Assistant Director of Advancement (STARS), IS-1001-13

About the role

The Assistant Director of Advancement is responsible for securing contributions and support from public and private sources, including from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other partners, for the Smithsonian STARS program.

Responsibilities

• Cultivates and manages relationships with prospective and current donors for Smithsonian STARS.
• Determines strategies in accordance with donor interests and SAO/Smithsonian objectives.
• Establishes and maintains close and direct relationships with key donors and prospects and represents Smithsonian STARS to them.
• Collaborates with other Smithsonian and SAO team members engaged in advancement and fundraising work.
• Serves as a principal advisor to the Director of Advancement.
• Leads development of multi-year advancement plans to support STARS and other organizational priorities.
• Oversees planning and execution of major gift, annual giving, planned giving, and corporate/foundation fundraising programs.
• Directs donor engagement activities, including recognition programs, stewardship events, impact reporting, and personalized outreach.
• Represents the organization at high-visibility events, donor meetings, and external engagements.
• Supervises creation of related communications, including digital content, newsletters, annual reports, and campaign materials.
• Coordinates with other offices to ensure unified external communication.
• Maintains accurate and timely donor records, contact reports, and portfolio activity in the data system.

Qualifications

• Mastery of advancement, fundraising, donor relations, and philanthropic strategy sufficient to design and lead complex, multi-year initiatives.
• Expert knowledge of major gifts, campaign planning, donor psychology, and nonprofit financial structures.
• Ability to advise senior leaders, negotiate high-value commitments, and develop institution-wide advancement strategies.
• Strong oral presentation skills to engage and inform donors and donor prospects and negotiate significant gifts on behalf of the Smithsonian or SAO.
• Skill in developing written materials designed to recognize and encourage the organization’s donors where their funding has benefited the unit programs.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with a variety of individual, corporate, or institutional donors of diverse backgrounds and interests.
• Expert knowledge and mastery of fundraising and marketing methods, techniques, and practices to develop new concepts and approaches.
• Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.