Grants & Communications Officer

Grants & Communications Officer
Job Description
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

Salary: $70,000 – $75,000, annually

Benefits: 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

Education requirements: Bachelor’s degree

Deadline to apply: July 15, 2026

Documents required to apply: Resume, References, Work Sample/Portfolio, Writing Sample

How to apply: Send the following to careers@mhopus.org to apply:

1) resume; 2) 5 writing samples with at least 3 diverse examples of grant reports/proposals; 3) 3 professional references.