Manager, Major Gifts

About the role

The Manager, Major Gifts is responsible for the full cycle of major gift fundraising in support of the Sundance Institute. This includes managing a portfolio of approximately 125 current and prospective major gift ($25K+) donors, developing and executing solicitation strategies for major gift donors, and ensuring thoughtful stewardship.

Responsibilities

• Partnering with the Associate Director, Individual Giving to develop and implement high level major donor strategies, encompassing alumni and artist giving.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Artistic, Artist Programs, Festival, and Development teams to ensure donor engagement strategies authentically reflect the Institute’s mission, creative community, and programmatic priorities.
• Initiating, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding relationships with a portfolio of prospects and donors (including major gifts, planned giving, and support for endowment campaigns).
• Partnering with Artist Program teams to engage and solicit major and prospective donors for program-specific gifts, including the Catalyst program.
• Reporting on major gift revenue to identify and present fundraising trends.
• Deepening long-term donor investment through relationship-centered engagement, stewardship, and philanthropic partnership.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for major gift donors at the Sundance Film Festival, including meetings with donors.
• Providing regular revenue updates to the Development and Finance teams, including ensuring accuracy in revenue projections in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database and following up on the status of major gift opportunities.
• Representing Sundance Institute and the Development team at Institute events.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of frontline fundraising experience within an arts, film, media or other culturally driven nonprofit organization required.

Exceptional storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to translate artistic impact into compelling donor engagement opportunities.

Demonstrated ability to build authentic relationships with artists, creatives, cultural stakeholders, and philanthropists who support creative work.

Knowledge of the independent film, arts, or creative funding landscape, including the motivations and priorities of donors who invest in artists and storytelling.

Ability to develop and implement new fundraising strategies, and solicit and close major gifts.

Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

Knowledge of innovative fundraising strategies.

Ability to build trust-based, authentic relationships across diverse donor, artist, and stakeholder communities.

Strong organizational skills, including the ability to effectively prioritize and manage processes.

Strong donor engagement and relationship management skills, including a proactive and thoughtful approach to donor communication and stewardship.

Demonstrated experience working with prospect research and customer relationship management databases.

Qualifications

Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Skills

Strategically advance fundraising initiatives by creating and implementing innovative fundraising strategies that are in sync with the Institute's mission and values/interests of the donors.

Cultivate and solicit major donors by building and executing personalized engagement plans and solicitation strategies that resonate with individual major donors.

Maintain consistent donor engagement by actively engaging with major donors on a regular basis through meaningful interactions that advance cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

Drive philanthropic support by consistently identifying and pursuing opportunities to secure increased and new contributions, as well as gifts designated for specific programs.

Ensure effective communication and time management by clearly communicating, prioritizing tasks effectively, and consistently meeting deadlines in a timely manner.

Pay

$57,784.00 to $70,000.00 annually*

Schedule

Full-time position, operating in a hybrid environment with in-office collaboration. Extended hours will be required during key Institute events and campaigns. Travel to other Institute offices, events, and donor visits will be required throughout the year.