Major Gifts Senior Manager

About The Apollo For over 90 years, The Apollo has been far more than a stage. It has served as a global center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, New York City, and the world. As the “soul of American culture,” we have done more than discover artists like Ella Fitzgerald and James Brown; we have launched movements that define American identity. The Apollo is a vibrant nonprofit rooted in the Harlem community that engages audiences from New York, the nation, and the world. Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. Today, it is the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity. Our Core Values: Stewardship, Ownership, Interdependence, Creativity, and Excellence Position Summary The Major Gifts Senior Manager plays a critical role in advancing The Apollo’s philanthropic goals, with a primary focus on securing leadership support for the $100 million Apollo Rising 2.0 Campaign and annual operating priorities. This frontline fundraiser manages a dynamic portfolio of prospects and donors capable of making gifts between $10,000 and $500,000+. The role is responsible for cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding gifts while partnering closely with senior leadership, trustees, and colleagues across the Development team. Key Responsibilities Portfolio Management & Fundraising Manage and grow an assigned portfolio of major gift prospects and donors with capacity to give $10,000 to $500,000+ Serve as lead fundraiser for the Legends Circle, a major gift patron’s group Develop and execute customized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies for each assigned prospect Secure new, renewed, and increased major gifts in support of campaign and annual priorities Prepare proposals, briefing materials, donor correspondence, and gift agreements Maintain accurate and timely moves management activity in CRM systems Donor Engagement & Pipeline Development Conduct in-person, virtual, and event-based donor meetings to deepen relationships and move prospects through the pipeline Identify new prospects through research, referrals, events, and internal collaboration Build a healthy pipeline across discovery, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship stages Ensure timely follow-up and next steps after every donor interaction Leadership & Collaboration Partner with the Chief Development Officer, President & CEO, and board leadership on high-level donor strategies Support fundraising efforts tied to executive and trustee relationships Collaborate with membership, annual funds, campaign, finance, and operations colleagues to align donor strategies Support signature fundraising events and campaign milestones as needed Stewardship Ensure exceptional donor stewardship including impact reporting, naming recognition opportunities, acknowledgements, and personalized communications Partner with finance and operations teams to ensure proper gift processing, pledge tracking, and reporting Performance Metrics The Major Gifts Senior Manager will be evaluated on a combination of activity, pipeline health, and revenue outcomes. Annual goals may include: Donor Visits & Activity Complete qualified donor visits or meaningful moves per month (150+ annually) Maintain consistent follow-up and documented next steps for all substantive interactions Pipeline Development Add 20–30 new qualified prospects annually to the portfolio Maintain an active portfolio of approximately 50–75 qualified prospects Ensure balanced movement across all pipeline stages Gifts Closed Achieve annual individual fundraising revenue goals established with leadership Close a targeted number of 5- and 6-figure gifts annually Increase renewals and upgrades from existing donors Data & Stewardship Excellence 100% timely CRM entry for visits, proposals, and next steps Timely stewardship for all assigned donors Qualifications & Experience Bachelor’s degree required 3 or more years of major gifts experience or 5 or more years of demonstrated fundraising solicitation success Proven success in securing gifts from individuals and/or corporations Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail Demonstrated commitment to The Apollo’s mission and fundraising priorities Highly collaborative team player with strong initiative Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and donor CRM systems Preferred Experience in arts, culture, education, or mission-driven organizations Experience working with campaign fundraising initiatives Familiarity with donor recognition and naming opportunities Willingness to work evenings and weekends for donor engagement and events Compensation & Benefits Performance-based incentives and professional development opportunities Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off, and holidays Department: Development Reports To: Chief Development Officer Location: New York, NY (Hybrid) FLSA Status: Exempt Salary Range: $122,000 - $146,000 #J-18808-Ljbffr