Gift Officer (Principal Gifts) (IS-1001-14)

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.

 

The Office of Advancement oversees and guides the fundraising efforts of the entire Smithsonian and is home to the central development 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 Smithsonian’s Office of Advancement seeks a charismatic and accomplished Principal Gift Officer with proven fundraising experience to help grow a high-performing Principal and Planned Gifts Office, serving the philanthropy needs of the Institution today and for the future. The Principal Gift Officer will maintain an active portfolio of individual donors and prospects who are capable of making gifts of $5 million or more to the Smithsonian. S/he will develop appropriate cultivation and solicitation strategies for donors and prospects, moving constituents in an appropriate and timely fashion toward solicitation and closure. S/he will work closely with board members, volunteers, senior leadership and other senior administrators, unit directors and advancement directors to engage donors to achieve annual fundraising goals and to build and maintain a robust principal gifts portfolio to fund Institution priorities. The Principal Gift Officer will have a specialized focus on the priorities of the Smithsonian’s Art Units and developing gift propositions that have broad impact across the Institution and its work in the arts.

Qualified candidates must have a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of progressively responsible advancement leadership, preferably within a major, arts-related institution, non-profit organization, or educational institution. Must have a proven track record of fundraising success and experience securing gifts at the $5 million level and beyond. In addition to possessing superior people management and advancement skills, highly effective interpersonal communication abilities, and a sense of urgency, the successful candidate must be hard working, genuinely collaborative, and have the gravitas and leadership presence to interact with sophisticated donors and arts patrons, volunteer leaders, as well as curatorial, administrative, and board leadership.  

 

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.

 

Benefits and Application Instructions 

Interested candidates should submit their resumes and a cover letter by July 16, 2025. 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. 

 

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 (https://www.si.edu/OEO/IndividualswithDisabilities). 

 

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