Development Director

ORGANIZATION

Austin Soundwaves is an arts education nonprofit expanding access to high-quality music education across Central Texas, with the vision of a world without barriers to learning music. Founded in 2011 as an El Sistema-inspired program, Austin Soundwaves now reaches more than 2,000 students each year through school partnerships and nine community programs providing music instruction, mentorship, and educator training. To date, the organization has served over 6,000 students and partnered with more than 50 schools across the region.

Austin Soundwaves is celebrating its 15th anniversary during the 2025–26 season and entering a new phase of growth. In 2027, the organization will open its first dedicated music education facility as part of the Community Arts Collaborative, a 25,000-square-foot arts facility in Central East Austin. Alongside this expansion, Austin Soundwaves has completed the Music Transforms Comprehensive Campaign, the largest campaign in the organization’s history, strengthening programs and expanding long-term impact.

ABOUT THE ROLE

With the growth of our organization comes an important next step: building the systems and relationships that will sustain Austin Soundwaves for the long term. The Development Director will be a vital thought partner, strategist, and leader on an experienced fundraising team that includes the Executive Director, Deputy Director, Operations Manager, and Marketing Manager. This role focuses primarily on individual giving through the development of annual fund, mid-level giving, and recurring donations, within an organization entering a significant period of growth.

You will not be expected to build a development department from scratch or manage grants, marketing, and major gifts. Instead, this is an opportunity to join a strong, effective team and partner closely with an Executive Director who is actively engaged in fundraising, values collaboration, experienced in building donor relationships, and committed to long-term sustainability through authentic partnerships and thoughtful strategy.

Austin Soundwaves operates with an annual budget of $1 million, including $700,000 in contributed revenue. Your role will play a central part in growing that support in close collaboration with the leadership team.