Major Gifts Officer

Seattle, WA
Full Time
Individual Giving
Experienced

Major Gifts Officer

OVERVIEW: Key member of the Seattle Art Museum’s Development staff responsible for implementing strategies to identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors with capacity for significant philanthropic support.

SAM is dedicated to racial equity and strives for employees, volunteers, and interns who are passionate, qualified, and offer diverse perspectives. SAM prioritizes racial equity in the workplace because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to inequities. We are particularly interested in engaging with historically under-represented groups in the museum field as we strive to be inclusive and equitable. SAM is responsive to cultural communities and experiences, and our strategic plan goals address the role art plays in empowering social justice and structural change to promote equity in our society.

FLSA STATUS:    Exempt    REPORTS TO:     Director of Individual Giving  

COMPENSATION:    Major Gifts Officer $65,000-$75,000 annual salary DOE
Senior Major Gifts Officer $75,000-$85,000 annual salary DOE

ESSENTIAL FUNCTION

  • Personally manage a portfolio of 125+ Contributors Circles members and individual donors and prospects, ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 in annual support.
  • Work with key museum staff and leadership to manage all aspects of donor moves management, from identification and cultivation to recognition and stewardship.
  • Work with the Director of Individual Giving to develop and implement prospect assignment and tracking strategies.
  • In consultation with Special Events staff and museum leadership, manage the Major Gifts and Contributors Circles events calendar to support donor stewardship needs and fulfill membership benefit obligations.
  • Help coordinate and staff donor events, including exhibition openings, curator-led tours, and one-off events at private homes, artist studios, and galleries.
  • Draft remarks for Museum Director and Trustees for Contributors Circles events; track guest lists and set strategy for specific attendees.
  • Manage expenses for the Contributors Circles membership program to ensure the program stays on budget.
  • Lead Contributors Circles communications efforts, including managing the communications calendar and overseeing copy development, with support from the Major Gifts Coordinator and Individual Giving Manager.
  • Prepare clear and effective written materials as needed, including proposals, gift agreements, acknowledgements, stewardship letters, and other related communications.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
  1. Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, arts or business administration; or equivalent experience.
  2. Minimum five years development experience in a not-for-profit setting, with demonstrated success securing major gifts.  Additional experience with planned giving and campaign strategies a bonus.
  3. Knowledge of database system procedures; ability to learn and apply the museum’s database system. Direct experience with Tessitura database preferred.
  4. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with Board members, key donors, executives, management, employees, and the public.
  5. Ability to take initiative and prioritize tasks; excellent time-management and problem solving skills.
  6. Ability to work with close attention to detail and to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
  7. Ability to effectively and proactively manage a budget as well as read and understand financial reports.
  8. Excellent oral and written communications skills; ability to communicate effectively and project a professional image when giving and taking information in writing, in person, and over the phone.
  9. Demonstrated proficiency and accuracy using MS Office products, including Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, and other software programs.
  10. Strong organizational and management skills; ability to work effectively with personnel from many disciplines; experience handling multiple competing priorities and timely, effective decision-making.
  11. Ability to adhere to Museum policies and support management decisions in a positive, professional manner.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work areas are inside, in a climate-controlled environment with light background noise.  Work is occasionally performed at other indoor and outdoor event sites.  Work may require occasional long periods of sustained standing during Museum events.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Sitting/Standing/Walking:  Approximately 75% of time is spent seated while working at a desk.  Balance of time (approximately 25%) is spent standing or moving around the work area.  Ability to stand for extended periods of time when assisting at Museum events.
Speaking/Hearing:  Clear diction and acute hearing are necessary for effective communication with donors, members, the public and co-workers.
Lifting/Carrying/Pushing/Pulling:  The ability to lift and carry up to twenty pounds is necessary for moving material and equipment for events.
Vision:  Corrected vision close to 20/20 is necessary to effectively use the computer screens.
Stooping/Kneeling:  The ability to stoop and kneel is necessary for accessing files.
Reaching/Handling:  Good manual dexterity is necessary for computer keyboard use and for retrieving and working with appropriate paperwork, equipment, and supplies.

Don’t check off every box listed above? Please apply anyway! Studies have shown that marginalized communities - such as women, LGBTQ+ and people of color - are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. SAM is dedicated to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible workplace that fosters a sense of belonging – so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to still consider submitting an application. You may be just the right candidate for this role or another one of our openings!

Centering equity, diversity, and inclusion as an organization, and as individuals, Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers enjoy a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming workplace. SAM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or any other protected class. 

Please contact the Human Resources Department at (206) 654-3188 or [email protected] for additional information or to request reasonable accommodations for the application or interview process.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check

TO APPLY:   Please visit https://seattleartmuseum.applytojob.com/apply  to submit SAM employment application, cover letter and resume.

Deadline: Until Filled

Share

Apply for this position

Required*
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume or Paste resume
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

To comply with government Equal Employment Opportunity and/or Affirmative Action reporting regulations, we are requesting (but NOT requiring) that you enter this personal data. This information will not be used in connection with any employment decisions, and will be used solely as permitted by state and federal law. Your voluntary cooperation would be appreciated. Learn more.
Invitation for Job Applicants to Self-Identify as a U.S. Veteran
  • A “disabled veteran” is one of the following:
    • a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or
    • a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.
  • A “recently separated veteran” means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.
  • An “active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran” means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.
  • An “Armed forces service medal veteran” means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.
Veteran status


Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability
Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability Form CC-305
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026
Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Please check one of the boxes below:

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

You must enter your name and date
Human Check*