Director of Major Gifts

The Director of Major Gifts will provide strategic leadership in securing significant philanthropic support for the museum.

Overseeing a growing team of Major Gift Officers, the Director will develop and implement a comprehensive major gifts strategy to grow and manage a portfolio of donors capable of contributing six figures and above to the Whitney.

They will be responsible for guiding and coaching MGOs in effective moves management while also managing a portfolio of high-level donors.

This position will report to the Chief Advancement Officer.  Responsibilities :

• Develop overarching strategy for major gift fundraising at the Whitney, including fundraising for exhibitions, endowment, education, capital projects, and other strategic priorities   Coach a team of high-performing MGOs toward individualized fundraising goals; routinely review portfolios and pipeline health, monitoring related metrics   Lead by example by practicing strong major donor management for own portfolio of six-figure donors   Partner closely with the Director of Individual Giving, membership team, and prospect researcher to develop a robust major gifts pipeline    Ensure organizational leaders (staff and volunteer) are effectively prepared to engage and solicit key donors   Promote a strong stewardship experience that encourages donor retention and upgrades   Attend key patron group, acquisition committee, and museum events to build and steward relationships with donors and prospects  Additional Responsibilities :   Create systems for tracking progress toward goals in partnership with the Director of Advancement Operations  Stay current with industry best practices for fundraising and donor relationship management  Lead and coordinate relevant trainings and professional development opportunities for Major Gifts team on moves management, relationship-building, industry trends, and goal setting  Build library of Major Gifts process documentation, in partnership with Director of Advancement Operations  Oversee team budget in partnership with Chief Advancement Officer and Chief Financial Officer Requirements :    Bachelor’s Degree   8-10+ years' experience in nonprofit advancement / major gifts fundraising; experience in museums or cultural institutions a plus   Proven track record of securing six figure+ gifts   Proven ability to manage donor information with discretion   Expert written and oral communication skills- ability to communicate the Whitney’s mission to a broad audience; adept at crafting proposals, donor correspondence, and other materials   Experience managing and coaching others toward success  Collaborative, team player who excels at partnering with colleagues Data-driven fundraiser with comfort leveraging Raiser’s Edge or related software   Self-starter with the ability to multi-task and prioritize requests   Strong organizational skills   Compensation & Benefits :   Salary range is $175,000 - $185,000 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.

About the Whitney :

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 Museum encourages all qualified candidates to apply for vacant positions at all levels.