Institutional Giving Assistant

at  The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Assistant (Foundation & Government Giving) will work with the Assistant Manager(s), and Senior Manager to plan, develop, and implement the solicitation of foundation and government support—both restricted and unrestricted—for the Kennedy Center, Washington National Opera, and National Symphony Orchestra’s artistic and educational programming.
The Assistant will generate solicitations and donor correspondence on behalf of senior staff; track giving levels and renewal schedules; monitor sites/newsletters of established donors for newly announced or untapped opportunities; contribute to select proposals and reports; and utilize departmental systems to support gift processing, solicitation tracking, and the storing/maintenance of donor information.
The Assistant must be able to exercise discretion in order to prioritize assignments and work under pressure, as many projects are time sensitive and involve concurrent deadlines and donor interaction. An eagerness to communicate and problem-solve with a positive attitude is essential.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• 1 year development or related experience is highly preferred, as is working knowledge of the performing arts.
• This position requires superior organizational and interpersonal skills and written and verbal communications.
• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area.

• Support the development of fundraising proposals and reports. This may include contributing to proposal and report narratives; compiling project data and supplements, financial information, and budgets; and tracking project activity.
• Draft donor acknowledgement letters and other donor communications/materials.
• Record and process contributions and pledges. Maintain donor and department records, ensuring that all relevant grant information is entered and up to date.
• Provide proactive customer service to current foundation and government funders. This includes: (a) interacting with donors via phone, email, and in person; (b) managing donor event and ticketing needs; (c) managing signage and recognition approval process between donor and the Kennedy Center.
• Other duties as assigned.