Assistant Director of Online Engagement and Fundraising, IS-1001-14

Smithsonian Institution•Washington, DC

14d•Onsite

About The Position

Come join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional time in the Smithsonian’s history during the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future. The Smithsonian has surpassed its $2.5 billion fundraising goal one full year ahead of schedule, a milestone that comes as the nation prepares to commemorate its 250th anniversary in 2026. This achievement marks the largest fundraising effort in the history of any cultural organization and represents a defining moment for the Institution and the country it serves. The Our Shared Future campaign has advanced the Smithsonian’s reach and impact, empowering the institution to find solutions to today’s most pressing challenges. The Smithsonian has built a model fundraising organization, driven by talented staff across our many museums, research centers and cultural centers. This position offers exciting opportunities for the successful candidate to make a significant impact on the future of the Smithsonian. There is no better time to join this amazing Institution. The Office of Advancement oversees and guides the fundraising efforts of the entire Smithsonian and is home to the central advancement organization for the Institution. In addition to raising significant support for a variety of Smithsonian initiatives, the Office of Advancement provides support services to advancement offices across the Institution. The office engages with staff throughout the Smithsonian in accomplishing their goals. The Assistant Director, Online Engagement and Fundraising serve as the strategic leader for digital acquisition, renewal, sustainer, and unit‑based digital fundraising growth across an evolving enterprise technology environment. This position is reported to the Director, Strategy and Member Experience and is part of the Office of Advancement. This role owns the vision and execution of digital fundraising strategy, leveraging Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Data Cloud, and associated platforms to scale revenue, strengthen member engagement, support unit needs, and create an integrated omni‑channel experience. A key responsibility is the Assessment, development and operationalization of a plan to support unit‑based digital fundraising strategy and email execution as part of the Membership COOP shared services offerings.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in digital marketing, digital fundraising, membership programs, or direct response marketing.
Deep knowledge of Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud, and ideally Data Cloud/CDP, including multi‑unit data management and segmented communication workflows.
Experience with digital fundraising tools, including email deliverability platforms, form builders, donation platforms, ticketing systems, and CRM integrations, particularly in decentralized or multi‑unit environments.
Demonstrated ability to manage and grow monthly giving/sustainer programs at scale across varied audience segments.
Strong understanding of omni‑channel marketing, segmentation, analytics, donor lifecycle management, and how these strategies adapt across units with differing needs.
Experience leading and developing teams in a fast‑paced, resource‑constrained, and cross‑unit environment.
Excellent project management skills, including comfort with Asana or similar platforms, especially for coordinating multi‑unit workflows, templates, and SLAs.
Proven ability to operate with high autonomy, navigate ambiguity, and solve complex technical and operational challenges across multiple stakeholder groups.
Ability to adapt marketing and fundraising strategies to evolving privacy, data governance, and security requirements, including consent management, data minimization, and compliant segmentation practices across decentralized units.
Proven ability to navigate ever‑changing data environments, shifting integrations, and platform constraints while ensuring continuity of digital fundraising operations and alignment across central and unit‑level stakeholders.
Experience supporting or leading shared‑service models, including building scalable processes, frameworks, and governance for decentralized digital execution.
Applicants, who wish to qualify based on education completed outside the United States, must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a multi-year strategic vision to grow digital fundraising for membership, sustainers, and donor upgrade pathways.
Lead digital acquisition, renewal, reinstatement, lapsed recovery, upgrade, auto renewal, and sustainer/monthly giving strategies.
Oversee and execute campaigns across: Salesforce CRM, Marketing Cloud (including Journey Builder, Automation Studio, Email Studio), Data Cloud / CDP, Validity Email Success Platform, Involve.me, FundraiseUp, and Ticketure.
Manage a team of 4–6 marketers, coordinators, or digital specialists.
Oversee end to end project management using tools such as Asana, ensuring transparency, timeliness, and strong cross team coordination.
Serve as the primary point of contact for external strategic partners, consultants, and agency.