Annual Giving And Direct Response Assistant Manager

• Please submit a cover letter for consideration*

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 the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts.

Why Join Us

We offer a comprehensive range of benefits to all full-time employees including:

• 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

• Flexible work arrangements

• We like to have fun! Check out the Kennedy Center National Dance Day 2023 staff video!

Job Description

The Assistant Manager of Annual Giving and Direct Response manages the day-to-day operation of the Membership and National Patron programs of the Kennedy Center, NSO, and WNO (donations of less than $1,800) with a high degree of autonomy. The position will lead donor cultivation, prospecting, and benefit fulfillment efforts for the Annual Giving team including managing the execution of all Membership events. The Assistant Manager also collaborates with the Manager of Annual Giving and Donor Insights on the implementation of the program's robust direct response campaigns. Responsibilities include writing copy for email and mail solicitations, reviewing and approving set ups with vendors, segmenting and extracting data for campaigns, and maintaining database records. The Assistant Manager works closely with other Development Staff to manage Membership services including Membership customer service, ticket purchases, and upgrade opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Membership Engagement: lead the design and execution of approx. 20 events per year that Members at varying levels have access to as part of their Membership.

• Collaborate with the Manager of Annual Giving and Donor Insights to ensure that events are meeting program objectives and donor engagement goals, are cost-effective, and within budget.

• Manage all external communications, including facilitating the creation and production of event invitations, email communications, and other materials.

• Work closely with the Special Events team on the design and execution of each event.

• Serve as the onsite team lead for all events, with support from other development staff.

• Manage requests for donors and prospects for Kennedy Center signature events such as Honors, Mark Twain Prize, Fireworks on the Fourth, and NSO and WNO Galas.

Campaign Management: collaborate with internal teams, external consultants, and vendors to develop, direct, review, and execute integrated direct marketing campaigns.

• Work collaboratively on all types of campaigns, including direct mail, telemarketing, texting, online fundraising, and collateral materials for Membership and National Patron programs.

• Manage campaigns through all stages of production including writing copy, proofreading, and reviewing set ups.

• Independently manage all data for campaigns and collaborate with the Manager of Annual Giving and Donor Insights on data segmentation strategies.

Member Stewardship and Administration: oversee day-to-day donor communications and administration.

• Manage the Development general email accounts.

• Respond to Member inquiries related to benefits, events, ticketing, contributions, and other general inquiries.

• Organize and maintain Annual Giving's records including filing samples from direct mail campaigns, overseeing supply inventory, and collaborating with the Archives team on record retention.

• Regularly visit the Member lounges on high priority nights to interact with patrons and align onsite experiences with stewardship goals.

Donor Cultivation: develop systems to identify prospects and cultivate upgrades.

• Analyze data and key performance indicators to identify Membership donors who are likely prospects for cultivation to higher levels.

• Collaborate with Circles colleagues to implement targeted upgrade plans for these donors.

Provide customer service at the highest level; Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or applicable professional experience required.

• Minimum of two to four years of experience in direct response fundraising or membership program administration.

• Prior experience working in a relational database or CRM required.

• Proven ability to multitask and independently manage multiple competing deadlines

• Knowledge of direct mail production required

• Event experience required

• Superior communication (written/verbal) and interpersonal skills. Creativity and a command of the English language in order to communicate persuasively the need for funding.

• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area.

Additional Information

• Occasionally the employee may need to lift, carry, or move office boxes, weighing up to 25 pounds, through the management of the Annual Giving team's supply closet.

• Minimal local travel is required.

• The position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement offering the ability to work remotely part of the time. However, must be able to work on site at least three days of the week plus being on-site for all Membership events and other major events and galas.