Description

Come join a dedicated and creative team at an exceptional time for the Smithsonian, an institution with a bold vision for the future: to build a better tomorrow for all. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and the institution’s leadership have launched a campaign to support this vision. The Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Futurewill secure funds for all Smithsonian museums and centers as the institution reimagines its mission to find solutions for collective challenges in a rapidly changing world. The campaign will provide a foundation for critical research to ensure people and nature thrive together, build unparalleled education programs with families and partners, collect the world’s most precious objects, document the present while reflecting on the past, and reimagine the visitor experience both in-person and online. We are bringing the Smithsonian off the National Mall and across the country through dynamic programming and affiliate partnerships, creating access for all. 

 The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is a leading voice for contemporary art and culture and provides a national platform for the art and artists of our time. We seek to share the transformative power of modern and contemporary art with audiences at all levels of awareness and understanding by creating meaningful, firsthand experiences in which art, artists, audiences, and ideas converge. We enhance public understanding and appreciation of contemporary art through acquisition, exhibitions, education and public programs, conservation, and research.  

Requirements

Duties

The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden seeks a dynamic and accomplished Gift Officer to help build and manage a portfolio of high-capacity prospects and donors in support of the Museum’s overall fundraising goals. Reporting to the Director of Advancement, the Gift Officer will work to raise support for the Hirshhorn through individual giving to advance institutional priorities. Key responsibilities include conducting prospect research; developing and executing strategic cultivation and solicitation plans; preparing proposals and gift agreements; and managing donors throughout the full lifecycle of major giving. The Gift Officer will partner closely with the Museum Director and Director of Advancement to support their fundraising efforts and will collaborate with finance and gift processing staff to ensure accurate recording, acknowledgment, recognition, and stewardship of major gifts and pledges.

The Gift Officer will also manage and oversee select cultivation and fundraising events to deepen patron engagement, maximize revenue, and expand the prospect pipeline. This includes developing programming that attracts diverse audiences while generating new major gift opportunities and strengthening volunteer engagement. The position maintains a strong working relationship with the Smithsonian’s central Office of Advancement, coordinating as needed on proposals, compliance, gift agreements, and stewardship strategies.

 Qualifications

The Gift Officer will bring a deep passion for the Hirshhorn Museum—its history and its vital role in the international modern and contemporary art landscape—and the ability to articulate a compelling case for investment in its programs and collections. The successful candidate will have at least three years of specialized experience in major gifts fundraising, including designing, developing, and implementing major gifts strategies, with a demonstrated record of successfully closing gifts. Experience within a major arts institution, nonprofit organization, educational institution, or similarly complex environment is preferred. The candidate must demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as the ability to engage, influence, and steward a wide range of donors and stakeholders. Application materials should reflect a proven ability to raise funds, think strategically and creatively, and manage projects efficiently. Experience with donor databases and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite are preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.

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 to this LINK by April 15, 2026. 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. Relocation expenses are not paid. This is an in-person role with 5 days a week expected in the office. 

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’sAccommodation 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.