Description

Come join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional time in the Smithsonian’s history during the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future. This ambitious fundraising campaign’s public phase will run from 2024 to 2026, culminating with the nation’s 250th anniversary. It will expand 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.

Located in the historic Carnegie Mansion on New York City’s Museum Mile, Cooper Hewitt presents compelling exhibitions, educational programs, and digital initiatives that demonstrate design’s power to improve lives. With a world-class collection of over 215,000 design objects spanning 30 centuries, Cooper Hewitt inspires audiences of all ages to engage with design and its relevance to contemporary life. 

Requirements

Duties and Responsibilities

The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt Design Museum—America’s only museum devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design—seeks a dynamic and donor-centric Individual Giving Officer to lead its efforts to grow support from individual donors, including major and principal gifts, planned giving, and annual fund contributions. This position will report to the Director of Advancement and serve as a senior member of the Advancement team, working closely with the Smithsonian’s Office of Advancement to expand and diversify the museum’s individual donor base.

 
Key Responsibilities
      Design and implement strategies for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individual donors at all giving levels.

      Oversee a portfolio of 50-100 major and principal gift prospects and donors.

      Manage and grow the museum’s annual giving program and donor engagement initiatives.

      Plan and execute high-level cultivation events, including salons, behind-the-scenes tours, and donor travel.

      Collaborate with colleagues across the Smithsonian to maximize opportunities for cross-institutional donor engagement.

      Serve as primary advancement liaison to key trustees and individual supporters.

      Directly supervising the Membership Coordinator, providing guidance, mentorship, and oversight to ensure the success of membership operations and donor engagement.

 
Qualifications
      5-7 years of progressively responsible experience in major gift fundraising, preferably within a museum, cultural institution, or complex non-profit.

      Proven track record in securing major gifts and developing successful strategies for individual giving.

      Skilled at building high-level relationships with donors.

      Exceptional strategic, organizational, and communication skills.

      Passion for design, the arts, and public education is a plus.

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.

Any false statement in your application may result in your application being rejected and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Application Instructions 

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and a cover letter by October 24, 2025 to the following link. Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week. This position is a full-time-one-year appointment which is renewable annually. This is an excellent opportunity to join Smithsonian Advancement, demonstrate your talents and abilities, learn, and grow, with potential for a permanent position.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager. 

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.  To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review the Smithsonian’s EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo.