Major Gifts Officer

New York Shakespeare Festival•New York, NY

just now•Hybrid

About The Position

The Public Theater's Development Department is hiring a Major Gifts Officer to operate as a key frontline fundraiser. This individual will report to the Director of Major Gifts and partner closely with the Senior Director, Development and the Major Gifts and Individual Giving Teams, as well as Executive and Artistic leadership. Following the grand reopening of The Delacorte Theater in Central Park in Summer 2025, supported by the Forever Public Capital Campaign, The Public is entering an exciting new chapter. The Major Gifts Officer will be tasked with building successful donor relationships and increasing annual support by cultivating, stewarding, and soliciting a portfolio of major donors and prospects, advancing The Public’s mission and programming. The ideal candidate must be a goal-oriented, collaborative, and strategic fundraiser committed to working within a large team and helping the Development Department achieve its ambitious contributed revenue goals.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in a non-profit or for-profit in a fundraising capacity
4+ years of front-line fundraising or direct solicitation experience
Familiarity with the New York philanthropic world and cultural sector is essential
Knowledge of and passion for the theater/performing arts industry must
Problem-solver and creative thinker with the ability to multi-task, establish priorities, pivot strategy quickly, and perform under tight deadlines in a very fast-paced environment
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to listen and effectively express ideas and thoughts
Ability to interact at the highest level with a wide range of constituencies
Ability to collaborate as part of a large, highly-efficient team
Exceptional attention to detail and discretion
Experience with Tessitura (or similar CRM); fluent in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Must be able to attend regular evening events and performances as necessary; occasional weekend events required

Nice To Haves

familiarity with Canva or similar design software a plus

Responsibilities

Maintain an active portfolio of at least 120 major donors and prospects, soliciting new, upgraded, and renewed contributions for the annual fund and other special projects
Build and maintain relationships with donors and prospects via phone & video calls, personal visits, ongoing written contact, personalized emails, and special events
Schedule, manage, and attend at least 10 face-to-face or virtual meetings per month with donors and prospects for the purposes of discovery, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship
Document donor meetings, interactions, and correspondence in the data base, demonstrating the highest standards of accuracy, timeliness, thoroughness, and confidentiality
Participate and collaborate in portfolio meetings and donor strategy discussions
Engage prospects and current donors in the myriad programming, events, and activities at The Public
Ability to work in conjunction with The Public’s ongoing capital fundraising and strategic planning efforts
Partner with other frontline fundraisers to develop and steward major donor councils and affinity groups
Handle ad hoc project management responsibilities related to donor communication, collateral materials, cultivation event planning, donor program stewardship, and meeting preparation
Support ongoing Partners Program systems and operations
Perform additional related duties as assigned