SOUNDS Academy is a non-profit music education organization that transforms lives by empowering youth through teaching music and character values, with a commitment to reaching underserved communities. Students receive individual lessons and group classes on all instruments and voice. Instruments are provided to those who cannot afford one. SOUNDS Academy students learn the character values of creativity, leadership, perseverance, resilience, and teamwork through music education. We teach these values in our Musical Access Program, which connects students to live music and instruments through our Instrument Petting Zoos, our School Programs for lower income schools and community centers, our SOLO Program, which provides one-on-one instruction, and The Collective Ensembles that teach music theory and ensemble playing techniques.

Program Manager

The Program Manager is responsible for developing relationships with families, teachers, schools, and other community partners to meet our impact goals now while preparing for future growth.

This role is an excellent opportunity for candidates who are skilled and have a strong track record in setting and achieving goals in a fast-paced environment. If you love creating and developing relationships, pursuing strategy and goals, details, deadlines, and tracking progress along the way, this may be the role for you! 

The Program Manager will work hand in hand with the CEO. The Program Manager is responsible for managing our programs, running the Parent Committee and Teacher Professional Development meetings, the back-office work of programs, including building recruitment strategies, operations, and managing calendars as well as connecting to the community. The Program Manager also plays an external role, particularly with our community partners. The Program Manager will manage and grow a database of students, teachers, sites, and community partners, with the help of the Program Team, which they will manage directly.

What You’ll Do

• Set and Achieve Program Goals
  • Set and achieve annual program impact goal overall in our four programs
  • Recruit and develop our teachers
• Run the overall program operation using best practices and be efficient in scheduling
  • Lessons
  • Concerts
  • Parent Committee Meetings
• Directly manage a database of students, teachers, sites, and community partners
• Track program impact and demographics of SOUNDS Academy students
• Manage up to the CEO to ensure efficient program impact and growth.

Must-Have Skills and Talents

• Systems Thinker and Visionary: You think and operate in systems that allow you to see the big picture and every detail of the program goals as well as how they fit together.  While you’re grounded in the current reality, you don’t accept it as a limitation for the future.
• Continuous Learner: You’re committed to identifying what you need to learn and growing quickly.  In this dynamic and growing organization, our recruiting, marketing, and program development strategies will evolve quickly to capture new opportunities.
• Organizational Stewardship: You center the mission and goals of the organization in all of the decisions that you make.  You proactively identify and solve areas where program and fundraising are in tension with one another, and find solutions that work for all stakeholders.
• Drive to Achieve Results: You do what you need to do to achieve your goals, including being open with your manager about where you need help, anticipating problems, brainstorming solutions, driving work forward, and course correcting where needed.
• Creative Problem Solving: Proactively develop solutions to challenges and roadblocks, including by constantly looking at big picture progress across programs and flagging potential upcoming challenges.
• Team Player and Proactive Communicator: You value relationships, both with the team and board at SOUNDS and also in the community.  You demonstrate respect for colleagues and partners through proactive communication. You commit to no surprises.

To Apply

Please submit a 1-page letter describing your interest in this position, a 1-page professional writing sample that speaks to the skills required, and your resume to info@soundsacademy.org by April 24, 2026.

The full-time, exempt salary for this position is $52,000-$58,000. SOUNDS Academy offers health benefits, dental, EAP, progressive paid time off starting at 5 days in year 1, paid sick leave, and 11 week-day holidays throughout the year. This is a hybrid (work remote and in-person) position, based in Phoenix, Arizona.  The Program Manager will also need to plan to attend in-person meetings with potential community partners throughout the city of Phoenix.

SOUNDS Academy provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees.  We do not discriminate against our employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender (including pregnancy and childbirth), national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, Arizona, or local laws and ordinances.  SOUNDS Academy will ensure the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, transfer, compensation and benefits, social and recreational programs, discipline, termination and all other conditions and privileges of employment in accordance with all applicable federal, Arizona, and local laws and ordinances.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this job description. We’re looking forward to getting to know you.

Fundraising Intern

The Fundraising Intern will learn and assist with spearheading events and stewarding individual donors for monthly giving campaigns and gifts up to $1,000, helping to meet our financial goals now while preparing for future growth.

This role is an excellent opportunity for candidates who are personable, eager, and goal oriented in a fast-paced environment. If you love pursuing strategy and goals, writing, details, deadlines, and tracking progress along the way, this may be the role for you!  For a creative and resilient learner, the technical fundraising skills can be learned on the job.

The Fundraising Intern will work hand in hand with the Fundraising Team and CEO, who is deeply engaged in fundraising as well. The Fundraising Intern is responsible for some of the back-office of development, marketing, operations, research and reporting on gifts and events. The CEO plays the more external fundraising role with our largest donors and champions. The Fundraising Intern will manage and grow a portfolio of smaller donors, which they will get to manage directly.

What You’ll Learn

• Set and Achieve Fundraising Goals
  • Achieve annual fundraising goal overall and goals by funding streams (small grants, individuals, in-kind)
  • Steward our donors’ experiences in order to retain/renew 75% of donors annually
• Assist in executing the overall development operation using best practices and effective development tools
  • Fundraising Plan
  • Weighted pipeline
  • Donor acknowledgements
  • Tracking systems (analytics)
• Directly manage a portfolio of small gifts
• Develop newsletters and social media posts to engage donors
• Assist in leading SOUNDS Academy events such as The Speakeasy and The Benefit Concert

Must-Have Skills and Talents

• Systems Thinker and Visionary: You think and operate in systems that allow you to see the big picture and every detail of the funding campaign as well as how they fit together.  While you’re grounded in the current reality, you don’t accept it as a limitation for the future.
• Continuous Learner: You’re committed to identifying what you need to learn and growing quickly.  In this dynamic and growing organization, our fundraising strategy will evolve quickly to capture new opportunities.
• Organizational Stewardship: You center the mission and goals of the organization in all of the decisions that you make.  You proactively identify and solve areas where program and fundraising are in tension with one another, and find solutions that work for all stakeholders.
• Drive to Achieve Results: You do what you need to do to achieve your goals, including being open with your manager about where you need help, anticipating problems, brainstorming solutions, driving work forward, and course correcting where needed.
• Creative Problem Solving: Proactively develop solutions to challenges and roadblocks, including by constantly looking at big picture progress across programs and flagging potential upcoming challenges.
• Team Player and Proactive Communicator: You value relationships, both with the team and board at SOUNDS and also in the community.  You demonstrate respect for colleagues and partners through proactive communication.  You commit to no surprises.

Qualifications:

• Pursuing or Completing a Degree, BA, or BS in the fields of Nonprofit, Arts, or Business Management, Business, Marketing, Communications, or related fields preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year experience in successful non-profit marketing or fundraising
• Proven track record and achievements in attaining goals
• Ability to work with diverse populations
• Strong written and verbal communication with equally strong presentation skills.

To Apply

Please submit a 1-page letter describing your interest in this position, a 1-page professional writing sample that speaks to the skills required, and your resume to info@soundsacademy.org by April 24, 2026.

The part-time pay for this position is $15 – $19/hour. This is a hybrid (work remote and in-person) position, based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Development/Marketing Intern will also need to plan to attend in-person staff meetings as well as be able to be at our various locations for content collection in the Metropolitan Phoenix area.

SOUNDS Academy provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees.  We do not discriminate against our employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender (including pregnancy and childbirth), national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, Arizona, or local laws and ordinances.  SOUNDS Academy will ensure the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, transfer, compensation and benefits, social and recreational programs, discipline, termination and all other conditions and privileges of employment in accordance with all applicable federal, Arizona, and local laws and ordinances.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this job description. We’re looking forward to getting to know you.

Donor Experience Administrator

The Donor Experience Administrator is responsible for developing a diverse and sustainable funding base to meet our financial goals now while preparing for future growth.

This role is an excellent opportunity for candidates who are skilled and have a strong track record in setting and achieving goals in a fast-paced environment. If you love pursuing strategy and goals, writing, details, deadlines, and tracking progress along the way, this may be the role for you!  For an eager and committed learner, the technical fundraising skills can be learned on the job.

The Donor Experience Administrator will work hand in hand with the CEO, who is deeply engaged in fundraising as well. The Donor Experience Administrator is responsible for some of the front facing elements of fundraising, including stewarding donors, leading fundraising campaigns, and seeking sponsorships as well as some of the back facing elements of fundraising including completing smaller grants, submitting grant reports, and strategizing. The Donor Experience Administrator will manage and grow a portfolio of donors, which they will manage directly.

What You’ll Do

• Set and Achieve Fundraising Goals
  • Set and achieve annual fundraising goal overall and goals by funding streams (foundations, corporations, individuals, in-kind)
  • Steward our donors’ experiences with a goal to retain/renew 60% of donors annually
  • Work with team members to track progress, produce reports, and communicate trends
• Run the overall development operation using best practices and effective development tools
  • Fundraising Plan
  • Weighted pipeline
  • Donor acknowledgements
  • Tracking systems (analytics)
• Connect with the Community
  • Directly manage a portfolio of gifts, grants, and sponsorships
  • Lead Fundraising Campaigns
• Manage up to the CEO to ensure larger donors are stewarded effectively.
• Invite supporters and steward their experiences at SOUNDS Academy events, such as the Speakeasy and Benefit Concert
• Attend outreach events to connect with the community

Must-Have Skills and Talents

• Systems Thinker and Visionary: You think and operate in systems that allow you to see the big picture and every detail of the funding campaign as well as how they fit together.  While you’re grounded in the current reality, you don’t accept it as a limitation for the future.
• Continuous Learner: You’re committed to identifying what you need to learn and growing quickly.  In this dynamic and growing organization, our fundraising strategy will evolve quickly to capture new opportunities.
• Organizational Stewardship: You center the mission and goals of the organization in all of the decisions that you make.  You proactively identify and solve areas where program and fundraising are in tension with one another, and find solutions that work for all stakeholders.
• Drive to Achieve Results: You do what you need to do to achieve your goals, including being open with your manager about where you need help, anticipating problems, brainstorming solutions, driving work forward, and course correcting where needed.
• Creative Problem Solving: Proactively develop solutions to challenges and roadblocks, including by constantly looking at big picture progress across programs and flagging potential upcoming challenges.
• Team Player and Proactive Communicator: You value relationships, both with the team and board at SOUNDS and also in the community.  You demonstrate respect for colleagues and partners through proactive communication.  You commit to no surprises.

To Apply

Please submit a 1-page letter describing your interest in this position, a 1-page professional writing sample that speaks to the skills required, and your resume to info@soundsacademy.org by April 24, 2026 (materials will be assessed as they are submitted).

The full-time, exempt salary for this position is $50,000-$60,000. SOUNDS Academy offers health benefits, progressive paid time off starting at 5 days in year 1, paid sick leave, and 11 week-day holidays throughout the year. This is a hybrid (work remote and in-person) position, based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Donor Experience Administrator will also need to plan to attend in-person meetings with staff and potential donors throughout the city of Phoenix.

SOUNDS Academy provides equal employment opportunities for all applicants and employees. We do not discriminate against our employees or applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender (including pregnancy and childbirth), national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by federal, Arizona, or local laws and ordinances. SOUNDS Academy will ensure the fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, transfer, compensation and benefits, social and recreational programs, discipline, termination and all other conditions and privileges of employment in accordance with all applicable federal, Arizona, and local laws and ordinances.

Finally, thank you for taking the time to read this job description. We’re looking forward to getting to know you.