Grants & Communications Officer

Reports to: Development Director

Location: Burbank, CA

Travel: Occasional travel required

MISSION STATEMENT

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation keeps music alive in our schools by providing vital support services to school districts, and new musical instruments to underfunded music programs nationwide, giving economically disadvantaged youth access to the many benefits of music education, leading them to success in school, and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music. We prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion at the center of our work.

GENERAL SUMMARY

The Grants & Communications Officer is a senior member of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s Development team, responsible for the organization’s institutional fundraising portfolio and public-facing communications. 

This position reports to and collaborates closely with the Development Director. The Grants & Communications Officer advises the Director on institutional giving strategy to drive revenue growth and manages the complete grant lifecycle. The position also leads content strategy and production across development communications channels. 

The ideal candidate is a versatile writer and disciplined project manager who thrives in an autonomous environment and takes full ownership of the grant lifecycle. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Grants

• Manage the full grant lifecycle for institutional funders — foundation, corporate, and government — from prospect identification and cultivation through proposal submission, compliance, reporting, and renewal
• Research, write, and edit all grant proposals and reports, ensuring each submission is tailored to the funder’s priorities, represents the organization’s voice, and accurately reflects the foundation’s programmatic work and impact
• Manage the grants calendar, tracking all deadlines, reporting requirements, award terms, and renewal windows, supported by the Development Assistant
• Support the Director's budget and forecasting process with grant pipeline data, revenue projections, and identification of prospective funders
• Build and maintain working relationships with funders, serving as the organization’s primary point of contact for grant-related correspondence
• Serve as the primary Development liaison to Program and Finance teams, directing the synthesis of impact data, budgets, and internal support materials, supported by the Development Assistant.
• Advise the Development Director on portfolio health, pipeline, and emerging funding opportunities

Communications & Content Strategy

• Set editorial standards and oversee execution of content, supported by the Administrative Coordinator and Development Assistant
• Create and manage the Development content calendar, overseeing the planning and production of donor appeals, digital campaigns, impact reports, and acknowledgment copy
• Write, edit, and proof donor communications across formats — appeals, email blasts, case statements, major gift proposals, impact stories — serving as the primary writer and final editorial check for donor-facing materials
• Work with Program team to surface and shape impact, testimonials, and school-level outcomes that bring the Foundation’s work to life for funders
• Set and maintain brand and editorial standards across development materials, ensuring consistency of voice across all channels; provide content direction to the team for social media and web execution
• Track donor communication performance and use engagement data to inform future campaigns

Team Support

• Collaborate with Development Director on organizational reporting: budgeting, forecasting, and revenue projections
• Co-create with Development Director internal- and external-facing presentations
• Lead and participate in team planning meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-departmental collaborations

Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Passionate about the mission of Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Communications, Arts Administration, Nonprofit Management) 
• Minimum of 4 years of nonprofit development experience, with a strong track record in grant writing and donor communications 
• Demonstrated success in securing significant revenue from grants
• Excellent writer across formats and audiences — from a grant narrative to a first-time donor email
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and management skills
• Excellent communication and organizational abilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Adobe Acrobat and Blackbaud/eTapestry or a comparable donor CRM
• Organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage a complex, deadline-driven workload independently
• Experience with arts education or youth-serving organizations a plus

HOURS AND BENEFITS

• Hours: Full time, exempt, 40 hours/week
• Excellent benefits: Full-time employees are eligible for paid time off, sick leave, and paid holidays. Medical, dental, and vision insurance is offered with 80% of the insurance premium covered by employer
• New employees are eligible to participate in a 403(b) plan immediately, with employer matching effective from the date of hire
• Employee bonus policy in place
• Salary: $70,000-$75,000

To apply, please email the following to careers@mhopus.org:

• 5 writing samples with at least 3 diverse examples of grant reports/proposals
• 3 professional references