Director of Major Gifts
Philadelphia, PA
Full Time
Manager/Supervisor
We Are Committed to an Inclusive Workplace
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.
The Director of Major Gifts leads the museum’s Major Gifts program, overseeing a team of Major Gifts Officers (currently two) and managing a portfolio of high-capacity donors. This position develops and executes strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational gifts that support endowment, capital, and programmatic priorities. The Director works closely with Trustees, museum leadership, and colleagues across Advancement to strengthen relationships and align fundraising with institutional goals.
Specifically, you will:
• Develop, implement, and refine a comprehensive strategy for the Major Gifts program to grow the pipeline of high-capacity prospects ($25,000+), emphasizing sustainable, long-term donor relationships.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, developing and executing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Conduct face-to-face solicitations and coordinate donor meetings with senior staff and Trustees.
• Supervise, mentor, and support a team of Major Gifts Officers (currently two), establishing clear performance expectations and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving and other Advancement colleagues to align major gift strategies with broader institutional and donor priorities.
• Identify and cultivate prospective donors from the museum membership and wider community to expand the donor base.
• Serve as a liaison to curatorial or program departments to translate institutional priorities into philanthropic opportunities.
• Ensure accurate documentation and reporting of donor interactions in the museum’s prospect management system.
• Lead internal portfolio reviews and support collaborative moves management processes.
• Support special projects or initiatives as requested.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
Your background and experience include:
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive major gift or individual fundraising experience, preferably in a cultural or nonprofit institution.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting major gifts, generally in the six-figure range, with a focus on long-term donor relationships.
• Experience supervising and mentoring fundraising staff.
• Strong leadership, strategic, and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to articulate institutional priorities and align them with donor interests.
• Proficiency with CRM/fundraising databases (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and Microsoft Office.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and integrity in all interactions.
Position and Compensation Details
Institutional Requirements
Application Timeline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.
What We Offer
Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:
We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:
*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we actively seek to employ a diverse group of people who embody our organizational values. We welcome and encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the museum field, who are inspired by our shared purpose and enjoy working collaboratively with others.
We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship or immigration status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected status.
The Director of Major Gifts leads the museum’s Major Gifts program, overseeing a team of Major Gifts Officers (currently two) and managing a portfolio of high-capacity donors. This position develops and executes strategies to cultivate, solicit, and steward transformational gifts that support endowment, capital, and programmatic priorities. The Director works closely with Trustees, museum leadership, and colleagues across Advancement to strengthen relationships and align fundraising with institutional goals.
Specifically, you will:
• Develop, implement, and refine a comprehensive strategy for the Major Gifts program to grow the pipeline of high-capacity prospects ($25,000+), emphasizing sustainable, long-term donor relationships.
• Personally manage a portfolio of major gift prospects, developing and executing individualized cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship plans.
• Conduct face-to-face solicitations and coordinate donor meetings with senior staff and Trustees.
• Supervise, mentor, and support a team of Major Gifts Officers (currently two), establishing clear performance expectations and fostering a collaborative, high-performing team culture.
• Partner with the Senior Director of Individual Giving and other Advancement colleagues to align major gift strategies with broader institutional and donor priorities.
• Identify and cultivate prospective donors from the museum membership and wider community to expand the donor base.
• Serve as a liaison to curatorial or program departments to translate institutional priorities into philanthropic opportunities.
• Ensure accurate documentation and reporting of donor interactions in the museum’s prospect management system.
• Lead internal portfolio reviews and support collaborative moves management processes.
• Support special projects or initiatives as requested.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
Your background and experience include:
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive major gift or individual fundraising experience, preferably in a cultural or nonprofit institution.
• Demonstrated success cultivating and soliciting major gifts, generally in the six-figure range, with a focus on long-term donor relationships.
• Experience supervising and mentoring fundraising staff.
• Strong leadership, strategic, and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to articulate institutional priorities and align them with donor interests.
• Proficiency with CRM/fundraising databases (Raiser’s Edge preferred) and Microsoft Office.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and integrity in all interactions.
Position and Compensation Details
- The salary for this position is $140,000.
- This position is Full-Time, Exempt, and 35 hours per week.
- This position reports to Senior Director, Individual Giving
- Physical requirements:
- Able to remain stationary for extended periods of time, to utilize computers and other office equipment required of this job, to perform physically administrative duties in a typical interior office environment, gallery, or exhibit space, and to access most public and staff areas of the museum campus
- Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
Institutional Requirements
- Upholds the professional standards of the field, always acts in a manner that is consistent with the best interests of the museum and protects and enhances its reputation and standing within the community of museums.
- Adheres to the museum’s code of ethics and Employee Handbook and avoids any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
- Shows respect for co-workers and visitors and an understanding of and appreciation for the diversity of the museum’s staff, volunteers, and audiences.
- Maintains confidentiality.
- Adheres to all museum protocols, procedures, rules, and policies.
Application Timeline
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage candidates to apply early as the position will close once we have a robust applicant pool or a candidate has been selected.
What We Offer
Our employees are at the center of the museum. As an employee, you will have access to numerous museum perks including, but not limited to:
- Free general admission to the museum for you and your immediate family
- Discounted guest tickets for admission
- Discounts on gift memberships
- Special staff tours and presentations from our curatorial and conservation teams
- Discounts at the museum restaurant, museum cafés, and museum retail and online stores
We offer a comprehensive benefits package for employees including:
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits
- Fully paid short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, and life insurance
- Health savings or flexible spending account program
- Retirement savings program with museum match
- Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, and holidays
*Eligibility for certain benefits is based on a variety of factors including the employee’s regular schedule and tenure.
Apply for this position
Required*