Individual Giving WNO Assistant Manager

About The Kennedy Center

"I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit." - President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation's cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra.

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law.

Mission Statement: As America's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across the United States and around the world, connecting the greatest living artists with audiences of every stripe, no matter their background. We welcome all Americans and creators and visitors from across the globe to discover, experience, learn about, be inspired by, and engage with the arts.

Why Join Us

We offer a total rewards package to all full-time employees to include:

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA

Pay Details

The Kennedy Center strives to design equitable compensation programs. The projected salary range for this position is $55,000 - $62,000, commensurate with experience, and includes a comprehensive benefits package. This is the targeted range of possible compensation for this role at the time of posting. This range may be modified in the future. Base pay within the range is ultimately determined by a candidate's skills, expertise, and experience as it relates to the position qualifications and responsibilities.

Job Description

The Washington National Opera (WNO) Assistant Manager of Individual Giving (AMIG) reports to WNO's Director of Major Gifts (DMG) and is an essential member of the WNO Major Gifts team and the Kennedy Center Development department. The AMIG is charged with the retention, stewardship, and ongoing management of WNO's Circles membership (donors who annually give between $1,800-$24,999), and the identification, cultivation, and acquisition of prospective Circles-level contributors. Donations from Circles patrons are a cornerstone of WNO's annual contributed income goals, and the AMIG plays a crucial role in sustaining and growing this important base of support.

As a member of the Major Gifts team, the AMIG also plays a vital role in helping identify Circles members with Major Gifts-level capacity (contributions above $25,000), and through stewardship, cultivation, and collaboration with WNO's DMG, Major Gifts Officers, WNO's Managing Director of Advancement, and WNO's Director of Individual Giving and Operations helps migrate such patrons into Major Gifts' portfolios.

The AMIG is the primary point-of-contact for WNO Circles donors, and as such, personally connects with these patrons in ways that makes their involvement with WNO as meaningful and enjoyable as possible. Through meetings, visits, phone calls, written communications, assistance at performances, and individualized concierge services, the AMIG is able to directly engage Circles members and develop trusted philanthropic relationships.

Along with the entire WNO Development team, the AMIG is tasked with helping the Opera achieve its annual fundraising and special campaign goals through the cultivation and management of its Circles membership, and by participating in the development and implementation of the department's strategic planning, campaigns, new initiatives as they arise, WNO's annual gala, and donor/prospect cultivation events throughout the year.

The WNO Development team is part of the larger Kennedy Center Development department, and as such, the AMIG works collaboratively with Center-wide colleagues, who assist each other in advancing their assigned goals while also helping to achieve results for the entire institution.

This is an excellent position for professional development.

Key Responsibilities

• The AMIG is responsible for overseeing the WNO Circles program by stewarding, soliciting, and identifying current and prospective Circles supporters, managing their philanthropic engagement, growth, and involvement, and encouraging and developing their appreciation for and enjoyment of the art form to enrich their opera-going experience and strengthen their financial commitment.
• The AMIG maintains a cyclical calendar for renewals and acquisitions, coordinating a multi-staged annual campaign that includes various forms of communications and engagement-letters, emails, phone calls, meetings, visits, curated opportunities to learn more about opera and WNO productions, socialization at performances, invitations to cultivation events.
• The AMIG is responsible for: creating or overseeing the creation of WNO Circles communications materials for renewals; documenting pledges and payments; drafting acknowledgement letters for WNO Circles donations; and, with colleagues, identifying and acquiring new members. The AMIG is expected to think strategically about such engagement, involving WNO leadership or Board members, when appropriate, in solicitations or gift acknowledgements to encourage donors' enhanced involvement.
• The position must maintain clear, informative call reports, donor records, pledge payment schedules, gift histories, and strategic moves within the CRM system and through other appropriate means to ensure consistent stewardship, fulfillment of donor benefits, accurate recognition, and long-term engagement of this group of patrons. Through careful record-keeping, the AMIG ensures that WNO leadership and the Kennedy Center Finance Department have accurate accounting records of this group to inform financial projections and budgeting.
• When needed, the AMIG assists with prospect research of Circles members, helps the WNO Development team prepare donor profiles or presentations for major gifts solicitations, or provides collegial support to colleagues during deadlines.
• In addition to the AMIG's primary focus on the Circles program, the position participates in WNO Major Gifts meetings and Kennedy Center-wide Development meetings, contributing to the broad strategic thinking of contributed income projections for the Opera and supporting WNO and Kennedy Center colleagues as needed to achieve shared goals.
• As part of the WNO Development team, the AMIG participates in the planning of WNO's annual gala and is assigned duties prior to and during the event. These duties may include assisting with the development of lists, invitations, drafting guest profiles, and other duties as needed. The Officer also suggests, oversees, or supports cultivation events throughout the year designed to engage new prospects, encourage increased commitments, and enrich donor involvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 2 years professional development experience, with demonstrable attributes applicable to this position. Experience working with Boards and in a team with shared goals.
• Knowledge of broad fundraising principles, standard accounting procedures, development trends, prospect research, and Boards is essential. An understanding of large cultural institutions is beneficial but not required.
• Self-motivated, creative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial. Ability to multi-task, and deftly interact with a variety of personalities, internally and externally. Ability and confidence to work without close supervision, to foresee development needs, and to actively participate in strategy meetings. Flexibility and eagerness to communicate and problem-solve with a positive attitude is essential.
• Ability and willingness to collaborate across a matrixed organization to make best use of the expertise of other departments to effect positive change and achieve shared goals.
• Excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate persuasively, in person and in writing.
• Experience with Tessitura and/or other CRM systems.
• Interest in and knowledge of music, opera, and the arts is helpful.
• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area. Relocation assistance is not provided.
• Candidate must be willing to work onsite.

Additional Information

• Working outside of normal business hours (evenings and weekends) is expected during the performance seasons, primarily during WNO performances and events, and to assist with Kennedy Center and National Symphony Orchestra events if needed. Other than when out of office at donor meetings or for other business, normal hours are in-office.
• The WNO/Kennedy Center environment is a large, vibrant, faced-paced setting that values creativity, initiative, efficiency, diversity, and teamwork.

ABOUT WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA

Led by General Director Timothy O'Leary and internationally-acclaimed stage director and WNO Artistic Director, Francesca Zambello, Washington National Opera celebrates its 70^th anniversary in 2026. Each season, the $24 million company produces five innovative mainstage productions-from the classics to the rare to the contemporary-and an annual holiday opera for families. Since 2012, the company's much-lauded American Opera Initiative has commissioned and produced 36 twenty-minute operas, three each year, from emerging composers and librettists, and 7 hour-long operas, 6 of which have subsequently been seen at companies across the U.S. WNO's Cafritz Young Artists program is considered one of the finest resident training and career advancement programs in the world, offering singers on the verge of international careers intensive coaching, career guidance, and-importantly-supporting roles in WNO mainstage productions and leading roles in the American Opera Initiative world premieres. WNO and the Kennedy Center annually celebrate the Marian Anderson Award given to a young American singer who has achieved initial success in opera, oratorio, or recital repertory with an annual recital, and WNO, in concert with Kennedy Center Education, oversee the WNO Opera Institute, a summer training program for high school singers. WNO further extends its mission into the community with programs throughout the year in churches, community centers, at the Library of Congress and other major institutions, with the tech community, and with teens at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center.