Major Gifts Officer

Major Gifts Officer

The Major Gifts Officer (MGO) will play a key role in securing philanthropic support for the museum by managing a portfolio of donors and prospects capable of making 5, 6 and 7 figure gifts. Reporting to the Director of Major and Principal Gifts, the MGO will contribute to the development and execution of the museum's major gifts strategy through effective donor engagement, solicitation, and stewardship. This position requires a strong commitment to relationship-building, strategic thinking, and goal-oriented fundraising as well as a deep interest in contemporary art. The MGO will collaborate closely with colleagues across Advancement—including Individual Giving, Strategic Partnerships and Events, Advancement Operations, and Foundation, Government and Planned Giving—to align donor strategies with institutional priorities and maximize philanthropic impact.

Responsibilities:

• Build and manage a portfolio of 100–150 donors and prospects capable of giving $50,000 and above to the Whitney; carry and achieve an individual fundraising goal tied to the portfolio performance. Review and refresh portfolio based on updated research, interactions, and research.
• Develop and execute strategies to deepen donor engagement and increase giving over time, leveraging events, programs and institutional touchpoints.
• Craft compelling donor strategies tied to exhibitions, acquisitions, education, and other strategic priorities. Collaborate thoughtfully with senior leaders and colleagues across the Museum (including the museum Director, curators, educators, and other key stakeholders) in donor engagement, preparing meeting briefs and supporting materials.
• Draft personalized proposals, gift agreements, and stewardship materials to support donor engagement and successful solicitations.
• Represent the museum on- and off-site at donor events, committee meetings, openings and more.
• Ensure growth of pipeline through cultivation of new prospects.
• Deeply collaborate with departments across the museum and within the department to ensure a holistic donor approach, a unified fundraising effort, and accurate tracking.
• Increase participation in Whitney's planned giving program as appropriate.

General Duties and Purpose:

• Maintain responsibility for management of all gifts within your portfolio adhering to the Advancement Data Services processing procedures; upholding not for profit compliance, and ensuring timely and accurate stewardship of all donors
• Effectively utilize the Museum's CRM, Raiser's Edge, to maintain records of contact with donors and prospects; analyze potential donor research materials to target appropriate givers; and track, evaluate and present relevant giving information.
• Manage expense budgets and work with colleagues within the department to effectively maximize finite resources to work smart and not just hard.
• Maintain fundraising schedules, objectives, databases and tracking systems for your area and ensure that plans are implemented, goals achieved, timely reports generated and information shared; ensure that fundraising is done in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
• Ensure that all donors and patrons are appropriately recognized both publicly and privately and regularly communicated with; make donor stewardship a priority at all levels develop a stewardship program and administer the fulfillment
• Creatively plan, organize, and manage patron level events, programs, travel, and other cultivation activities within the scope or the defined program and in support of the other major donor groups. Ensure that all programs reflect the unique mission of the Whitney in its commitment to supporting individual artists and meet the standards of excellence the Whitney strives to achieve
• Be a committed collaborator, energize about the work of the Whitney with a solutions-oriented disposition energizing Major Gifts team

Additional & Other Duties:

• Maintain accurate and timely records of all donor interactions in Raiser's Edge; utilize prospect research and giving data to inform strategy and portfolio decisions.
• Monitor and report on personal fundraising activity and progress toward goals, ensuring effective management of donor pipelines and engagement plans.

Confidentiality:

• Access to confidential documents such as museum strategic planning, funding strategies, pledge agreements
• Confidential donor records, giving history
• Constituent anonymity and personal information
• Advance Museum Exhibition Schedule

Requirements:

• At least 8-10 years' experience in nonprofit advancement/major gifts fundraising; experience in museums or cultural institutions a plus
• Track record of securing six figure+ commitments in non-profit or commercial sectors
• Comfort managing and stewarding high-net-worth donors
• Expert written and oral communication skills
• Data-driven thinker with comfort leveraging Raiser's Edge or related software
• Self-starter with the ability to multi-task and prioritize requests
• Strong organizational skills
• Commitment to the value or arts in our society
• Advanced computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Familiarity with Zoom and Basecamp
• Knowledge of Raiser's Edge or familiarity with database programs
• Strong level of comfort with museums and the art world or cultural world
• Collaborative with a drive to work with others

Unusual Working Conditions:

• Donor travel (domestic and international)
• Event hours: early mornings and evenings for patron events, private tours, Museum openings, programs, dinners, and other Museum-wide events.
• Expected to have flexible hours for special projects that have certain deadlines.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary range is $120,000 - 135,000 and will be commensurate with experience
• Medical, Dental, Vision, 403(b) elections
• Generous Paid Time Off benefits
• Commuter benefits - parking and mass transit
• Admission to world-renowned museums across the city and nationally
• Pet insurance and discounted membership for Citibike

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate's experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to considering a broad array of candidates. Whether you're new to arts and culture administration, returning to work after a gap in employment, simply looking to transition, or take the next step in your career path, we will be glad to have you on our radar. Please use your cover letter to tell us about your interest in the arts and culture space and what you hope to bring to this role.

About the Whitney:

The Whitney Museum of American Art, founded in 1930 by the artist and philanthropist Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, houses the foremost collection of American art from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. From her vision arose the Whitney Museum of American Art, which has been championing the most innovative art of the United States for 86 years. The core of the Whitney's mission is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit American art of our time and serve a wide variety of audiences in celebration of the complexity and diversity of art and culture in the United States. Through this mission and a steadfast commitment to artists themselves, the Whitney has long been a powerful force in support of modern and contemporary art and continues to help define what is innovative and influential in American art today.

EEO Statement:

The Whitney Museum of American Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Museum does not discriminate because of age, sex, religion, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage or citizenship, disability, marital status, pregnancy, partnership status, caregiver status, veteran status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, genetic information, predisposition, or carrier status, arrest or conviction record to the extent required by applicable law, credit history, domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking victim status, or any other factor prohibited by law. The Museum hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. The Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.