Current Opportunities

Senior Philanthropy Officer

Job Summary
The San José Museum of Art (SJMA) has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Philanthropy Officer, and is undergoing a period of significant institutional growth. This position will play an integral role in assuring the success of SJMA’s recently developed strategic plan while ushering the Museum into its next chapter. With the increasing caliber of the Museum’s exhibitions and education programs, magnified by the strategic plan’s special focus on access and inclusion, SJMA has gained recent traction in attracting and securing new corporate partners, major donors, and trustees.

The Senior Philanthropy Officer will bring a strong track record of cultivating, soliciting, closing, and stewarding donors at the five-and-six figure gift level, and will build upon this institutional momentum with the added leverage of the Museum’s 50th Anniversary. While maintaining $2M+ in current giving from major donors and corporations, the focus of this position is to identify and secure an additional $500k from new donors in FY20.

Working closely with the Board’s Development Committee, Executive Director, and Director of Development, the Senior Philanthropy Officer is responsible for growing the major donor base and increasing corporate sponsorships. With a special focus on positive
internal and organizational culture, envisions of a border-less presence, and reaching far beyond SJMA’s walls to redefine its diverse community’s relationship with art and creativity, the Senior Philanthropy Officer will play a lead role in propelling the Museum into the next fifty years.

Examples of Duties:
1. Identify prospects for major gifts and corporate partnerships with an emphasis on five- to seven-figure gifts.
· Manage a portfolio of 120+ individuals and 40+ corporations; actively grow individual and corporate pipelines for unrestricted, restricted, and endowment gifts.

2. Develop and execute solicitation, upgrade, and retention strategies.
· Partner closely with Director of Development to devise specific strategies, goals, and timetables for successful solicitations.
· Personally solicit support utilizing personalized cultivation and solicitation strategies based on donor’s philanthropic focus and interests.
· Create compelling, personalized sponsorship proposals, special solicitation correspondence, and tailored reports based on impact, metrics, and narratives.
· Oversee corporate grant applications with key development staff.
· Actively participate in annual gala fundraising efforts to secure sponsorships, table sales, and fund-a-need pledges.

3. Cultivate prospects and steward partners.
· Spend 60% of time outside of office cultivating and soliciting prospects face-to-face.
· Liaise with the Board and with curatorial and programming staff for donor cultivation and solicitation.
· Effectively articulate in written and verbal communications the mission and impact of the Museum to deepen relationships with donors, prospects, and high-level supporters, as well as external stakeholders; maintain a thorough and accurate understanding of the Museum’s programs and funding priorities to effectively connect supporters to funding needs.
· Oversee the stewardship of existing and new funder relationships by ensuring their awareness of, attendance, and participation at Museum programs and events throughout the year—as well as the year-round impact of their investment.

4. Track success and participate in goal-setting.
· Report on monthly fundraising progress and provide information for board reports.
· Attend Development Committee meetings.
· Participate with Director of Development in revenue projection for annual budget.

This position will require some evening and weekend hours as well as some travel based on relationship cultivation, event, and Museum programming schedules.


Qualifications
· Minimum of five years of fundraising with major gifts and/or corporate sponsorship experience. Demonstrated success soliciting and closing six-figure gifts.
· Experience managing and stewarding a portfolio of diverse donors. Demonstrated success aligning diverse stakeholders around a common vision or objective.
· Exceptional interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; prospect research and editorial efficiency; ability to synthesize information and compose clear and effective prose.
· Strong work ethic and self-discipline to work independently. Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload in a timely manner to complete assignment when faced with many deadlines and competing requirements.
· Strong attention to detail and the ability to quickly understand and remember details about donors, museum exhibitions, public programs, and events.
· High level of proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel, and Adobe CS software; donor database system (working knowledge of Altru or other Blackbaud products, preferred).
· Knowledge of Bay Area philanthropy, preferred. Museum or arts experience, a plus.
· Valid CA driver’s license required.


About Us
Founded in 1969 by artists, SJMA presents modern and contemporary art exhibitions and programs; international in scope, it celebrates the cutting-edge vision of California and Pacific Rim artists. Given its location in the heart of Silicon Valley, the Museum
has a substantial commitment to showing and nurturing visionary work in new media: initiatives include an experimental gallery-as-laboratory for artists called Beta Space, and the “New Stories from the Edge of Asia” exhibition series. SJMA is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is located near the Plaza de César Chavez in downtown San José. The Museum serves 100,000 people a year, including some 45,000 school children, and is the largest provider of arts education in Santa Clara County.

The Development team raises over $4.5 million each year in contributed income from corporate, foundation, government, individual, and membership sources to promote the Museum’s educational mission and accent the impact of creativity. Earned revenue through event rentals is also under the department’s purview.


Applicant must receive a favorable background check.


SJMA offers a competitive benefits plan including medical, dental, vision and paid sick and vacation time. The Museum offers a generous retirement program.


This position includes the opportunity to travel with major donors and Museum leadership on local and national art trips.


We are an equal opportunity employer. At SJMA, we value the diversity of individuals and the ideas, perspectives, insights, and values they bring to the workplace.


To Apply
To apply, please visit https://sjmusart.org/about/employment Opens a New Window. .


Due to the high volume of interest, regrettably, we cannot respond to individual applicants. If you are selected as a potential candidate, SJMA will contact you to schedule an interview.


No phone calls, please.

Salary Range: 
80-90,000

About This Job

  • San Jose Museum of Art
  • San Jose, CA
  • Category: Professional
  • Salary Range: 80-90,000
  • Posted: August 29, 2019