefits package for the duration of their assignment, starting in the month following date-of hire, including comprehensive group insurance plans, retirement plan with exceptional employer contributions, and lunch on site during the festival. 

Interns will be responsible for securing their own housing and transportation arrangements. Housing is available at Menlo College, a short five-minute walk from the Music@Menlo office. Interns who choose to reside at Menlo College will coordinate directly with the College’s housing staff.

In addition, interns will may be available the following:

• On-the-job training and hands-on experience working with the organization’s staff in a professional, supportive environment
• A broad perspective on the many components that form an internationally renowned classical music festival
• Free tickets to select performances, subject to availability and schedule demands
• For positions beginning prior to July 8, a seminar series led by staff and guest speakers focusing on topics related to nonprofit management, such as nonprofit finance, strategic planning, fundraising, and arts marketing
• Career development assistance
• College credit, work study, independent study, and/or cooperative learning programs may be available through your college or university. Participants may arrange for academic credit through their school, if desired.

Health and Safety Guidelines

All interns are required to complete a full-course of COVID 19 vaccination(s) at least fourteen days prior to contract start date and show proof of vaccination before being allowed on the Menlo School campus. All interns are required to follow and adhere to all COVID-19 procedures and standard guidelines mandated by the State of California and San Mateo County, and can change from time to time without notice.

To Apply

Complete the application form at www.musicatmenlo.org/about/internships and upload cover letter and résumé using the links on the application form.
Preferred deadline: February 15, 2024, or until positions are filled. Interviews to be scheduled for late February.

About Music@Menlo

Music@Menlo, an internationally acclaimed chamber music festival and institute under the artistic direction of cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han, was founded in 2003. Based in Atherton, California, and an important part of the San Francisco Bay Area’s dynamic cultural fabric, Music@Menlo is noted for its world-class chamber music performances, extensive audience engagement programs, intensive training for preprofessional musicians through its Chamber Music Institute, and efforts to enrich and expand the global chamber music community.

About the Arts Management Internship Program

Music@Menlo’s internship program is ideally suited for motivated individuals who are eager to learn about the field of arts management and related work areas in a professional setting. An internship with Music@Menlo offers invaluable training and mentorship towards a professional career in arts management or nonprofit administration. Through on-the-job training and hands-on experience, interns gain practical experience and develop professional skills to take them into the next stage of their career development.